A Rustic Cabin at the Edge of a Willow-Lined Stream Embraces Eclectic Design
A family home combines the rustic elegance of an Adirondack camp with the rugged sensibilities of a historic Wyoming hunting camp
One of the most charming aspects of this Adirondack camp-inspired home is its connection to the creek that flows through the property. From the front porch and the fire pit seating: expansive views of the Grand Tetons. | Photo by Krafty Photos
From the back porch of their home in Wilson, Wyoming, Cathy and Jeff Dishner could see a small, rustic log cabin perched at the edge of a willow-lined stream. “It sits on the original homestead site of John Dodge, for whom the entire neighborhood is named,” Cathy says. Dodge, the black sheep of a wealthy family from “back East,” came to the Teton Valley in the early 1900s and, eventually, opened a successful hunting and fishing camp. He died in the 1950s but is still remembered as one of Jackson Hole’s “characters.”
Sink-into seating is grouped near the massive stone fireplace. A window seat is perfect for relaxing. The faux-taxidermized Pendleton wool-wrapped elk head mount adds a bit of whimsy. Wicker chairs contribute to the casual cabin style. | Photo by Krafty Photos
When the cabin came up for sale, the Dishners snapped it up. “It is a beautiful log home—quirky and a little weird but absolutely beautiful,” Cathy says. “And I love old houses.” The Dishners live in a restored-but-modernized 1700s home in Connecticut and have been coming to the Jackson area for more than 20 years.The cabin’s exterior with its covered porches and sloping rooflines has a charming woodsy appearance, but the inside had been partitioned into a warren of small, dark rooms. Danny Wicke, architect and principal (along with architect John Carney) of Wilson-based Prospect Studio, was tapped to lead the restoration. “It was definitely ‘eclectic’ on the inside,” he remembers.
Adirondack-style chairs (originally created in 1903) piled with comfortable cushions are ideal for lounging, napping and, after dark, stargazing. | Photo by Krafty Photos
The cabin’s exterior with its covered porches and sloping rooflines has a charming woodsy appearance, but the inside had been partitioned into a warren of small, dark rooms. Danny Wicke, architect and principal (along with architect John Carney) of Wilson-based Prospect Studio, was tapped to lead the restoration. “It was definitely ‘eclectic’ on the inside,” he remembers. Wicke immediately understood that his task was to remedy some of the home’s deficiencies and to bring some of the considerable charm of the exterior into the interior of the home. “The idea was to determine the narrative thread and to tie the building together so it was one complete thought,” he adds.
“I wanted a bright, cheery, antique-inspired, open-plan kitchen,” says homeowner Cathy Dishner. Red retro-style appliances and checkerboard backsplash set the nostalgic tone. Northstar 1947 range in candy red by Elmira Stove Works; bar stools by Arteriors; pendant lighting (over the island) by Sundance. | Photo by Krafty Photos
In the entry: The console and chair by heritage brand Old Hickory Furniture, two rustic Black Forest-inspired sconces, a bamboo fishing pole and the painting of a placid lake evoke nostalgia for the great 19th-century hunting-and-fishing camps. | Photo by Lisa Flood
From the start, it was obvious that the historical context would be the narrative thread in this Adirondack-camp-meets-the-Wild-West home. Care was taken to preserve the cabin’s best features—idiosyncratic built-ins, the stair rail made of hand-scraped hickory branches, randomly placed interior windows, the powder room that’s wallpapered in USGS topographical maps, and a cozy office nook with views to the stream and the willows where the moose love to congregate. “I was always saying ‘let’s not discard anything, let’s reuse everything,’” Cathy recalls.
Inspired by a gallery wall at Persephone (a popular local bakery/cafe), Cathy Dishner started collecting old fishing lures, tramp-art frames, historic photos and family memorabilia. “Like doing an intricate puzzle,” she says. | Photo by Krafty Photos
For help with the interiors, the Dishners enlisted the services of Shannon White Burns, principal of Jackson-based Shannon White Design. “They wanted an Adirondack-inspired hunting camp that was a natural fit in Wyoming,” she says. The décor began with the homeowners’ antiques, camp pieces, quilts and photographs. New elements—furnishings, floor tile, wallpaper, curtains, books—were added as needed.
