DONG RESIDENCE

Re-identifying spaces

Teton County, Wyoming  •  6,955 sq. ft. 

Design Team: Chris Moulder, AIA; Ben Weisbeck

The new owners of this existing home felt that they had found the perfect property with privacy and unencumbered views of the mountains. The existing 3,206 sq. ft. home, however, was not so perfect. Built in the 1970’s, it was poorly insulated, dark, had dated finishes and completely missed the view potential of the site. The living spaces were behind the garage and had windows that faced east rather than north towards the mountains. Upon visiting the site for the first time, Principal Chris Moulder, exclaimed: “It’s like the original builders laid out this house on the property in the dark.”

The owners determined the entire property needed a face-lift. Their program was for an enlarged home with an open floor plan where they could entertain their many guests and a home that could be remodeled to take advantage of the mountain views. They wanted to be sure that a new addition would blend with the existing home and for the overall structure to harmonize with the surrounding landscape.

Chris Moulder quickly determined that the floor plan needed a complete reorganization of existing spaces, with a new master bedroom suite replacing the footprint of the existing living room and kitchen, and a new 1,716 square foot addition creating a new living room, dining room and kitchen which would directly address views to the distant mountain range.

Now, with the addition’s fenestration in place, the living room directly faces a mountain panorama. Where the original kitchen was separated and far away from the living room, the new great room, kitchen, coffee bar, wine bar and dining area are light-filled and open, allowing easy entertaining in these common areas. The old and dark veneer-laid moss rock and brick fireplaces were removed and were replaced with a more contemporary stacked stone in the living room and a travertine tile in the master bedroom to modernize and brighten the new contemporary design. Numerous large-span windows were added throughout the home redesign to take advantage of the views and to create a light-filled connection from the existing house to the new addition.

Finally, wide decks were incorporated into the design to add outdoor entertaining space and to provide the homeowners the solace and respite inherent in the landscape. Gutting this entire home and re-identifying spaces solved the puzzle of creating a home with great ease and livability. The project is a great example of how thoughtful design, that looks beyond existing conditions, can make the most out of any space and allow owners to realize their dream property.