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As the sun moves across the sky, the Chinese believe the symbols of yin and yang gradually trade places with each other, revealing what was obscured and obscuring what was revealed. So too goes the modernization of log homes. These two renovation projects showcase the possibilities in black (yin) and white (yang). In both cases, large windows opened up the traditional Western cabin feel, and steel was introduced to create a more industrial, black-and-white look. Floating staircases draw the eye up and out rather than down and in.

1 CONTRAST IN COLOR

The first example is a log cabin in East Jackson. “Before, the home was dark and cavelike,” says designer John Martin, of J. Martin Design. “I wanted to give the honey-colored logs a fresh, new look and lighten the room.”

After grinding the stain and clear coat off the logs, he bleached out the pink and yellow tones. He then used a guest bedroom as his laboratory to test the color and get the right whitewashed look. “I wanted the logs to be opaque, so I had to thin down the alabaster stain in order to see the grain,” he says.

Because the existing frame couldn’t support concrete floors, he chose a porcelain faux wood tile from Italy. Finally, he smoothed out the textured drywall and replaced the track lighting with recessed cans.

“I didn’t want to have a lot of different elements competing for attention,” he says. “I just wanted three or four showstoppers, so I chose the windows, the steel, the Italian tile and the white logs.”

2 MATERIAL CHANGES

The honest expression of the log structure in this Indian Paintbrush project was an interesting challenge to architect Peggy Gilday. “Experimentation with stains and finishes brings out the richness of the wood grain while omitting the orange color inherent in aged, clear finishes,” she says. “Historically, the chinking (the caulk substance between the logs) may be a contrasting color, which can be distracting.”

By blacking out the log stack, she was able to obscure the chinking and modernize the old building with the addition of tongue-and-groove Western red cedar. Other elements, including a sleek, modern staircase and a plastered fireplace replacing the heavy stone, simplified the interior.

“I think Peg had a great eye to go black with the logs,” says Teton Heritage Builders partner Mark Dalby. He had to shore up the log to put in the steel and connect the cabins to the addition.

The front entrance was designed as an art gallery for the owner’s collection. The space is punctuated on either end by Italian steel-framed doors and windows. “This was a cool way to show some functional steel,” Dalby says.

The rift white oak cabinetry in the kitchen was hand selected so that the wood grain carries through the doors and drawers sequentially.

For Russ Weaver, another partner at Teton Heritage Builders, log isn’t as limiting as it appears. “Just think, there’s a square timber in every round log,” he says.

How do you incorporate your favorite patterns into a sophisticated new look for your home? Ask interior designer Kate Binger, the founder of Dwelling. She brightened up this active family’s Solitude home using modern textures and colors that complement the family’s favorite Pendleton plaids. The entire house was painted gold, which dumbed down the brilliance of the wood ceilings, making the house feel dark and heavy, Binger says. The walls are mostly white now, with a few key ones clad in barnwood. “Barnwood is an excellent accent. It gives houses lacking texture an instant interest and depth.”

WHEN I USE OVERSIZED MIRRORS, I LIKE TO PLAN THE REFLECTION OF AT LEAST ONE LARGE WINDOW.
— KATE BINGER

A balance of neutrals and pops of colors and dog-friendly fibers contextualizes the home in its dense forest setting, allowing the owners to let their rescued Rhodesian Ridgeback dogs happily roam free.
Binger seems to attract clients who enjoy living hard in their homes, just as she does. Feet on the table, wine and dogs on the sofa and muddy boots on the entry rug; she enjoys this aspect of entwining form and function in her designs. In the dining room, a large, gold-framed mirror on the barnwood-sided wall lightens up the open floor plan, reflecting the windows that look out onto a creek and a grove of trees. “When I use oversized mirrors, I like to plan the reflection of at least one large window.” Binger says. “In this case, the dining wall was an instant win for a mirror since it is able to reflect the transom windows, operable windows and the stone of the fireplace.”

