Houzz Tour: Clean Lines and Whimsy in a Rustic Ski House

“It was dead, and we needed to bring it to life,” says Jennifer Prugh Visosky of this rustic ski house. Having sat empty for a few years before her clients bought it, the house was dark and dated. Visosky, of Grace Home Design, worked closely with one of the homeowners; they started by going on a New York City shopping trip together so the designer could get a good sense of her personal style. “She loves gray, blues and pops of honey,” Visosky says. “She really wanted the house to be a space where she and her family felt embraced.”

Scrambling to get things together in time for a big extended-family Christmas at the house, Visosky brightened things up, balanced the rustic nature of the space with clean lines and brought in light touches of whimsy and her client’s favorite hues. “My client had a big hand in the design; she really helped to make it a very personal home,” the designer says.

Photos by David Agnello

Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: This is the vacation home of a couple who lives in Houston.
Location: Jackson, Wyoming
Size: About 4,500 square feet (418 square meters); 4 bedrooms, 4½ bathrooms

The house pays subtle tribute to its location through contemporary and whimsical takes on Western ski cabin style. Instead of a moose trophy or a crossed pair of snowshoes hanging on the wall, it begins with a duck lamp.

“We love this little guy,” Visosky says of the quirky light. The lamp makes a strong first impression, letting you know that the mood will be light and comfortable. This feathered friend sits atop a beautifully crafted console table by BDDW that has plenty of room for hiding winter gear.

The rug is hide but doesn’t have the usual hide shape. The custom geometric pattern transforms it into a more modern way to present the popular Western element.

Art: Alexandra Eldridge; rug: Kyle Bunting; console table: BDDW; lamp: Porta Romana


In the main living space, the dining area, kitchen and living room are all open to one another. The homeowner was eager to lighten up the space, so they painted the walls white. “It helps bounce the light around so much,” Visosky says. “The house was already pretty rustic with the wood ceilings, beams and stone wall.”

The dining table’s location was a no-brainer. “My clients wanted one large enough to comfortably seat eight people,” she says. To match the scale of the table, she had a sculptural light by Jonathan Browning customized to a large size. If you squint (really hard), it looks like a contemporary interpretation of an antler chandelier.


“My client absolutely loves blue,” Visosky says. She brought in blue tones via the dining chair fabric and the butterfly artwork. Lighter browns and creams inspired by the woods complete the color palette.

Art: Hunt Slonem; Timber Dining Table: Troscan Design + Furnishings; Jet Armchairs and Laxamana Side Chairs: Bright, covered in fabric by Kirkby Design


For the living room, Visosky and her client chose comfortable pieces that wouldn’t make the room feel overstuffed. The lounge chairs are the homeowner’s favorites, as she can sink in without feeling swallowed.

“My client is petite, so when we went shopping together, she sat on a ton of sofas. This one has the depth and dimensions that felt just right to her,” Visosky says. She had it custom made and used a leather that nods to Western style in a very subtle way.

The designer defined the living room with another hide rug. “We pulled in all the tones we’d used in the room and added lighter whites and creams,” she says. The funky gold lamp adds a little jazz. “It no longer echoes in here, and the room feels balanced.”

Leonardo Chairs and sofa: Berman Rosetti; chair fabric: Mark Alexander for Romo; sofa leather: GH Leathers; Meteorite Lamp: Flair


The homeowners didn’t want to renovate the kitchen, which has a barn-wood, rustic look and is tucked into the back of the space. Visosky added new contemporary and comfortable upholstered bar stools to tie the design of the rest of the space to the kitchen.

Elysian Bar Stools: Lawson-Fenning

So Your Style Is: Rustic


Likewise, the bathrooms were still in good shape. Visosky simply added this wall covering in the downstairs powder room.

Wallpaper: Thibault


“My client didn’t want a TV in the living room, so she decided to turn this office into a media room,” Visosky says. She designed a custom sectional to fit the space to a T, adding a cozy faux-fur-covered ottoman. The artwork’s chevron pattern plays off the sofa fabric and enlivens the space.

Art: Kollabs; sofa: custom, Berman/Rosetti, upholstered in Brentano fabric


In a kids’ bathroom upstairs, enjoyed by the couples’ nieces and nephews, Visosky added a graphic ski-theme fabric in the form of window shades.


The master bedroom has a sophisticated mix of vintage and custom pieces. Contemporary takes on Western style include a shaggy, sheep-like chair; a warm palette of the owner’s favorite honey colors; and wood grain. Unexpected pops of amethyst come in via matching glass lamps on the nightstands.

Art: Mike Piggott Studio; bed: Newport, Troscan Design + Furnishings, upholstered in Twist fabric by Kirkby; Lake Side Table, BDDW; Cutie Chair: Munna; Glass Blob Lamp: Porta Romana; duvet, shams: custom, Sandra Jordan Prima Alpaca fabric; polka dot bolster: Designers Guild


The gray wood grain continues on this sophisticated desk, which serves as a vanity. A sheepskin-topped Lucite bench continues the mix of Western and contemporary styles.

Desk: The New Traditionalists; stool: 1stdibs


In a guest bedroom, a whimsical large-scale Polaroid piece adds antlers to the design in an amusing, creative way.

Visosky loves mixing unexpected patterns, particularly in bedding. “I love to play around with bedding; the plaid and rosette fabrics make it contemporary, rustic and whimsical at once,” she says.

Faux rabbit fur and timber stools and sculptural reading lamps add funky rustic touches.

Artwork: GI ArtLab, The Grand Image; bed: Nathalie, Flou; bed upholstery fabric: Pollack; nightstands: Vervano; pillows: custom, Perry Design; check fabric: Kirkby; stools: Bleu Nature


“I wanted something whimsical and inviting with a touch of sass for this small guest bedroom,” Visosky says. A fantastic fox painting adds a contemporary and sassy take on wildlife art. The floor lamp is a space saver that provides reading light. While the room is whimsical, the fabrics are luxurious. The main pattern comes from the bed’s upholstery, while a mix of needlework and shag adorns the bed. Simple Roman shades block the light when needed.

Art: “Mr. Fox,” by GI ArtLab via Grand Image; bed: Swoop, DwellStudio, in Nobilis fabric; bedding fabric: Dorian Bahr; nightstands: Vivian, Vervano; table lamp: Flair; floor lamp: Bleu Nature; Roman shade fabric: C & C Milano

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