ESCAPE TO THE LAKE
ESCAPE TO THE LAKE
When a time-tested creative team reunites with a favorite client on a project doubly blessed with a phenomenal site and fun-centric program, the results can be sublime. This was true for this group’s project at the Yellowstone Club. A waterfront property on Hebgen Lake, located just outside West Yellowstone, Montana, offered the perfect opportunity to continue the creative camaraderie.
The owners were attracted to Hebgen Lake for its scenic beauty and off-the-beaten-path vibe. Fed by the Madison River and created by Hebgen Dam in 1914, the 15-mile-long lake is mostly surrounded by public land. The few private lots that do exist come up for sale infrequently, engendering a laid-back, generational feel in a place where it’s all about immersing in nature.
The couple approached the property with intention. An existing cabin came with rodents and sagging beams, but they lived with it through two seasons to get to know the land and weather patterns before entering the design stage with their reunited team: architect Greg Matthews of Greg Matthews Studio; interior designers Rain Houser and Skye Anderson of Urbaine Atelier; and builder Chris Lohss of Lohss Construction. The site is blessed with mature vegetation, including 100-foot-tall spruce trees and an enormous willow next
to the lake. “The clients loved all the mature trees and didn’t want to compromise them,” explains the architect. “And it was a no-brainer; you had this monumental specimen willow tree and the cottonwoods and aspens
as the elements creating the armature to frame views of
the lake.”
“A good lake house always has a connection to the water and to the lawn activities,” Matthews continues. “From the beginning, it was obvious that the primary living space would be in the zone to frame the views and the experience of the lake. That was intuitive. But the goal of any one of our projects is for it to feel like it’s been there for decades. If we can do that right, it’s a job well done. We wove the footprint in and out of the trees to reinforce that sense of belonging from the very first day. That was critical to the success of this project, and it meant that the integration of the house into the landscape was almost immediate.”
Matthews created a wending approach from the road leading to the home, which is perched at water’s edge for total immersion in the lake experience. The design employs a practical simplicity without losing its wow factor. The four-bedroom, 2,400-square-foot home doubles in usable space with adjacent outdoor living areas and maintains a strong connection to the lake; its lower deck cantilevers out over the water while its interior experience is all about that open expanse of water, sky, and mountains. The exterior is expressed in glass, steel, and wood, with visible structural steel as a key component of the design. Two roofs provide dramatic tension, with one pitching up toward the entry to create a sense of welcome and the other facing south, lifting up toward the lake and expansive views of the Madison mountain range. “The two roof planes are interwoven and stitched together,” he says. “I wanted to keep it simple but also let the geometry of the roof welcome you into the house then open up toward what this property is all about, which is the water and the mountains. They’re stitched together to keep it simple, but they reinforce the arrival and the experience of the place.”
When the Fourth of July rolls around and all three children, their partners, and grandchildren take up residence, the house fulfills its highest and best use.
Interiors dominated by glass and polished concrete floors are warmed by white fir ceilings that carry the eye outside. The rooms are grounded in neutrals with dark green and terra-cotta accents and softened with textural chandeliers and furnishings with natural fibers. “Studio green appears in the kitchen, on the lounge chairs, and in a large bowl on the living room table,” says Houser. “Terra-cotta is mixed throughout, on the backsplash in
the kitchen and in the pendants over the island. Blending warm natural tones with the cool of the bleached wood coffee table and the leather chandelier with gray tones is really nice and suits the space.” Unusual touches include an outdoor dining counter with four stools facing the lake; a wraparound multilevel deck whose lowest level functions as a swim platform and dock; a steel fireplace set within the great room’s glass wall; and a backsplash of handmade Moroccan tiles in the kitchen. One bedroom suite is only accessible from outside, enhancing the sense of romance and privacy for guests. In the entry, a wildlife painting by Amy Ringholz, commissioned specifically for the project, firmly grounds the home in its place on the edge of the Yellow-stone wilderness. When the Fourth of July rolls around and all three children, their partners, and grandchildren take up residence, the house fulfills its highest and best use: the doors are wide open, with wet kids running through the house, and people grilling on the deck, reading in the lounge chairs, pulling up to the deck on jet skis, or cannonballing into the water. After all, says Houser, “This house is all about the lake.”
Perched on the edge of Hebgen Lake in southwest Montana, the glass-and steel retreat designed by Greg Matthews Studio and built by Lohss Construction doubles in size with the outdoor living space. Rain Houser and Skye Anderson of Urbaine Atelier created moments of coziness with color and texture. A largescale linen fiber chandelier and Verellen dining table anchor the dining area, while the colorful papier- mâché fish by artist Adair Peck add a touch of whimsy.
RIGHT: Artwork commissioned from Amy Ringholz greets guests in the entry. The one-of-a-kind stools— made from reclaimed springs and upholstered with vintage rugs—speak to the vintage rug on the floor, which was hand selected by Urbaine Atelier during a trip to Morocco. The rope sconces are from Luke Lamp Company.
OVERLEAF, LEFT: A lightfilled open kitchen features barstools from McGuire and custom white oak cabinetry painted a soft green. The cylindrical hood is a minimal presence in front of the window.
OVERLEAF, RIGHT: In the living room, a cascading leather chandelier above a vintage rug adds a touch of Boho glamour. The faux bois side table is vintage; the colorful bowl is Moroccan. The embroidered feather pillows are from Coral & Tusk.
ABOVE: A clean aesthetic prevails in the bathrooms of a house that’s all about ease of living. Faucet from Crosswater; hand towel bar from SIN; custom cabinetry.
OPPOSITE: A cozy bedroom with a sliding door brings in colors from nature through hues of green and blue in a settee from Ligne Roset and artwork by Kene Sperry.
It’s all about the lake at this family retreat: cantilevered decks are within jumping distance of the water. The outdoor furniture by Loll is made from recycled materials. The sense of integration of the house into the landscape makes all the difference on this project, says architect Greg Matthews. “We wove the footprint in and out of the trees to reinforce a sense of belonging from the very first day it was completed.”
