Big Comfort in a Big Way in Big Sky Country
Paul Gravette - Big Sky Montana Home. Photo Credit: Haris Kenjar
Warm neutrals, natural materials and a welcoming glow turn this mountain haven into “home”.
Entrepreneur and angel investor Paul Gravette, with his wife LeighAnn, once again teamed up with Nashville-based decorator Roger Higgins. After working with him on their primary residence and Bahamian beach house, they pretty much gave him free reign when it came to their mountain retreat in Big Sky, Montana. The Gravettes, with three young sons and two French bulldogs, were looking for something for entertaining, as well as cozy spaces for their close-knit family.
The breathtaking mountain landscape was conducive to creating a warm environment rich in textures and natural materials. Higgins’ design scheme leans ever-so-slightly toward cool and contemporary, avoiding a much-overused Southwestern-mountain lodge look.
The three-story house was still being built when Higgins and his team arrived on site, so they could customize paint colors, carpeting, and light fixtures from the start. Neutral carpeting, wide-plank wood floors and antique rugs provide a solid aesthetic foundation, and Venetian plaster and wall coverings lend more warmth than paint alone.
Lighting, so important to any home, adds just the right amount of natural feel. A cowhide-wrapped brass design stands out in the dining room, while custom sconces crown the emerald banquette in the upstairs office.
There are bold statements, however: a botanical-print wallpaper in the boys’ bathroom and a puzzle-like kitchen backsplash was constructed out of wooden tiles. Personal touches weren’t ignored either, as the dining room drapery is of the same fabric used in their Nashville residence. And two green plaid pillows on the sofa in the main living area remind LeighAnn of her of her grandfather.
Serendipity can also make a home a special place. In the dining area and entryway, chairs are outfitted in rough leather slipcovers. But when Higgins put them on, he was having trouble getting wrinkles out of the leather. He turned them inside-out, and the new look was so stunning that they left them that way. An even more unique touch is the printing from the hide numbers on that side of the leather.
“Pleased” is an understatement when describing the Gravettes’ reaction to their new home. “They went up there and stayed the entire summer,” said Higgins. “I thought I would never get them back!”
Photography by: Haris Kenjar