Houzz Tour: A Rustic, Energy-efficient Cabin in the Rocky Mountains
This Montana cabin oozes rustic charm thanks to rough-hewn timbers, homespun textiles and a tranquil swimming pond right on its doorstep
It looks as if Teddy Roosevelt slept here from the outside, but this cutting-edge, platinum LEED-certified home is new. Highline Partners, Montana homebuilders that specialise in sustainable building, created a rustic cabin that looks as though it could have been a trapper’s house 100 years ago while meeting the clients’ desires for a sustainable home. The team mixed the best parts of vernacular architecture with environmentally friendly features, including a pond that serves as a geothermal mass for heat.
‘The house was built with nature, sustainability and the surrounding environment in mind, while also trying to seem like a very old historic homestead,’ says project manager Ty Frackiewicz. Erika Jennings of Carole Sisson Designs did the interior design.
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here It’s a holiday home for a family of five
Location Yellowstone Club in Big Sky, Montana
Size 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms
That’s interesting When this home was built, it was one of only three platinum LEED-certified homes in the entire state of Montana
‘The house was built with nature, sustainability and the surrounding environment in mind, while also trying to seem like a very old historic homestead,’ says project manager Ty Frackiewicz. Erika Jennings of Carole Sisson Designs did the interior design.
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here It’s a holiday home for a family of five
Location Yellowstone Club in Big Sky, Montana
Size 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms
That’s interesting When this home was built, it was one of only three platinum LEED-certified homes in the entire state of Montana
The setting around the house includes forest, streams and a horse pasture. There are also outdoor trails for mountain biking, horse riding, snowshoeing, skiing and fishing.
A large part of the construction is this man-made pond, which is part of a system of four ponds on the property. Its 20ft depth means it can serve as a geothermal mass that heats the home in winter, using very little energy. The man-made ponds are contained and are completely separate from the natural watershed.
Of course, the family also enjoys the pond for recreation and the beautiful view. They can dive right in off the dock for swims, and it is stocked with trout for off-the-deck fishing.
‘We used a lot of reclaimed wood to maintain the rustic feel; some of the wood sources were from Montana and Wyoming snow fences,’ says Frackiewicz. Snow fences are about 14ft high and are used to keep snow drifts from crossing the roads.
‘The logs were standing dead beetle kill trees; these are trees that have been killed by the mountain pine beetle,’ he says. ‘Also, some of the logs were from the property.’
‘The logs were standing dead beetle kill trees; these are trees that have been killed by the mountain pine beetle,’ he says. ‘Also, some of the logs were from the property.’
The stone is a local moss rock called Willow Creek; its ranch feel adds to the rustic aesthetic. Hand-forged steel straps around the ceiling beams add another Western material to the mix.
In fact, all of the materials, both new and reclaimed, came from within a 500-mile radius of the cabin. The floors are iron slate. The cabinetmakers (Integrity Builders of Bozeman, Montana) disassembled an antique hutch and repurposed it into the green cabinets.
‘There are unique features throughout the entire home. It has historical pieces, such as art and furniture,’ says Frackiewicz. ‘The dining chairs are Thomas Molesworth reproductions from New West Furniture.’ Molesworth was an early-1900s Western furniture maker.
The light fixture is from local company Juliann Iron Originals. The rugs hung throughout the house are Navajo rugs from the couple’s collection.
The light fixture is from local company Juliann Iron Originals. The rugs hung throughout the house are Navajo rugs from the couple’s collection.
The rustic bathroom sink is made from an antique wooden Indonesian bread
bowl that the couple brought from their previous home. Look in the mirror to see a barn door crafted of reclaimed wood and metal.
Browse ways to introduce a rustic vibe to your bathroom
bowl that the couple brought from their previous home. Look in the mirror to see a barn door crafted of reclaimed wood and metal.
Browse ways to introduce a rustic vibe to your bathroom
All of the reclaimed planks, furnishings and logs give the cabin a cozy, rustic feel. I’d love to curl up in here for an après-ski nap.
Other sustainable building practices beyond materials and the geothermal heating system included recycling 41% of the construction waste, creating an envelope that is 73% greater than an Energy Efficiency A rated home and including a 2kW solar array that supplies the home with electricity.
Other sustainable building practices beyond materials and the geothermal heating system included recycling 41% of the construction waste, creating an envelope that is 73% greater than an Energy Efficiency A rated home and including a 2kW solar array that supplies the home with electricity.
This barn houses the family’s five horses. The roof is made of metal reclaimed from nearby ranches in Montana and Wyoming. ‘On the driveway, we used gravel instead of asphalt to keep the rustic, historic feel,’ says Frackiewicz.
If you’re interested in building sustainably but worried about costs, Frackiewicz advises looking at it this way: ‘To spend 1 to 3% on the front end and save 40 to 65% in operating costs is a great business decision and a good legacy for the environment.’
Tour an energy efficient home in the Cotswolds
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If you’re interested in building sustainably but worried about costs, Frackiewicz advises looking at it this way: ‘To spend 1 to 3% on the front end and save 40 to 65% in operating costs is a great business decision and a good legacy for the environment.’
Tour an energy efficient home in the Cotswolds
Liked this? Share your thoughts in the Comments below.