09 Apr Hawks Nest

Architecture |
Reid Smith Architects
Construction |
Avant Building Group
Interior Design
| Hive Home
Specialty Wood Products | Montana Reclaimed Lumber Co.

When the owners of a home in Montana’s Spanish Peaks Mountain Club in Big Sky approached Reid Smith, founder of Bozeman-based Reid Smith Architects, the wife had specific ideas in mind for their future retreat. “She had a different vision than a lot of the homes in the mountains,” Smith explains. “She didn’t want to create a space that was over-scaled. Pretty quickly, we could tell that this home would be a blend of different styles.”

“I wanted it to be contemporary,” the homeowner says, “but comfortable and timeless.”

Smith’s firm is known for designing beautiful, expansive Mountain Modern homes, but the architect says the opportunity to do something different with this project was a pleasure. “We love challenges, and we’re listeners.”

In the great room, custom sofas are upholstered in mohair from Chelsea Textiles, adding warmth and texture to a space commanded by soaring beamed ceilings, a stone wall, and a stone fireplace.

The resulting home became a combination of contemporary elements with nods to more traditional design. Daryl Nourse, then a principal with Reid Smith, worked as project architect for the build, which came to be fondly called “Hawks Nest.” “I jumped in and worked with our clients to get a deeper understanding of what they wanted and worked that into the design,” Nourse says. “The owners wanted a balance of traditional and contemporary. That led to a more traditional gable-roof form complemented by some contemporary details and layout.”

Both the kitchen island and sink are natural soapstone. The leather kitchen counter stools are by Soane Britain.

“It’s a little more of an old-world look,” Nourse adds. “It ended up being a very unique house compared to the Big Sky vernacular, and I think it’s refreshing and beautiful. There’s some cool detailing you don’t typically see up there.”

Outdoor seating areas connect the indoors with the home’s beautiful natural surroundings.

To accomplish the architects’ design, the homeowners brought on Bozeman-based Avant Building Group, involving owner Joe Umberger from the planning stage. “The architects we work with in this region typically like to get the builder engaged early to help with pre-construction services, do cost analysis to make sure the design is tracking with the budget, and schedule the resources necessary to make sure the project launches on time,” Umberger explains. Bringing a contractor on after the design and materials are set can sometimes end in disappointing budget or materials issues that ultimately require redesign and lead to costly delays.

The stone in this outdoor fireplace is locally sourced, and the bold use of visible grout creates an old-world feel. The outdoor sofas are from RH.

Umberger is highly respected for his attention to detail, ability to foresee potential problems, and intuitive grasp of what the architect has in mind. A quick glimpse at his portfolio reveals how much more of an art, rather than simply a craft, Umberger believes construction can be. “My passion has always been for architecture and capturing the architectural intent of the design,” he says, adding that architecture and design run in his family, so he “appreciates [the architect’s] eye for nuance, scale, and design. I’m passionate about building science and building homes that will stand the test of time.”

The dining room is connected to the great room by a fireplace open to both. Rustic ceramics and vintage Svenskt Tenn candlesticks contrast with clean modern lines. The custom walnut dining table is from Petersen Antiques.

To this point, Avant created eye-catching details, including the use of wooden beams that summon old-world fantasies. And, Umberger was involved in decision-making over the final choice of stone and even the shade of grout. “The stonework turned out beautiful,” Nourse says. “We went with a tumbled limestone mix with full grout. The team was great and bonded over finding the right grout mix. It took several rounds to get it right, but it turned out great and is a big feature of the home.”

In the bathrooms, wallpaper introduces color and texture.

The great room chandelier (pictured on p. 210) and dining room pendant (pictured on p. 214) are from Paul Ferrante, while the kitchen banquette pendant is by Roman and Williams Guild and the island pendants are by Hector Finch.

To finish the residence, the owners brought in an interior design duo they’d worked with previously on smaller projects. Jessica Fleming and Devon McKeon, of Los Angeles-based Hive Home, joined just as framing began and sought to find the sweet spot in reckoning a materials palette of stone, wood, and steel that melded both modern and rustic tones. “The materials helped dictate the design,” says McKeon. “We really wanted the rooms to feel comfortable.”

“We actually started with the lighting,” she adds. “After seeing the plans, we wanted the lighting to bridge the modern architecture and the more traditional furnishings. For example, the first light you see when you enter the home is the iron chandelier in the living room. It’s elegant — it has scale and presence — but it’s not stealing the show from the timber and stone.”

The bright powder room wallpaper is Alhambra by Carleton V. The sconces are by Allied Maker and the mirror is vintage.

Clerestory windows add to the light flooding the interior.

The interior designers describe the owners’ aesthetic as more East Coast traditional — classic and tailored — while still favoring a layered look that includes vintage and handcrafted finds.

While the duo always caters to the design wishes of each client, after 12 years working together, they say they’ve grown more fearless and comfortable embracing color in their interiors. “We did wallpaper in a lot of the spaces, in the bedrooms and the powder rooms,” McKeon says. “Wallpaper instantly adds a layer of warmth to the house, which is definitely more modern than the family is used to. All the bedrooms have grasscloth wallpaper, which is textural and almost feels like fabric, but it still lets the architecture shine.”

The stone walls of the primary bedroom are softened by grasscloth wallpaper from Gregorius Pineo and a patterned quilt from Nickey Kehoe. The club chairs are upholstered by Lee Industries in Stadler leather. The pendant is by Paul Ferrante and the bedside lamps are vintage finds.

“The sofas and wing chairs have an English feel,” says Fleming. “The coffee table we had custom-made for them, and the makers did this hand finish on the top. We kind of went back and forth on the level of distressing we wanted, but we definitely wanted it to look rustic, and it’s so beautiful. It’s deeply carved into, and it looks great.”

Beside a window in the primary bathroom is a Celeste tub from Barclay.

“Some of the things we’re most proud of were the lighting and the kitchen, and how we were able to add so much warmth to the home,” Fleming adds. “We mixed a lot of materials in the kitchen, between the painted cabinets and the wood-stained island, different stones, and these gorgeous English brass-and-leather counter stools. Joe’s team custom-made the sink for us, and it’s the same soapstone as the island countertop. It came out beautifully!”

In the great room, the coffee table top, hand-carved by Dos Gallos, introduces a rustic element to the classic English-style furnishings. The plaid chairs are custom Michael J. Smith upholstered in Pierre Frey Malindi fabric.

In all, the team of architects, builders, and interior designers produced a uniquely timeless home. “The team was great. The owners were great,” says Nourse. “And it’s a bit more of a refreshing look up here. So it was definitely a fun project. “

Umberger says even a year after the house was completed, he’s still in touch with the owners and members of the team. “How we define a successful project,” he says, “is when we’re still friends, almost like family, after it’s done.”

Laurel Delp is a regular contributor to Western Art & Architecture, A Rare World, Town & Country, Travel + Leisure, and many more.

Peter and Kelley Gibeon began their path of collaboration in 2003. Based in the Mountain West, this husband-and-wife duo specializes in luxury architectural and interior design photography. Featured in numerous publications, their passion for their clients and craft shines through in every frame.