A Carriage House Transformed into a Cozy Retreat
This newly built Jackson, Wyoming, abode is small and stylish
With a window looking directly toward Snow King Mountain, the main room is a shared living/dining/kitchen space. The Cisco Brothers sofa is topped by Kelly Wearstler pillows, and the coffee table is from Wayfair. | Photos by Leslee Mitchell
PROJECT SUMMARY
CARRIAGE HOUSE Located in the heart of Jackson, this compact carriage house packs a big stylistic punch. With an artful blend of vintage and modern furnishings and a fresh neutral color palette, the spaces are bright, timeless and welcoming. Space-saving design strategies make the most of the square footage, without sacrificing comfort and sophistication.
A cozy wood-burning fireplace with a minimalist gray plaster surround and concrete mantel warms the living room of the carriage house. The sconce is from Circa Lighting.
PROJECT DETAILS
LOCATION: Jackson, Wyoming
SIZE: 500 square feet/ 1 bedroom
INTERIOR DESIGN: Emily Janak; Emily Janak Interiors | Jackson Hole, Wyoming
A space-saving drop-leaf table from the Habitat for Humanity ReStore is matched with a pair of black-and-white bistro-style dining chairs from Serena & Lily.
There’s a whole lot of design talent in Emily Janak’s family. Not only is Janak a gifted interior designer—she’s the founder and lead designer of Emily Janak Interiors—but her husband, Adam, is a principal architect at Northworks Studio. So, when the two of them teamed up with Adam’s best friend, Paul Kinnard, owner of Westfork Construction, to tackle their very own home project in Jackson, Wyoming, plenty of creative sparks began to fly.
The trio purchased a house spanning two lots in a prime location a couple of blocks from Town Square. Their idea was to divide the property in two, adding a new house for the Janaks that they’d design and build themselves.
But while that bigger project was brewing, the three planned and constructed a two-car carriage house with a 500-square-foot upstairs apartment where the Janaks could live temporarily. “We all three lived in the existing house next door while Adam and Paul built it themselves on nights and weekends,” Emily Janak explains.
Walnut countertops and floating shelves add warmth to the kitchen. The faucet is by Kohler, and the vent hood is by Blomberg.
Although the carriage house is small, Janak went big on style. “I wanted it to feel charming and sophisticated at the same time,” she explains. “You almost forget that you are in such a small apartment because it functions so well and we didn’t skimp on finishes.” With one bedroom, one bathroom and a combined kitchen/dining/living area, the sunshine-filled rooms are airy and bright.
An Overland rug softens the bedroom’s oak floors. The wooden bedside chest was made by Adam Janak’s grandfather.
Janak created spaces with a timeless blend of vintage and modern influences. “There is a definite high-low mix,” she says. “We splurged on the upholstery and filled in with thrift-store finds and family pieces.”
In the bright and airy bedroom, a painting by Luc Bernard hangs above a Bernhardt bed with bedding from Matouk, Loro Piana, and Casa Del Bianco. The glass lamps are from Circa Lighting.
The overall feeling is fresh and warm, with tongue-and-groove paneled walls and white oak floors. White, wood, black and gray tones carry through the spaces—in the bathroom’s classic black-and-white basket-weave tile pattern; the kitchen’s black Shaker-style cabinets matched with a walnut counter slab; and the fireplace’s gray plaster surround with concrete mantel.
Black Shaker-style cabinets make a crisp contrast against a white subway tile backsplash in the compact kitchen. The armchairs are from Mountain Dandy.
To make the most of the square footage, Janak deployed some clever space-saving strategies. She included panelized mini-appliances in the kitchen, and a drop-leaf, demi-lune table that can also serve as a desk or a console. “One of my favorite features are the jib closet doors made out of the tongue-and-groove paneling in the bedroom,” Janak says. “They are opened with a touch latch and have built-in IKEA dressers inside—very functional and slick.”
“This was really the first space we furnished together as a married couple,” says Emily Janak. “Adam, being an architect, leans more contemporary, and I’d say classic interiors resonate with me more, so this felt like a true blend.”
With a big window facing Snow King Mountain and a glass entry door opening onto a spacious outdoor deck, the carriage house is a great spot for enjoying the local views. “I have the best memories of sitting and watching night skiers come down the mountain out that large window in the living room,” Janak says. “To me it felt like home, with a constant reminder that home is one of the most beautiful places on earth.”
