Same Place, Fresh Start: An Open Layout with an Outdoor Connection

Still happy with their property’s natural beauty after 20 years, in Wilson, Wyoming, a family modernizes their residence to embrace the outdoors.

October 17, 2025

Suzanne S. Brown,

In the sunroom, Mies van der Rohe chairs were reupholstered in cream leather and accented with brown piping and buttons. Plaid and tiger-striped pillows and vintage rugs add color and pattern to the mix. | Photo: Lisa Flood

When Anna and Stephen Sullivan came upon an aspen-dotted 4 ½-acre lot in Wilson, Wyoming, shortly after their wedding in 2000, they knew it would be an ideal place to build their home. Two decades and three children later, they still loved their home’s location near Grand Teton National Park but knew it was time to remodel and expand, creating an open layout that better connected them with the outdoors.

“We wanted the interior to be more open and for the house to have more glass so we could look at the outside,” Anna says. “We have always loved our piece of property, and really wanted to see more of the natural landscape.” Stephen recalls, “We initially planned to add a bedroom, but then it turned into a full remodel. We took it down to the studs. It still has the feel of the house because it’s on the original foundation, but with the additions, the house is very different.”

The home’s gabled exterior was updated with charred accoya and new windows. | Photo: Lisa Flood

They had an architect draw up plans, then made modifications with the help of designer Cecelia Heffernan of CH House and Garden Design in Jackson, Wyoming. Construction was overseen by MatPel Builders, a long-standing Jackson Hole contractor. Senior manager Matt Dimitroff, who runs the company’s Jackson office, and Heffernan have known the Sullivans for years, so it was a good fit.

“It was a great team,” Dimitroff says. “I completely aligned with Cecelia’s aesthetic, and I was able to bring people to the project who did custom work, like craftsmen with 30 years of experience who could chime in with ideas if needed.” While the residence’s traditional gabled roof remained, walls came down, steel beams were installed, a stairway was relocated and replaced, and the square footage was increased. The home now has five bedrooms and five and a half bathrooms. Outside, a pergola, decks and seating areas were added, as well as a barn-like structure that houses Stephen’s retreat, which includes fitness equipment and space for him to tune skis or work on bicycles.

When it was time for Stephen and Anna to remodel their home to suit their family’s needs, they wanted an open floor plan. | Photo: Lisa Flood

A distinctive feature is the home’s gray charred accoya exterior, from ReSawn Timber. “It weathers really well and you don’t have to stain it,” Stephen says. “And it blends into our landscape.” The same charred wood is used on the dining room ceiling and on a wall across from the stairs. By opening up the floor plan, the couple lost wall space but created more communal living areas. “We wanted the kitchen to flow into the dining area so that we could spend time with family there. And we wanted the living room and sunroom to be a little more cozy,” Anna says.

The main floor has a family room, a large mudroom and a powder room along with the kitchen and dining room. The living room and sunroom feel more separate but are also on the main floor. When it was time to furnish the home, the family kept favorite pieces, reworked others, and bought new or vintage designs to round out the mix. “Cecelia and I love a lot of the same things,” Anna says. “She likes to mix the old and the new.” Anna grew up in Virginia, and her Southern roots are revealed in some of her design choices throughout the house.

The kitchen‘s massive island is a prep area and family gathering space; the kitchen flows into the dining area “so we could spend time with family there,” says Anna. | Photo: Lisa Flood

“Many people are eager to furnish a home, but Anna took her time,” Heffernan says. “It was a great treasure hunt.” Stephen, who founded the outdoor apparel brand Stio 14 years ago, says his main design contribution was approving Anna and Heffernan’s furniture choices, as well as weighing in on textiles. “My company has a modern sensibility, and I look at thousands of fabrics every year,” he says, adding, “I like clean lines.”

He also relishes the new views. “Because it has glass on two sides, our dining room is like having the outdoors inside.” One of Anna’s favorite spots is the sunroom, which offers warmth even in winter with its glass walls and southern exposure. “It’s a peaceful place to read, just hang out, or talk on the phone,” she says.

An oversize sectional sofa with contrasting cushions is perfect for lounging while taking in the views or watching television in the family room. The orange chair is an Italian midcentury piece. | Photo: Lisa Flood

Blending old and new furnishings in a modern home

Interior designer Cecelia Heffernan incorporates both vintage and new furnishings in her projects, a style that aligns with Anna Sullivan’s taste. Here are some ideas for creating an artful mix.

Take your time In the quest to finish decorating, it’s tempting to settle for something less than perfect, but wait until you find the right mirror or armchair, the designer says. Know what you want and look in a variety of places until you find the best version of it. When shopping online for a used or vintage item, inspect pieces for any flaws or problems before making a purchase. Always ask for additional photos, as many websites only show the best pictures or angles of a piece for sale. Double-check measurements.

Invest in classic or unusual pieces that can be refurbished Vintage or antique furniture and materials can play off the modern lines of a new home’s rooms. Heffernan had two Ludwig Mies van der Rohe chairs reupholstered in cream leather. Modern doesn’t mean everything has to be new Vintage Navajo rugs in geometric patterns look contemporary when paired with other modern or Midcentury Modern furnishings. Mix rather than match Look at the lines, colors and textures of a room to create the perfect blend. The simple lines of Art Deco chairs echo the simplicity of the Sullivans’ industrial-inspired dining table.

In the dining room, a custom table by Willow Creek Woodworks was designed with a vintage metal sawhorse base and oak top. The simple lines of the Art Deco chairs complement the table’s industrial-inspired design. | Photo: Lisa Flood

Don’t discard pieces from the past that are important to you

Anna Sullivan’s oil painting of one of her ancestors hangs on a wall just inside the home’s custom front door, above a modern bench topped with a gray cashmere cushion. The homeowner’s collection of antique sterling silver candlesticks is on regular display on her dining room table, interspersed with elk antlers that lend a Western touch to the display. “Sterling silver is like the perfect little black dress that always looks great and never goes out of style. It can be mixed in with modern or rustic décor,” Heffernan says.

In the primary bedroom, which has views of aspen trees on two sides, a mix of vintage furnishings and blue linens creates a calm, restful space. | Photo: Lisa Flood