For me, clean lines paired with the warmth of texture and color is paramount.
— KATE BINGER

She also makes a good case for introducing bright colors, especially because of the long, white winters here. A wood pedestal coffee table is painted with red lacquer and designed to function as a gathering place for drinks and games. The red brings a playful aspect to the colorful mosaic of cowboy paintings by Duke Beardsley from Altamira Gallery. At the bar, Binger chose barnwood shelving, which complements the matte, etched-limestone backsplash tile. Cowhide and polished-chrome barstools create a great contrast to the existing cherry cabinetry. A funky twig chandelier brings whimsy to the custom, live-edge dining table.

In the master bedroom, a classic leather headboard and navy painted nightstands balance the pop of the lounge chairs, which are covered, of course, in Pendleton wool. “For me, clean lines paired with the warmth of textures is paramount,” Binger says.

Forty years ago, Bill Poss started an architecture firm with a holistic philosophy: quality of design, quality of service and quality of life.

Since that time he has enlisted a team of professionals who love what they do and love living in the West. Creating seamless transitions from inside to outside, room to room, this all-inclusive architecture and interior design firm prides itself on making livable spaces tailored to clients’ Mountain West lifestyles. There is no single, cookie-cutter Poss design; the firm strives to be responsive to each client’s vision as well as the landscape, respecting every home’s specific environment.

“What I like about Jackson is that it has a history of being very Western-oriented, but now with a more contemporary sensibility,” Poss says. “We like to incorporate historical elements and also give modern interpretations in order to create a new look at history.

“For homes in the West,” he continues, “we bring in those broader vistas to capture the romance of, say, looking out a window at a great snowstorm.” Incorporating clean lines, expansive windows and bright pops of color lends a contemporary feel.

Another nod toward history can be found in an outdoor fire pit, where family and guests gather and tell stories, as humans have done throughout the ages.

We want the building to take advantage of the site and gracefully connect with the land.
~ andrew wisnoski

Poss team members view themselves as instruments to help clients realize their dreams. “We want to create an environment that is unique to our client,” says Melanie Grant, the interior design director. Having an interior design department in-house means a creative cross-pollination of ideas can take place. Grant says the working environment is like the relationships they have with clients: collaborative and fun, not stuffy or formal.

With expertise in creating regionally and contextually sensitive structures, Poss ensures each building looks like it belongs in the environment. “Architecturally, the colors and materials are hugely important,” says Andrew Wisnoski, a partner at Poss. “We don’t want buildings to be incongruous with their setting. We want the building to take advantage of the site and gracefully connect with the land.”

The Poss team understands how people today want to live within their Western surroundings, and they create spaces for a range of activities suited for their clients’ lifestyles. Poss is recognized for its quality; projects are customized to individual clients’ needs and are built with careful attention to every detail and material selection.

In sum, says Poss, “We pride ourselves on creating legacy homes and ranches that our clients can enjoy with the generations coming up through their families.”

MELDING TRADITIONAL WESTERN DESIGN WITH A CONTEMPORARY FLAIR IS NO EASY TASK, UNLESS YOU ARE JACQUE JENKINS- STIREMAN, a local designer who executed clear and well-de ned objectives to help a Lake Blu , Illinois, couple with two very di erent aesthetic styles de ne Western elegance in their Teton Pines home.
“I wanted to incorporate the owner’s personal treasures into the new design of the home,” Stireman says. “Honoring the husband’s traditional Western desires with his wife’s transitional requests was what inspired me. It became the design direction.”

Like most of her projects, the custom furniture, fabrics, art and architectural details re ect the personalities of the family who dwells here. From the oversized pewter vase on the claw-footed rent table in the entryway to the iron chandelier above it and sconces along the rotunda-like staircase that leads to the second oor, there is a cohesive and inviting vernacular.

On the second oor, thoughtfully weaved-together patterns and textures give dimension to every corner of the well-appointed guest quarters. At the top of the staircase a reading nook with a red hair-on-hide ottoman between two taupe suede chairs references the abstract horse gure painting by September Vhay downstairs. The main attraction is a fun- lled media room with a built-in bar, game table and entertainment center. An old-fashioned slot machine, train-cart co ee table and distressed leather bar stools around a bistro table give it a Western-saloon-for-all-ages feel.

