Set on a quiet 18-acre meadow just outside Jackson, this sprawling home is the result of an East Coast couple’s first venture into modern and minimal site-specific design.
CLB Architects, a local architecture firm and frequent collaborator of ours, took the lead on designing a 3,500-square-foot residence inspired by the site’s agrarian surroundings and the curiously-named “dogtrot” style of home. (History lesson: These homes are thought to have originated in 19th-century Appalachia, and are characterized by a large, open breezeway that runs through the middle of the house—the perfect spot for the family dog to keep watch or take an al fresco nap.) CLB’s updated version of a dogtrot includes a long, single-level rectangular form with a three-foot-thick roof that connects the living area to the garage, creating a large cutout in the center of the structure.
Despite its statement-making shape, the home’s materials palette is subdued and made up of natural elements: The exterior is clad in a sheath of oxidized steel, while the interiors possess a subtle mix of steel, glass, and concrete. Like many Mountain West homes, this one has its fair share of wood, but instead of the dark, heavy timber expected in alpine dwellings, CLB chose panels of larch—a light, refined wood that blankets the walls and pitched ceilings. The asymmetrically gabled roofline creates an airy feeling overhead and draws the eye upward.
That’s where we come in: Tasked with outfitting the kitchen and living spaces with cabinetry and storage systems, we knew we wanted to go for something that would ground the space and provide a quiet contrast to the light and airy interiors. For the L-shaped kitchen, we chose Poliform’s Alea Collection in a matte-gray finish to echo the tones of the cement fireplace and set off the larch-wood walls. The series of cabinets perfectly matches the clients’ minimal aesthetic and creates a smooth, seamless transition from cabinetry to backsplash to wall paneling.
In the living room, we installed a custom Poliform wall system in a matching matte-gray finish to put the couple’s personality on display. Books, artifacts, and taxidermy specimens—all from the couple’s personal collection—sit proudly in the built-in nooks, and an incognito walnut element folds down into a makeshift cocktail table. The wall system’s pièce de résistance: an integrated window seat that acts as a cozy perch for sipping coffee and reading books.
At the heads of the adjacent dining table, Windsor armchairs by De La Espada—a Portuguese company that crafts luxury solid-wood furniture from sustainable materials—further connect to the home’s agricultural concept. And in the nearby living space, a light-on-its-feet B&B Italia Ray sofa provides plenty of space to sprawl out, while a contemporary wingback Jensen chair and ottoman by Minotti invite you to kick your feet up.
Two other types of seating amplify the home’s cool factor: a pair of Moooi Bart swivel chairs in a gray quilted fabric make it easy to peer out the massive bedroom window, and the B&B Italia Husk armchair and ottoman designed by Patricia Urquiola has a cloud-like, ergonomic cushion cocooned inside a durable outer shell.