In the cheery and compact kitchen, for example, the cabinetry is original while the cherry-red appliances are vintage-inspired reproductions. The checkerboard backsplash contributes to the nostalgic look. “It was quite a challenge for both architect and builder because nothing goes in completely straight lines,” says White Burns.
In the dining room: an Old Hickory table, painted wicker dining chairs from Cottage Home, vintage Hunter Douglas wooden blinds. | Photo by Lisa Flood
As with any renovation, there are surprises, and things are not always as they initially appear. Wicke notes that it is important to take cues from the existing structure. “A building will show you where the challenges and opportunities are,” he says, “but you have to be humble enough to follow those guidelines.”
One of the unexpected opportunities: the one-car garage, much too small for modern cars, was reimagined as a guest bedroom. Upstairs, the garage’s attic (once a caretaker’s cramped apartment) was converted into a white-and-light-filled loft with large windows that frame the Grand Tetons. But some of the best views are not actually from inside the house. “There’s a little deck near the stream where we like to sit, looking out over the sage grass to the ruins of John Dodge’s original cabins … and all the way to the mountains beyond,” Cathy says.
The four-poster twig bed is by Dartbrook Rustic; patchwork quilt and pillows by Southampton, New York-based Judi Boisson. Wall-mounted sconces with glass shades were sourced from Sundance. Closets are concealed in the wall behind the bed. | Photo by Lisa Flood
One of the stories that still circulates in the Teton Valley goes something like this: When Dodge’s sister came for a visit (this would have been sometime in the 1920s), she was appalled to see him living in a simple log cabin in the wilderness. “What do you see in this godforsaken place?” she asked. He pointed to the rugged and majestic Tetons and said: “What else does a man want when he has all that.” True then. True now.
Renovation: What to Expect
Danny Wicke, architect and principal of Prospect Studio, gives his perspective on renovating vintage and historic houses:
- Hire a thoughtful practitioner who is willing to “listen” to the building and take cues from the existing context. Someone who can weave the narrative of the past with the narrative of the future. Look at his/her previous projects. Ask questions.
- Beware: Nothing is as it appears to be Circumstances that you thought were one way turn out to be something completely different. Look for opportunities and you’ll find them in among what appear to be setbacks.
- All old homes have idiosyncrasies Figure out how extensive and pervasive they are and find a way to mitigate or embrace them. Decide what elements bring beauty and character to your home and concentrate on those.
- Be flexible Renovating a historic property means constantly reevaluating the value and redefining the narrative.
Woodland animal wallpaper by Spoonflower adds regional charm. Another bath (not pictured) is papered in old USGS topographical maps. | Photo by Krafty Photos
RESOURCES
PHOTOS: Krafty Photos & Lisa Flood
ARCHITECTURE: Prospect Studio
INTERIOR DESIGN: Shannon White Design
CONSTRUCTION: Two Oceans Builders
LANDSCAPE DESIGNER: Padmaveda
PHOTO STYLIST: Style Jackson Hole
CUSTOM LIBRARY CURATION: Foxtail Books
ART HANGING: Teton Art Services
ARTWORK
B&W Photos: The Jackson Hole Historical Society’s Collection
