When I first visited the construction site of this home I had a good look around. I saw the incredible view of Lone Peak. Acres of woodland. Big Sky, Montana is a beautiful place.
And then I reached inside, to that place where we make our deep decisions, and decided I wanted to bring that stone and wood indoors.
The West – and particularly this part of Montana – has such a rich history. I wanted to come forward from that history in its most luxurious form: masculine, a little rough at first glance, but with gentle touches in unexpected places. It is it’s own sort of refinement. Not a grudging allowance of more cultivated comforts, but rather a gracious and sophisticated abiding.
Looking into the dining room you can see a bronze sculpture by Dave McGarry on the pass-thru built-in between the living and dining rooms. The piece is on a swivel base and can be turned to face whichever room the owner likes. Velvet dining chairs surround the table and give this space a warm, cozy feel.
This spectacular kitchen features soapstone countertops and a moss stone surround for the range. Custom iron pendant lights echo the oak leaf and acorn motif found in the drapery panels on the windows. All of the cabinetry in this house features a textured finish, created by being blasted with corn which raises the grain of the panels. Antique copper molds from the Black Forest in Germany hang above the arched stone opening.
The downstairs Game Room has another wonderful fireplace and a pool table crafted from hickory logs.
The master bath features a shower made almost entirely of river rock pebbles. The focal point to the room is the wood burning fireplace across from the bathtub.
We designed bunk beds from actual tree trunks and left branches to climb along the ceiling. The artwork is a framed collection of authentic paint-by-numbers done by children in the 1950’s.
This wonderful bed is made from logs that were pulled from the bottom of a river and the artwork showcases framed pieces of antique Aubusson rugs.
To stand on the warm floor in the midst of winter, surrounded by the beauty of wood and stone, wool and silk, and to gaze out at the rugged beauty of Lone Peak beyond the trees gave me a feeling of being deliciously sheltered in this mountain retreat. That feeling of being embraced, supported by the structure around you – that is what sanctuary is all about.
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