Every Detail Stamped With A Personal Touch
Jennifer-poised with all the skills to run high-end custom projects-had already passed the path of mobilizing their Edwin Lutyens-inspired Illinois home and the family compound in Wisconsin. However, for this Montana retreat, she wanted to add a personal touch. That is the very moment I told Alec that I would not move any walls, but I wanted it to represent who we are,’ she laughed.
The mandate was communicated: The design should induce good taste while still being informal. Seeking inspiration in the rustic charms of a French boho ski chalet, Jennifer envisioned a house that would not just exist as a family vacation getaway but also welcome guests to repose in an inviting natural environment.
An Incubation of Warm Sexiness Influenced by Commune Studio
The couple chose Commune-a design studio based in Los Angeles, famous for its relaxed yet California-cool aesthetic-to realize Jennifer’s dream. With an excellent reputation for the layering of vintage materials and handmade pieces, Commune proved a perfect match for creating a ski retreat that was sophisticated yet comfortable. Jennifer admired Commune’s concentration on timeless pieces and in working with textiles and artisanal furnishings.
“The process started with understanding the surroundings-how to even ground the house in its alps surroundings,” explains Roman Alonso, communal cofounder. “We were careful to warm up the space and create an inviting atmosphere.” The design team replaced white-oak flooring with natural, unstained wood and swapped out cold steel fixtures for warm, unlacquered brass and bronze. These changes set the tone for a space that felt intimate, organic, and full of character.
Where Rustic Meets Elegance
From the very start, the architecture was determined by limestone: the use of it being an honorable feature to its environment. However, the design had a cozy, layered material palette applied as a homage to earth tones represented in the environment: deep blue from the nearby mountains and the golden hues of autumn foliage.
Beautiful and attractive are the walnut custom cabinetry and green slate countertops in the kitchen. The bronze accents in the kitchen stove hood make it look more elegant. These are large picture windows in the dining area that give the best view of Lone Mountain from the outside but also submerges the family from that experience when indoors.
Family Thoughtful Details
From building the new house, the Litowitzes had a very specific vision of what sanctuary would need to symbolize that it could be a place to connect and share so that you make memories for family vacations. The house manages to achieve this with a big mudroom with bright red ski lockers so that the family can throw their stuff in there after a day on the slopes. The alcove with bunks-walls of denim, flame-red tiles in the bath-is sure to bring a bit of fun and levity into the house.
It is luxury with comfort: shearling, alpaca, and leather materials are all top-notch but warm and textured rather than overly polished. Leather and wool furniture are consolidated with vintage rugs that artfully blend into the living room space to evoke a cozy feel, chic yet lived-in.
An Artistic Collection That Has the View
The home also has a Litowitz touch through art collection-now, not just any art collection but one of such significance and fame-the works of eminent artists like Jean-Michel Basquiat, Toyin Ojih Odutola, and Jacob Lawrence. The couple was interested in a home space large enough to encompass all walls to show their collection and found the best gallery in the Big Sky house.
One of the most impressive views in the house is Richard Prince’s cowboy’s photograph, “Proust Exercise,” that shows the cowboys leaving into the sunset and is displayed in the lower level. This subtle image, which refers to the American West, pays tribute to its history while preserving the carefully defined and eclectic nature of the home.
Designing For Life Instead Of Eye Candy
Throughout the project, Alonso emphasized that the goal was to design a house that would not merely be a monument to living for spaces one could post on Instagram, but one meant for living. “We design for the experience of life,” he says. The Litowitz family’s Montana home perfectly combines luxury, comfort, and nature with well-thought-out spaces to bring the family together in an inviting environment. From family ski trips to quiet evenings by the fire, all will bring back memories they will hold forever.