Oil Paintings (Grouse, aspens and geese – in the tramp art frame): Dead Artist’s Gallery
FURNISHINGS
Le Troyen Sofa: Nielsen-Metiér, Denver Design District
Front Porch: Red Painted Bentwood Rockers
ENTRY
Console: Old Hickory Furniture
Curtains: Sabine Soft Furnishings (Zoffany “Woodland Animals”)
Wall Sconces: Black Forest Decor
POWDER ROOM
Rustic Antler Mirror: Dartbrook Rustic
Café Curtain Casement Fabric: Calvin Fabrics
KITCHEN/DINING ROOM
Barstools: Arteriors
Island Pendants: Sundance
Breakfast Table Pendant Light & Ceiling Lights, Kitchen and LR: Shades of Light
Painted Wicker Dining Chairs: Cottage Home
Built-in banquette Cushions (fabric): Brunschwig & Fils “Brunschwig Plaid”
Dining Table: Old Hickory Furniture
STAIRS/GALLERY WALL/ LANDING BOOKSHELVES
Books: Curation by Foxtail Books/Christy Smirl
3 sconces above bookshelf: Shades of Light
Wall Sconces (antler double-sconce and larger antler sconce w/ shades): Black Forest Décor
Twig American Flag Art: Dartbrook Rustic
Carpet Runner: Grand Teton Floor & Window
STUDY
Rustic Desk Chair “Edison Office Chair”: Chelsea Home
Pendleton Upholstered Recliner: Pottery Barn
Moose Paddle Desk Lamp: Black Forest Décor
Rustic Lantern Wall Sconce: Black Forest Décor
DEN
Leather Sectional: West Elm
Roman Shade Fabric: Sanderson (Pinecone fabric)
LIVING ROOM
Two Painted White Wicker Chairs: Mulligan’s
Fabric on Mulligan Chairs: Holland & Sherry wool plaid
Fabric on Drapes: Holland & Sherry wool plaid
Fabric on Sofa Pillows: Johnston’s of Elgin wool plaid (red)
Pendleton Wrapped faux mount: Faraway Lovely
Area Rug: Stanton at Grand Teton Floor & Window
MASTER BEDROOM
Faux Wood Mount: Pottery Barn
Wall-Mount Sconces w/ Glass Shades: Sundance
Four-Post Rustic Log Bed: Dartbrook Rustic
Quilt, Quilted Pillows: Judy Boisson
Wicker Chair (black): Dartbrook Rustic
Cushion Fabric on Wicker Chair: Fermoie
Built-In Window Seat Cushion Upholstery: Lone Peak Upholstery
MASTER BATHROOM
Mirrors: Shades of Light
Accessories on Vanity: Black Forest Décor
Sink Skirt: Sabine Soft Furnishings (Lisa Fine Textiles “Rambagh” in Curry)
Shower Tile (walls): Cle Tile
Bathroom Floor Tile (ceramic green hex): Architectural Tile & Stone
GUEST BATHROOM
Woodland Animals Wallpaper: Spoonflower
Trough Sink, Faucets: Kohler
Bathroom Floor Mosaic: Jeffery Court at Architectural Tile & Stone
SOUTH GUEST BEDROOM W/ SLEEPING LOFT
Abaca Woven Twin Headboards: Padmas Plantation at Houzz
Pendleton “Yakima Camp” Wool Blankets: Pendleton
NORTH GUEST BEDROOM W/ SLEEPING LOFT North
Reproduction Iron Bed: Four Hands at Dartbrook Rustic Goods
Wool Check Curtain Fabric: Holland & Sherry
“Elk Fabric” Pillow on Bed: Sanderson
NEW MASTER SUITE
Black and White Wallpaper: Cole & Son’s “Woods” at Kravet, Denver
Vanity: Signature Hardware
Mirrors in Bathroom: West Elm
Master Bedroom Vintage Metal-frame Upholstered Headboard: Four Hands
Decorative Blanket and Pillows on the Bed: Pendleton
Birch mirror & Vanity: Pottery Barn
Red Painted Wicker Nightstands: Cottage Home
LOFT/GAME ROOM & STAIRS
Lantern Wall-Sconces: Black Forest Décor
Faux Fur Bean Bags: Moore & Giles
Ticking-Style Mattress and Cover (for built-in daybed): J.F. Fitzgerald Upholstery
Sectional: RH Teen
Circular Reclaimed Wood Cocktail Table: Four Hands
Vintage Poster Art w/ Bear: Dartbrook Rustic Goods
EXTERIOR & DECKS
“Crested Butte” Adirondack Chairs (around firepit): mountaintimechairs.com, found on Etsy
Rustic Cedar Chairs on North Deck: Wayfair
Teak furniture on Back Deck: Chic Teak at Houzz
As Featured in ML’s September/October 2023 Issue
