The Ins and Outs of a Cozy Mountain Modern Home

Patrick Sutton designs a bespoke Jackson Hole home instilled with the spirit of the West.

5 hours ago

James Farrell,

The dining room of this Jackson home features a teardrop LED chandelier, echoing the dappled water of the pond outside. | Photo: Richard Powers

Interior designer Patrick Sutton would say that good design is good storytelling. Every element has a role to play, from the floor plan down to the cabinet hardware. If they’re chosen well, they add up to a unified narrative, like words on the pages of a good book. That narrative is usually a combination of two things: “It’s based on the hopes and aspirations of our clients, along with the energy of the location,” says the designer.

“There’s a grand great room immediately upon entry that looks at the mountains with an Italian sectional sofa, modern finishes and floor-to-ceiling gauzy drapes,” says Sutton. “Very dramatic.” In summer, sliding glass doors open the space to the outside. | Photo: Richard Powers

For this two-floor vacation home in Jackson, the story is one of relaxation and balance. “Being in Wyoming, under those mountains, it clearly has a guardian spirit. It’s unmistakable,” says Sutton. “The homeowners were drawn to the romance of the West, the clean air, the outdoor living.” After years of visiting, they wanted their own space for their family to retreat to, unwind and recharge. “Comfort was key,” says the husband. “And we were looking for something flexible enough for multiple uses for us and our children.”

Layered in textures, this living space is nothing if not cozy. Geometric patterns echo other rugs throughout the home. | Photo: Richard Powers

The result is a home oriented toward both indoor and outdoor living with two outdoor seating areas, a bunk room that can sleep six, and two living-room spaces: an airy great room and a comfy den. “I personally find that very attractive,” says Sutton. “If it’s a cold day and you want to cozy up with a movie, you can do that. If it’s a sunny day and you want to open the big sliding glass doors in the living room and have cocktails with friends, you can do that too.”

The entryway chandelier of steel and rock quartz crystal is a modern take on the classic Western wagon wheel. | Photo: Richard Powers

In terms of look, the homeowners dreamed of a modern-leaning aesthetic that didn’t compromise Old World depth. “We wanted something fresh and inviting, with clean lines,” the husband says. Sutton adds, “We came in with a very modern pallet. We changed all the railings to simple glass.

The primary bathroom is light and ethereal, with delicate wool-trimmed curtains. | Photo: Richard Powers

In the primary bedroom, we looked at the colors in the mountains and local flora and fauna and tried to bring a subtle textural palette to the room with interesting gauzy drapery that has this sumac color woven through it. The walls are all textural wallcoverings, as are the ceilings, so while it feels modern in its palette, it is also extremely layered and engaging. It feels warm and cocoon-like in there.”

For the husband’s office, Sutton glassed in a second-floor landing area that otherwise would have been dead space. | Photo: Richard Powers

By distilling the spirit of the Mountain West and using it to complement the homeowners’ vision, Sutton orchestrated their dream interiors. “He was great to work with,” says the homeowner. “He has ideas, but he was very much into listening and working around what we had to say. Thanks to his creativity the house can be used any number of ways. Our family loves it.” Weaving the essence of the West together with his clients’ tastes, Sutton composed a compelling story tailored to the homeowners’ lives.

The textural wallcoverings and hand-carved Alfonso Marina armoire bring the mountainside into the primary bedroom, while combining old with new. | Photo: Richard Powers