Framing In The Round

Framing in the RoundLogs lend structure to a Wyoming homeWhether the sky is clear ordaunted by approaching stormclouds, the owners of thishybrid log and frame homedesigned by Ellis Nunn &Associates Architects enjoypanoramic views. Farmer’sstone adorns the foundation,while the exterior is finishedwith beveled cedar siding.S t o r y b y Te r e s a L . W o l f f P h o t o g r a p h y b y R o g e r W a d e S t y l e d b y D e b r a G r a h l

Although many couples find building a home puts major stress ontheir relationship, the owners of thisWyoming home discovered making decisions together was a great re-bondingexperience after 26 years of marriage.The pair had become enamoredwith the Jackson, Wyoming, area andoriginally planned to buy a condominium but were unable to find one thatsuited their needs.As hard workers and zealoussavers, the couple felt they were financially secure enough to purchase property for a vacation and semi-retirementhome. They contacted a real estateagent, who led them not only to the17-acre parcel on the back side of asubdivision with a full view of theGrand Teton Mountains, but also toEllis Nunn & Associates Architects.Wait No MoreAt the time of purchase, the coupleplanned to wait a few years to actuallybuild. The husband still was very activein his medical practice in Missouri anddidn’t feel he could spend enough time atthe Jackson property to make it worthwhile to have a home there. However,they were so impressed with the gorgeous views of the Grand TetonMountains from their new property thatthey didn’t want to wait any longer.“This was the first house we hadbuilt together. My husband justsketched out on a napkin what wewanted and shared it with Ellis. We justtook the whole process one step at atime,” the wife relates. “One of my bestfriends told me if we were going tobuild a house to make it fun. This wasfun, and we attribute it to all of thepeople who were involved.”The team that made the project sucha success included both Ellis Nunn &Associates Architects and TetonHeritage Builders. The Ellis Nunnarchitects designed a home that wouldnot only be constructed of conventional29

Above: The complex exposed log roof system accents the hand-troweled finish on the walls.Extra-wide alder wood trim frames the large expanses of windows in the living room, which providea breathtaking view of the surrounding Teton Mountain Range.Left: A one-of-a-kind 12-inch lodgepole pine truss creates a dramatic entrance into the home. Lodgepole pine railings, hickory flooring with a matte finish, and a custom-built alder wood front door with oil rubbed bronzeRocky Mountain hardware all add to the rustic elegance to the home.stick-frame and dry-stack stone, but also incorporated dramatic wood accents and a complex log roof system.The log accents in the home are 12-inch diameterlodgepole pine logs, which John Kjos, architect for EllisNunn, says were harvested from fire-killed, standing deadtrees from the Gray’s River area of the Bridger-TetonNational Forest. Because the home’s trusses are cut to fittogether precisely, having a dried log was important to prevent separation of the notches, which can result if significantshrinkage occurs.High-tech RanchThe home’s design placed all of the common areas,including the living room, kitchen, dining room and familyroom on the 5,500-square-foot main level. Because the homestretches out on a single level, the master bedroom and bath,MAY 2005and three bedrooms with their own baths, also share themain level space. The mudroom separates the attachedthree-car garage from the main house.The husband’s work as a neuroradiologist called for ahigh-tech home. In order for the husband to be able to readmagnetic resonance image (MRI) scans while he is inJackson, the home was pre-wired with coaxial cable andvoice-data wire. “Almost all rooms have jacks and each jackhas its own homerun to the distribution panel. This providesflexibility for current and future technological development,” explains Matt Somers, partner and project managerfor Teton Heritage Builders.Russ Weaver, the on-site supervisor and partner in TetonHeritage Builders, coordinated the installation of additionalhigh-tech features in the home, such as the fully automatedand programmable lighting and audio systems. “The drive-31

Farmer’s stone fromOklahoma forms the massivetwo-sided fireplace in thegreat room. It’s oversizedfirebox opening sports handcrafted wrought iron doors.Every stone in the fireplaceis different and gives thestructure personality.

