Mosquito Creek Cabin

The genesis of this project was the purchase at auction of an old cabin from the historic Crescent H Dude Ranch in Jackson Hole, Wyoming.  The cabin was then relocated to the client's property a mile down the road with the intention of adding a new bedroom and bath to create a more generous guesthouse adjacent to their existing main house.  The client, who is an interior designer, had some novel ideas about breathing new life into an old, classic cabin using some unexpected materials and finishes without compromising the historic character of the original 16' by 14' structure.   Several challenges became factors in the design.  Bringing the cabin up to current county zoning and building codes required an entire new roof structure, a small kitchen, and a complete winterization.  The new structure, while integrating with the original log building, was intended to stand as a contrast, and is clad in board and batten on a conventional 2 by 6 framing.  The bathroom lives in a connector piece that had to fit between the saddle notch extensions of the original cabin, resulting in a three part composition unified by a bonderized steel roof and black stain on both the old logs and the new board and batten siding.

For the interior the design team chose weathered Wyoming snow fence for the walls of the addition, and a black-stained pine plank flooring.  In the bathroom Carrara marble for the shower and vanity plays off against rustic snow fence cabinets and a pebble floor.  The owner's eclectic taste led to an unusual blend of the rustic and modern with only a few overt 'cowboy' references.  Carburetor lights from Urban Archeology illuminate the front porch, and African horn lamps light up the hallway between the living area and bedroom. The project saves a key piece of Jackson's dude ranching history by making it work for contemporary life.