20 Apr From Hearth to Home

The Work of Art  by JLF Design Build

JLF Design Build is an architecture and construction firm recognized for the ability to create work that captures the romance and spirit of place. With a footprint that spans from the Rocky Mountains to bucolic expanses out East, JLF has created an anthology of place-based architecture that ranges from utilitarian structures to architectural works of art.

This 250-page hardcover retrospective, The Work of Art, examines JLF’s process from concept to creation and features captivating images of their homes and the craftsmen who built them.

As stated on page 103 in the book, “A great composer might be a genius, but lacking an orchestra, there is no symphony.” JLF Design Build was created by the principals of JLF & Associates Inc., a nationally recognized architecture and planning firm, and Big-D Signature, a prominent construction management company. Collectively, they recognized the flaws and conflicts in traditional project delivery and sought a different way. Composed of a collaboration of architects, artisans, woodworkers, stonemasons, blacksmiths and many more, the company has delivered more than three decades of timeless structures by melding the principles of old world craftsmanship with a contemporary design philosophy. The Work of Art examines this process and the end result of structures that meet the needs of clients and help express clients’ individuality, while finding a life of their own.

The Yellowstone Park Foundation will receive 10 percent of profits from the sale of this book. Visit theworkofart.is or jlfdesignbuild.com for more information.

Rory’s Rustic Furniture

Rory Egelus has always been interested in woodworking, from peeling logs part-time to scouring the countryside for reclaimed wood. Finally, four years ago he started Rory’s Rustic Furniture and it all came together.

Initially, the notion of using reclaimed wood was the best way to get affordable material, but it also happened to coincide with a trend for reusable resources. “It’s all from Montana. And when we reclaim the wood we also have a lot of reclamation photos. Each piece has a history that can be tracked back to a farm, ranch or old building in Montana,” Egelus said.

Many times Egelus will see something out in a field or along a road and make a call, or he might get someone who wants to get rid of an eyesore. “I’ve worked a lot of handshake deals with farmers and ranchers around the state and started stockpiling material for the future,” he says. “I’m always keeping my eyes out for more reclaimed wood opportunities. Even though it was the cheapest way to start, I pride myself on using reclaimed materials.”

His work includes indoor as well as outdoor furniture and accent pieces such as fireplace mantels and kitchen cabinetry. He plans to open a showroom just outside Bozeman, Mont., in June 2015. “It will feature my pieces and other artists from around the state, including some potters and metalsmiths,” he says. The showroom, Homestead 89, will be named as a tribute to the year Montana was established, 1889.

The Architects’s Wife

The Architect’s Wife is an interior design and lifestyle store featuring thoughtfully curated collections of furniture, lighting, art and home accessories. Located in a refurbished motor supply building that’s stood in downtown Bozeman, Mont., since the 1940s, owner Abby Hetherington created the space as a mini design center.

“We were finding that the consumer was getting a lot more savvy,” Hetherington said. “[The Architect’s Wife is] more of a tangible resource for designers who use the showroom a lot and clientele that don’t want to hire a designer but they know about products.”

Hetherington travels the country scouting flea markets and farmers markets for inspiration and specialty pieces. She looks for furnishings that meld form and function and original vintage pieces, such as signs from Yellowstone National Park and large signs of pin-up girls from the 1920s found in an old billiard hall in Los Angeles. Handmade glass objects are the centerpieces on unique coffee tables, and industrial chandeliers dangle above Italian leather sofas. Unique mugs, rich smelling candles and notebooks ensure that price points span the spectrum, from items costing upwards of $15,000 to items for $20.

In addition to a curated collection of interesting objects, the showroom also offers interior design services and can help source items for clients.

“What we wanted to create was a rustic modern [theme] with a hint of whimsy. And that is the perfect embodiment of everything we do,” Hetherington said. “Our goal really was to be a resource for the public. We wanted people to come in and have a good time. We wanted them to leave with a smile.”

Call 406.577.2000 for more information or visit them online at architectswife.com.

Wood Pallet and Barnwood Panels

By Sustainable Lumber Company

Voted the best-selling décor item in 2014 on the popular website Houzz, these smartly crafted pallet and barnwood panels are just the thing for weekend warrior projects. The design utilizes recycled pallets and reclaimed barnwood to create prefabricated panels with staggered and interlocking ends and offset top and bottoms so they easily fit into place. Ryan Palma and his staff at Sustainable Lumber Company in Missoula, Mont., created these 4-foot square panels for every interior use, both residential and commercial applications. Installation is clean and quick. Who wouldn’t love that? For more information, call 406.642.7120 or visit sustainablelumberco.com.

