project zoom: alpine haven

How do you live? This is the first question we ask as designers. Do you live outside, coming home at night to recap and regroup? Or do you come and go, stashing and storing your stuff throughout the day? How do you play: on bikes, skis, skates? How do you relax: by the fire, in the tub, with a book? What’s your morning routine? And bedtime? What rooms receive the most wear and care? At Snake River Interiors, we ask these questions and then intently listen to your answers.

A recently-finished project provides speaks to our inquisitive approach: Trusting us as designers, the family of five shared many stories of their domestic patterns. Close and active, they adventure outside then come home to spend time together in their Shooting Star cabin. With this intel, we knew communal spaces would be the primary focus on the project.

Migrating from the city, the parents did not want to compromise sophistication for function—a challenge achieved to harmonious effect in the open living area. The soaring space—designed by our long-time collaborators JLF Architects—provided a frame of rustic elegance and natural immersion. To anchor the expanse, we imagined a living area for the family to gather over games. Anchored in functionality, details layer luxury: a cashmere sectional folds around two coffee tables, arranged in alignment or apart, each hiding two large storage drawers. Velvet floral chairs with shearling pillows, ottomans and our sister firm Twenty Two Home’s throw add to the feeling of commodious camaraderie.

Beyond the core sitting area, we created moments of intrigue: A cantilevered console, capped by a leather-strapped oval mirror, creates a sculptural counterpoint to the panorama of the picture windows. In another corner, an abstract encaustic by Pamela Gibson—one of our favorite local artists—complements the arc of the Georg Jensen bowl placed beneath it (also available at our Town Square showroom). All told, the home remains rooted in respect for the family’s rhythms.

See the full project, here.

market research

What makes a day truly memorable? Traipsing through the mountains with friends and family? Echoes of laughter? A lesson lovingly learned? Moments sought and shared. Moments of unbridled engagement…

Your space is your sanctuary—a reflection of you and your layers—and yet, every now and then, you may need to refresh your sense of place. Cue the remodel. A remodel reconnects you to your home, but it can also draw in others: According to the 30th-anniversary edition of the Cost vs. Value report—an annual publication of www.remodeling.hw.net —selling your home within a year of a remodel often allows you to recoup your investment.

The nationwide report adopted griege as its color for 2018: the grey-beige mix, beyond being a hot hue right now, speaks to the subtle tone of the report itself. Instead of big and bright, the report suggests incremental improvements. Collecting data from 29 popular remodeling projects conducted in 99 markets nationwide, the average resale payback for a remodel project hovers around 64 cents on the dollar.

Several upscale projects—including bathroom remodels, master suites, two-story additions, grand entrances, and family rooms—reported the most significant year-over-year percentage increases in value, rising between 5.6 and 7.4%, although the costs of such projects outpaced the gains, which speaks to the continued recovery of the real estate market (the National Association of Realtors, the median price of an existing home rose 5.6% in September from the same time last year). “In general, the hotter the market, the bigger the payback,” the report declares—great news for Teton County.

In our region—dubbed West North Central by the report and inclusive of Montana and Minnesota—top bang-for-buck upscale projects included replacing the front door (a 73.2% cost recoup) and doing a major kitchen remodel (57.2%). Master suite additions also fared well (55.2%) as did replacing windows (approx. 67% depending on the material). Above all, the report underscores the importance of making smart decisions in terms of materials as you make your way through a remodel, an attunement we take to heart. We want you to not only love the work being done to your space today but also enjoy the process knowing how your good decisions affect tomorrow’s returns. Let us help you make wise choices.

our new home

On behalf of the Snake River Interiors family, we whole-heartedly welcome you to our new website! In this space, we will carefully and thoughtfully curate posts, forums, and informative pieces that will aim to create a deeper connection between the realms of design and daily living. As a source for inspiration, we will use this space as a platform for showcasing processes and insight on all elements of interiors & design. We will also share our thoughts on everyday living within your designed spaces, and the methodology that goes into living a beautiful life.

Setting the stage for experience that matter, we believe that design and exceptional interiors are the true backdrops for our lives. The spaces we spend our lives in can create a greater sense of happiness, joy, and beauty in our everyday encounters if we allow them to do so. As designers, we know that each item existing in your home serves as a larger extension of the self. With this platform, we will invite you to fully interact with your designed spaces. Interiors play a tremendous role in our day-to-day lives — from the items we choose to surround ourselves with, to the rugs on the floor, and the colors on the wall — the unique character of our own homes is what creates the palate for our lives.

We believe in the deeper connection found between our lives and the interiors that we’re each surrounded by — there is transformative power to be found within design. We hope this platform will become a place that allows you to feel encouraged, while guiding you in finding inspiration and a greater sense of home.

Live with intention. Live with personality. Live, beautifully.