Bjella Architects
Heavy-Timber Mountain Home at night, lit timber porches, stone chimney and white-barked trees beneath a deep blue sky

Projects  /  Retreat — The Yellowstone Club, Montana

Heavy-Timber Mountain Home

The architecture is robust and substantial, engineered specifically to withstand extreme mountain snowfalls and severe weather.

Situated in the rugged landscape of the Yellowstone Club in Montana, this heavy-timber mountain home was commissioned by clients who, despite maintaining a primary residence in a warm climate, hold a deep appreciation for the cold and winter sports. The design brief was clear: create a home that fully embraces the traditional mountain aesthetic without falling into the realm of the "cutesy or trite."

The architecture is robust and substantial, engineered specifically to withstand extreme mountain snowfalls and severe weather. The exterior presents a commanding presence, utilizing thick, heavy timber framing and substantial stone masonry, topped with a durable roof designed to shed heavy snow loads.

Inside, the home is designed for the reality of an active, outdoor lifestyle where skiing and hiking take priority. Understanding that the interior would face significant wear from ski boots, gear, and hard playing, we adopted a strategy of pre-distressing the finishes.

From the wide-plank hardwood floors to the custom cabinetry, the materials feature a deliberately weathered and worn aesthetic. This ensures that new scuffs or scratches from daily adventures simply blend into the existing patina, allowing the clients to relax and fully enjoy their mountain retreat without worrying about maintaining pristine surfaces.

Heavy-Timber Mountain Home at night, lit timber porches, stone chimney and white-barked trees beneath a deep blue sky
Timber-framed gables, two stone chimneys with copper-toned caps and a wall of windows set against pine forest
Wide front elevation with timber porches, stone masonry, white-barked trees and a curved driveway
Arrival court with garage doors, covered timber porch and stone chimney under a clear sky
Garage wing with heavy timber braces and shingled roof lit by warm, low sun
Stone chimney, timber gables and a covered porch with timber posts, lattice railing and a log bench
Close view of timber gable slats, stone chimney with weathered metal cap and lattice porch rail
Open great room with stone fireplace, wide-plank floors, timber trusses and lantern columns by the kitchen
Upper-level dining area with red chairs beside a stone wall and open stair, with forest and mountain views
Dining table with burgundy leather chairs before a pale stone wall and tall dark-framed windows
Dining room with red upholstered chairs, curved stone wall and windows overlooking forested, snow-capped peaks
Living room beneath arched timber trusses, stone fireplace and a glass gable framing snowy peaks
Heavy-Timber Mountain Home at dusk, windows glowing beneath stone chimneys and timber gables
Candlelit dining table and lit stair at dusk, with mountains fading outside the windows
Candlelit dining table and lit stair at dusk, with mountains fading outside the windows

Bjella Architects

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