Western Reimagined

Western Home Jackson Hole Wyoming Architect Cowgirl Magazine — The corner wall in the great room slides open, connecting the main living space to the upper terrace. Beyond the wood log columns sitting atop battered concrete bases, the custom railing features steel pickets arranged in a random pattern to give the impression of reeds in nature.

If you live in a setting as naturally beautiful as Jackson Hole, Wyo., it is understandable that you would want to bring as much of the outdoor aesthetic inside as possible. Blurring the lines between indoor and outdoor living is precisely what one Connecticut couple accomplished with their retirement home, which is part of the luxurious Homes at Amangani. “It’s rather unique in that it has the feel of being very much rural and looking at the mountains, yet it’s only 10 minutes from the grocery store,” says the owner, who was the architect and interior designer on the project.

The uniquely located lot they selected was rather difficult to build on because it is situated on a steep slope that drops off in two directions. But the imposing views of the Teton Mountain Range and layers of landscape–including rugged buttes that change in both color and texture with the seasons–offered the perfect private setting for their home that is at once modern, rustic, Western, and Asian-inspired. “You could just sit and stare out the windows all day long!” exclaims the owner, who wanted the views to be the focus of his design.

The just-under 6,000-square-foot house is relatively opaque on the entry side. From here, you only get a glimpse of what’s beyond with peek-a-boo mountain views through the entry windows. Flowing down from the entry, a gallery forms the spine of the home from which all other spaces are organized to take advantage of the mountain vistas on the opposite side of the home. That side is largely transparent with floor-to ceiling windows stretching the length of the house. The home combines sloped shake roofs with flat sod roofs that mimic the pitch of the surrounding mountains and, in turn, de-emphasize the structure. Built of wood and stone on solid rock plinths, the home assumes a natural harmony within its geographical environment.

Natural materials–including stone, redwood walls, mahogany windows and cabinetry, and pine columns–are utilized both inside and out to further soften the distinction between interior and exterior spaces. The interior design palette is decidedly neutral with sparsely used and strategically placed artwork that enable colors from nature, visible through the massive windows throughout the home, to take center stage. It’s a modern design that remains soft, warm, and human in its color and scale. The redwood walls, for instance, have a complex color and texture that keep the home from being harshly modern while at the same time giving the appearance that the space was carved out of a single block of wood.

Twin master suites anchor the opposite ends of the home, separated by the inviting great room, dining room, and kitchen. Offering a private retreat, each bedroom has a glass corner wall where a comfortable swivel chair sits, perfect for curling up with a book or losing yourself in the view. An ensuite bathroom featuring a panoramic glass wall provides another inundation of nature to the space. Each bedroom is fully self-sufficient with a private deck, daybed, workspace, fireplace, built-in television, washer/dryer, refrigerator/freezer drawers, and a place for a coffee maker.

The great room boasts a beautiful piano-curved window with frames custom crafted from solid mahogany wood that create even more drama in the living room. The corner window of the great room slides open to the spacious upper terrace beyond, expanding the gathering space and more completely connecting indoor and outdoor living. From here, you can even hear the faint sounds of the cattle grazing in the valley below.

The walk-out lower level features a guest suite with floor-to-ceiling windows and an outdoor terrace with stepping stones to the hot tub area. A theater room with a 10-foot screen, an office, a sauna, and a large exercise room with views of the mountains beyond complete the lower level.

The home’s elaborate audio-visual and lighting control system is the ultimate in convenience and entertaining ease, enabling the streaming of music and videos from anywhere in the house to any of the TVs and speakers via a smartphone or keypads mounted in strategic locations.