Bitterroot Timber Frames and Millwork

When a great room is centered around windows that perfectly frame mountain views and walls are lined with swirls of weathered pine or the patina of aged barn wood, who needs artwork? The organic materials and the picturesque scenery are the décor, while the timber frame structure, perhaps built from reclaimed lumber, references the landscape outdoors.

With the “old world quality and modern day craftsmanship,” Bitterroot Timber Frames is a company that specializes in developing these type of stunning ambiences. From a small handcrafted cabin to a large Western compound or resort home, the company designs and builds homes that express the beauty of wood.

“Bitterroot Timber Frames is committed to design excellence, which is to say that we strive for thoughtful and appropriate response to our client’s site, their lifestyle and budget,” said owner Brett Mauri. “We prefer to use locally available materials, historically indigenous to the region we are building in, simply because it makes sense economically and in terms of that materials’ performance following installation in our homes.”

But if materials aren’t available locally or if a client is looking for a specific variety of wood, the company also purchases and sells unique reclaimed materials from across the globe, including 200-year-old oak timbers and hand-hewn siding and old redwoods from local water pipelines built to serve historic mining operations in Montana. And when called to produce a contemporary architectural expression, the company has access to mills specializing in production of the “highest quality of coastal timber available in North America,” said Mauri.

Bitterroot Timber Frames also fabricates a line of custom doors, millworks and architectural antiquities and specialize in the construction of handcrafted timber trusses using traditional mortise and tenon joinery. Craftsmen can finish and preassemble complex trusses and frames at their facility located in Stevensville, Mont., and then these components can be shipped to locations across the United States.

For more information, call 406.581.3014 or visit them online at bitterroottimberframes.com.

Tulikivi Fireplaces

The concept is simple. Made of elegant soapstone, the environmentally responsible wood-burning Tulikivis takes advantage of a thermal-mass principle used for centuries in Scandinavian fireplaces. Unlike a conventional fireplace, which sends warm air up a chimney, the Tulikivi soaks up the fire’s warmth and stores it in its heat-retaining soapstone. The heat is then slowly released long after the fire has gone out, and because the stone generates evenly circulated radiant heat, the air in your home will never be too hot or dry.

At Warmstone Fireplaces and Designs in Livingston, Mont., Ron Pihl, started installing these fireplaces, bakeovens and cookstoves over 20 years ago. The cozy showroom displays some of their finest designs.

Tulikivi is Finland’s largest stone processor, and offers six fireplace collections available in more than 1,000 combinations. They also offer a modern and extensive range of sauna heaters for both wood-burning and electric saunas and they produce stone products for indoor and outdoor use.

Visit warmstone.com for more information or call 406.223.4383 for personal assistance.

 Glacier Glamping

Enjoy all of the amenities of glamping with a view from the trees. Glacier Under Canvas, a boutique tented hotel in Coram, Mont., features a unique Treehouse tent as one of its options for overnight stay. Located near the entrance to Glacier National Park, it’s an experience that bridges wilderness and luxury.

The Treehouse is an original design by Jacob Dusek, co-founder of Jasper Madison, the tent manufacturer. The multi-tiered canvas with wooden frame tent is laced around a tree — much as a tipi is structured around a center pole, which continues up and out the roof. There’s also a front porch for a treetop view. Inside the spacious tent there is room for a king bed, ensuite hot water shower and bathroom with ceramic fixtures, chest of drawers and wood stove. A unique guest room or vacation getwaway, the Treehouse is also available for purchase through tent supplier Jasper Madison and is offered in custom designs through jaspermadison.com. For more information, visit glacierundercanvas.com or call 406.552.4195.

Wheelhaus Prefab Modular Homes

Wheelhaus believes in living large with less. This Jackson Hole, Wyo., company seeks to provide efficient and convenient living while maintaining the high standards of sustainable building, innovative design and luxury.

Founder and CEO Jamie Mackay was raised in Jackson Hole. His father worked in log cabin construction, instilling in Jamie the value of quality construction at a young age. When Mackay sought a recreational park trailer, he found that nothing was meeting the his standards for quality, and so he decided to create his own transportable home. His intention was to provide the same quality and durability as the log cabins he grew up with, while incorporating his values of green production and modern design.

Wheelhaus is the final result. Blending classic ideals with a modern focus on energy efficiency, innovative design, progressive space management, sustainable building practices and top-of-the-line building materials, these unique structures exceed the requirements for the Gold standard with the U.S. Green Building Council. For more information, visit wheelhaus.com or call 307.733.7700.