Much of the woodwork was designed by PlaneWoodTM, a by-design case goods division of Stireman’s company, which has been a passion of hers. “Being able to execute our design vision with this division allows for unparalleled customization for our clients,” she says.

The color palette downstairs is stately with deep blue and red hues. Spool chairs with a crisp navy-and-white Thibaut Tigris velvet pattern mingle with a split, quarter- sawn oak co ee table, highlighting the red horse painting above the replace. A contemporary bronze sculpture of the Tetons on the double-height wall in the kitchen also draws the eye upward. Modern Windsor chairs and classic leather stools with contemporary backs are part of one of Stireman’s favorite spaces: the breakfast nook.

The Western appeal is most apparent in the study o the entryway where a classic-inspired iron gun rack and a striking painting of an Indian chief hearken back to a different era. The Native American textiles outside the o ce o er another transition to the first floor master bedroom, which mixes the wife’s love of fresh, classic lines with the husband’s passion for the West. Neutral-toned artisan rugs and boucle? chairs in front of another tranquil hearth display Stireman’s “heart first” approach.

Just as a piece of music is only notes on paper without a talented musician, even the best designs rely on the translation of a skilled builder to realize their highest form. Yet between architect/builder Todd Witek and builder Kurt Mitchell, no translation is required. After collaborating for more than a decade, the two speak the same language, and the results show in the quality custom homes they’ve built.

This year, Witek and Mitchell will formalize this partnership to create one business, With the Grain LLC, where a seamless progression from design to construction assures the best product for their clients.

After earning his architecture degree from the University of Colorado, Witek began his 23-year career remodeling Victorian houses in San Francisco. Mitchell started creating custom cabinetry and interior trim in college; his business soon morphed into building custom homes.

 
The two builders first met in Boulder, Colorado, where they developed a mutual respect for each other’s meticulous craftsmanship. That respect, combined with a shared work ethic and a passion for functional design, led to a 15-year working relationship. The goal: making their clients’ dreams a reality.

Take, for example, this residence near Jackson Hole Golf & Tennis Club. The project features an extensive remodel of the 6,000-square-foot main house, as well as the construction of a 5,500-square-foot barn/guest suite and a 1,700-square-foot carriage house to store the homeowner’s treasured collection of antique horse-drawn carriages. Precise detailing abounds here—from log walls finished with a hand-rubbed glaze to the false panel under a central staircase that curves around a massive tree that was part of the original house.

This assiduity is consistent in even the smallest of touches. Eight of the home’s entryways feature panel-cased openings homesteadmag.com with multi-step crown molding, each handcrafted from more than 100 individual pieces. Witek and his team even worked the family’s cattle brand into a custom cherry mantelpiece over the fireplace in the homeowner’s office, a stained-glass window set into a door, and the end caps of the bar’s iron foot rail.

“Being part of both design and construction gives us more versatility and efficiency.”
– Todd Witek of With the Grain LLC

Inside the carriage house, exposed wood beams, stained concrete floors, and interior wainscoting blend aesthetics with function. A porch from the barn’s guest suite provides visitors with views of the Jackson Hole Mountain Resort ski area.

While big remodeling projects like the residence near Golf & Tennis Club offer ample opportunities to demonstrate their expertise, Witek and Mitchell say shepherding a custom home from design to construction holds just as much appeal.

The partners first collaborated on a home perched on Pine Creek Pass in Idaho. The client asked for the aesthetic of a rustic fishing lodge with ample room to entertain guests, plus a large mudroom to store gear. “I sketched it up and the client loved it,” Witek says. “Kurt got it to the very end, including the trim work and the finishing touches, and it is a great house. It turned out really nice.”

Maintaining a holistic process allows Witek and Mitchell to play off each other’s strengths, sparking creative solutions. “We have a shared vision of what we want to do,” says Witek, a LEED-accredited architect who likes to incorporate environmentally sensitive materials into his designs. “Being part of both design and construction gives us more versatility and efficiency.”

“Kurt’s a fantastic builder,” Witek continues. “He comes up with good ideas, practical ideas. If I’m stumped on something, he’s the first person I call.”

“There’s a great benefit and balance having two minds that are so open,” Mitchell adds. “It doesn’t handcuff you to anything.”