For casual family gatherings, the owners gravitateway is equipped with a sensor thatWarm and Cozytoward the family room adjacent to the kitchen.automatically turns on the outsideThe home is equipped withThe owner has one of his favorite reclinersstrategically positioned in front of the gas fireplace.lights and the interior passagethree fireplaces. The wood-burningway when the owners arrivefireplace in the great room, withhome,” he adds.openings in both the living room and the dining room, proThe future media room planned in the lower level is alsovides sufficient heat to warm the main core of the home.pre-wired for the day when the couple finishes the 3,700Should the owners desire additional heat or ambience, a flicksquare-foot basement. Egress windows were installed toof a switch ignites the gas-fueled fireplaces in the master bedallow for the addition of two more bedrooms with bathsroom and the family room. The mantels in the living room,along with a game room.dining room and family room all came from the same piece“We love to collect wine. The only room that is finished inof reclaimed beech wood, while the mantel in the masterthe basement is the temperature- and humidity-controlled winebedroom is reclaimed white oak.cellar,” the wife says. “We can’t believe we already have it filled.”When the temperature drops, the couple can count on aMAY 200533

Above: One end of the main truss separates the dinhydronic heat system to keep thePlaying Up the Viewing room from the kitchen. The custom-made ponwhole house toasty warm. HydronicTo fully enjoy the view of thederosa pine dining room table with a plank top isoversized to seat ten. Curio shelves above the greenin-floor heating is installed underGrand Teton Range, John says thebuffet create extra storage and display space.the slate floors in the mudroom,home was designed such that theLeft: The double, sloped log beam in the foregroundkitchen, laundry and entry, and cregreat room, office and master bedseparates the kitchen and family room and tes a gentle heat that radiates uproom all have a corner with westthe entire house. The owners topped their cabinetsfrom the warmed floors. The sameand north-facing glass. The couplewith granite and chose glass fronts for their uppercabinets.Casualseatingisavailableonhot water used for the in-floorcan also take in the natural splendorwrought iron bar stools.system circulates through the coilsof the outdoors from one of theof the forced air system.home’s many exterior living spaces.“The forced air system includes steam humidifiers toA sand-set stone patio provides what Matt calls, “an amazingmake the interior of the home more comfortable during theand unhindered vista of the Teton Range.” A covered deckextremely dry winters,” Matt says.off of the kitchen features a built-in grill and affords theMAY 200535

couple views of Sleeping IndianMountain and the Gros Ventre Range.The owners say they are very cautious about how they spend the precioustime they have in Jackson and prefersmall intimate dinner parties with justanother couple rather than large gatherings. In the kitchen, they included a SubZero refrigerator-freezer, a six-burnerThermador range complete with griddle,and two full-sized dishwashers on eitherside of the sink.Decorating the home is a work inprogress. Aided by Cass Faller ofBurnsville, North Carolina, the couplehas added pieces that reflect their ownpersonality.They recently purchasedthree paintings by Amy Ringholz, aJackson, Wyoming artist. “We trulywanted this to be our home and not ashowcase house,” the wife adds.Throughout the building process,the owners kept a notebook of pictures ofsamples of the tile, trim and stain color,and other items they were including inthe home. Because they were workinglong distance and only able to be on siteabout once a month for the major decisions, this helped them remember whatLeft: Architect Ellis Nunn designed the hometo take advantage of mountain views outsideand to highlight the timbers inside.Below: The corner whirpool tub is nestledagainst a tumbled marble tile installed bothon the wall and the floor in the owners’master bathroom. The windows, with theirknotty alder trim, offer an unobstructedview of Sleeping Indian Mountain.36TIMBER HOMES ILLUSTRATED

The couple’s master bedroomreflects the neutral colorscheme found throughoutthe home. The bed featurestooled leather inlays withan antique finish. Theupholstered chair-and-a-halfand ottoman providesrelaxed seating in front ofthe bedroom’s hearth.selections they had made.“We love the home more now than when it was firstcompleted,” the wife says. “The home just feels like a part ofus now. Even though we are able to be in Jackson only sixmonths out of the year, it feels like we are supposed to behere all of the time.” THIMAY 2005RESOURCESEllis Nunn & Associates Architects;www.ellisnunnarchitects.com, (307) 733-1779Teton Heritage Builders;www.tetonheritagebuilders.com,(307) 733-877137

Framing in the Round Logs lend structure to a Wyoming home Whether the sky is clear or daunted by approaching storm clouds, the owners of this hybrid log and frame home designed by Ellis Nunn & Associates Architects enjoy panoramic views. Farmer’s stone adorns the foundation, while the exterior is finished with beveled cedar siding.