09 Apr Design Elements: Ethos: Creating living spaces with Domaine Interiors

With more than 50 years of combined experience, Domaine Interiors in Bozeman provides inspired solutions for effortless living. Through their timeless approach to interior vernaculars and deep respect for craftsmanship, Domaine curates spaces that feel both elevated and livable.

Helming collaborative relationships with clients, contractors, and architects to articulate each project’s design vision from inception to completion, Domaine melds architectural elements, layered textures, and refined materials to enhance the rhythms of life in Big Sky Country and beyond.

Here, Rachael Celinski, owner and lead design principal, discusses the design philosophies, creative culture, and inspirations shaping Domaine’s work today and to come.

A comfy nook in this Big Sky bunk room offers layered textures and soft lighting, welcoming moments of repose and quiet pause. | GIBEON PHOTOGRAPHY

BIG SKY JOURNAL: Your philosophy highlights the balance between modern and timeless. As Montana evolves, how do you respect its biophilic design heritage while embracing contemporary luxury?

RACHAEL CELINSKI: At the heart of our work is a deep respect for place. Montana isn’t just a backdrop — it’s a living, breathing influence. Its landscapes, light, and scale guide every decision we make.

When we design, we listen to the land, the architecture, and the way people truly want to live within it. Honoring Montana’s roots with natural material selections and tactile surfaces, we layer in refined proportions, intentional restraint, and elevated craftsmanship. The resulting spaces are quintessential Montana.

In this understated bedroom, the invitation to unwind feels effortless, but it’s the result of thoughtful planning and intentionality with color, texture, and uncomplicated decor. | GIBEON PHOTOGRAPHY

BSJ: When selecting materials, how do you infuse your European-inspired selections with the practical durability required for the Montana climate and lifestyle?

CELINSKI: For us, beauty and performance are one and the same. While we’re drawing from refined, European-inspired palettes, we’re always translating that elegance through the lens of real life in a mountain climate.

Terrazzo porcelain flows seamlessly from floor to shower, creating a cohesive, quietly confident palette in this bath. | GIBEON PHOTOGRAPHY

We start with materials that age with grace — natural stones, layered woods, and hand-finished metals that patina beautifully — fabrics that are both luxurious and resilient, and surfaces that can handle everyday living without losing their integrity. Refinement and durability marry to create elevated spaces that are built to last.

BSJ: Your Hygge House in Big Sky was recently recognized by the International Design & Architecture Awards for its Scandinavian-inspired warmth. What techniques adapt the concept of coziness — traditionally associated with small spaces — to expansive, open-concept floor plans?

CELINSKI: In large, open-concept homes, our job is to create moments of intimacy within the scale. With Hygge House, we focused on breaking expansiveness into experiences rather than rooms. We use layered lighting to soften the architecture; anchored large spaces with textured woods, woven and bouclé textiles, and tactile finishes; and intentionally grouped furniture to create human-scaled zones for conversation and respite.

This soft sectional invites a slower kind of evening, settled in by the fire, the Spanish Peaks offering the only welcome drama. | GIBEON PHOTOGRAPHY

We also paid close attention to acoustics and rhythm, using rugs, drapery, and architectural details to quiet and ground spaces. The result is that the home still feels open and expansive but emotionally warm. It’s not about shrinking the architecture — it’s about magnifying the comfort.

BSJ: Considering Domaine’s focus on cohesive design integration, how do you shape the collaborative processes between design-build teams and clients? And when is the ideal time to consider interiors?

Poliform Italian cabinetry was the natural choice for this forward-thinking kitchen, which includes integrated hardware, generous proportions, and precision in every detail. Here, innovation lives in the refinement. | WHITNEY KAMMAN

CELINSKI: For us, collaboration isn’t a phase: It’s the foundation. The best projects happen when design, architecture, and construction are in constant dialogue, with the client at the center of that conversation. We shape the process by getting everyone at the table early and often. And we consider interiors from the very beginning. When interiors are integrated from day one — built into the very bones — we can influence scale, light, circulation, and materiality in ways that cohesively elevate the entire project.

Sculpture and architecture should never compete; they should converse, intimately, and equally so with the design of the interior and exterior finishings. | WHITNEY KAMMAN

BSJ: Some of Domaine’s recent collaborations include dedicated wellness zones, complete with saunas, steam rooms, and cold plunges. What is your strategy for appointing these spaces?

CELINSKI: We approach wellness spaces as environments, not features. A sauna or cold plunge is a daily ritual, a place to reset. So the strategy is to design them with the same intentionality as any primary living space. We start with performance — moisture control, ventilation, and thermal durability — and then layer in atmosphere — natural textures, calming tones, and simple forms that support stillness. When a wellness zone is done right, it doesn’t announce itself as luxury: It feels essential.

There are very few moments to match the still solitude of wild spaces, where diffuse light, shifting shadows, and a gentle breeze do all the talking. | GIBEON PHOTOGRAPHY

BSJ: What factors are most informing the unfolding 2026 interior design aesthetic?

CELINSKI: There is a collective shift toward spaces that feel human. The era of stark-white and gray-on-gray interiors is ending. Regionally and globally, people are craving warmth and emotional resonance. Natural, earthy tones connect us to the land, while smoked glass, warm brass, and evolving patinas tell a story of timeless authenticity. Intriguing details — subtle moments of surprise, craftsmanship you can feel, soft curves replacing hard lines, and tunable lighting that adapts to mood, time of day, and season — are further supporting livable spaces that feel like nourishment.

In the years to come, we’re most excited to explore this level of design where beauty, comfort, and meaning intersect. We’re inspired by spaces that evolve with time, invite touch, and support real life. The future isn’t about trends — it’s about creating intentional environments that feel alive.