The Magic of Before and After (Three WRJ Design Case Studies)

BEFORE & AFTER FOUR SEASONS RESIDENCE | WILLOWBROOK ESTATE | SPRING GULCH RANCH

“GREAT DESIGN LIFTS THE SPIRIT AND INSPIRES THE SOUL.” Excerpt from our book, Natural Elegance

THE MAGIC OF BEFORE & AFTER Given a blank canvas, can you paint a picture?

Perhaps you’re just starting your search for a new home or maybe you’ve already visited numerous options with your trusted broker.

We prepared this booklet especially for you; to open your eyes to the world of amazing 20/20 vision transformation.

Over the years, one comment we’ve heard from people is that they struggle with envisioning how an existing home can be transformed into a forever home. At WRJ Design, it’s our passion to create exceptional homes for our clients, not only for new construction, but also for renovations and/or furnishings-only projects.

Please enjoy the following booklet which chronicles three of our favorite renovation projects. We hope you’ll enjoy seeing the dramatic possibilities that can be achieved through a creative, collaborative, and successful design process.

PROJECT NARRATIVE: FOUR SEASONS RESIDENCE This 3,200 square-foot, four-bedroom home is a prime example of a condo built in the early 2000s that used rustic materials, which were very popular at the time, but are now currently in need of a refresh. This home was primed for a more modern reboot all throughout.

Our mission for this project was to re-imagine the condo so it would evoke freshness and timelessness. The entire residence now embodies a light and airy sense of cohesion, rooted in a current design aesthetic.

Similar to new construction projects, renovations can feel overwhelming. Our goal is to provide the creative vision and reassurance throughout the project so that clients remain engaged with the process of reinvention. The owners of this residence felt that the final outcome was incredibly rewarding and well worth the effort.

ENTRY

BEFORE (LEFT) • Oppressive dark doors, trim and flooring • Lackluster paint color • Outdated light fixtures

AFTER (RIGHT) • A light paint palette for doors and trim, as well as new flooring • New wallpaper for texture • Stylish light fixture to engage the eye

HALLWAY

BEFORE (LEFT) • Outdated carpet on the staircase • Dark-stained cabinetry and moldings • An overall gloomy, heavy attitude

AFTER (RIGHT) • A new finish palette to enhance the existing interior stonework • Wider and lighter plank flooring • Brightened paint color for trim, cabinetry and moldings • New stairwell carpeting and railings for a more modern aesthetic

GREAT ROOM | VIEW 1

BEFORE (LEFT) • Large window mullions and headers interrupted views and created a visual barrier to the outdoors

AFTER (RIGHT) • Painted window and door trims to impart a more organic connection to the exterior • New drapery to disguise the trim and draw the eye towards the outside

GREAT ROOM | VIEW 2

BEFORE (LEFT) • Dated fabrics evoked a heavy and dismal feel in the room • Traditional and disproportionate wood mantel • Unused space at right of fireplace

AFTER (RIGHT) • Updated palette, fabrics and furnishings transformed the living space • Attractive built-in dry-bar to the right of fireplace • Glass banister allowed more light upstairs

SITTING ROOM

BEFORE (LEFT) • Dark cove and ceiling moldings • Outdated light fixture • Heavy drapery • Overly worn wall-to-wall carpeting

AFTER (RIGHT) • Removal of cove chandelier and dark moldings • Addition of weathered beams to ceiling cove • Updated drapes, furnishings and flooring • New rug with fresh color

KITCHEN

BEFORE (LEFT) • Inefficient layout • Poor lighting quality • Outdated cabinets and countertops

AFTER (RIGHT) • Fully renovated kitchen with new cabinetry, appliances and vent hood • Created user-friendly layout • Updated hardware, plumbing fixtures and used a lighter color palette throughout • New stone surfaces and accent beams to refresh and make more welcoming

DINING AREA

BEFORE (LEFT) • Oppressive cove ceiling • Dark hardwood floors • Outdated, out-of-scale furniture

AFTER (RIGHT) • New beams with weathered finish • Lightened reclaimed floors • Updated furnishings

GUEST BEDROOM

BEFORE (LEFT) • Heavy beams and visually small window • Muted color palate • Outdated furnishings and decorative lighting

AFTER (RIGHT) • Sheer drapes extended for visually larger window • Contemporary furnishings, lighting and textural wallpaper for the entire suite

PRIMARY BEDROOM | VIEW 1

BEFORE (LEFT) • Dark, heavy beams and window trim • Tired paint palette • Passé furnishings and decorative ceiling light fixture

AFTER (RIGHT) • Painted window trim, added new beams with weathered finish, as well as the addition of textured wallpaper • Sheer drapes to lighten the space • Contemporary furnishings and lighting

PRIMARY BEDROOM | VIEW 2

BEFORE (LEFT) • Odd Juliette balcony at left of fireplace that overlooked the living room • Unbalanced built-in TV at right of fireplace • Old-school dark mantel

AFTER (RIGHT) • Closed opening to balcony and removed built-in TV and replaced both with two dressers for symmetry • Added open, built-in shelving • A mantel to match the new ceiling beam style

PRIMARY BATHROOM | VIEW 1

BEFORE (LEFT) • Outdated and in need of a total renovation

AFTER (RIGHT) • New inset, back-lit mirror system • Lighter palette for stone floor, countertops and paint • New cabinets, hardware and decorative lighting

PRIMARY BATHROOM | VIEW 2

BEFORE (LEFT) • Completely dated and in need of a full renovation

AFTER (RIGHT) • Better shaped bathtub using up-todate materials • New shower glass and stonework • Lighter palette resulted in a spa-like feel

PROJECT NARRATIVE: WILLOWBROOK ESTATE This circa 1990s 6,500 square-foot home was a prime example of a typical design aesthetic implemented during this time period.

The materials and finishes used in this project were quite popular, but today feel stuck in time and unappealing, especially when viewed by prospective style-savvy homeowners.

Our goals for this project were to re-imagine the home so that it would evoke a current and fresh style, improve the traffic flow, and better accommodate a family with three active children.

Similar to new construction projects, renovations can feel overwhelming. Our objective is to provide creative vision and reassurance throughout the process so that clients remain excited about the reinvention. The new homeowners of this project felt that the final outcome was incredibly rewarding and suited their active mountain lifestyle.

GREAT ROOM | VIEW 1

BEFORE (LEFT) • Outdated ceiling planks • Busy and tired railing style • Unwelcoming, stark paint color

AFTER (RIGHT) • Drywalled the ceiling to unify the wall and ceiling materials throughout • Installed clean-lined upper-level glass railings to bring additional light inside • Introduced large ceiling timbers Before photo courtesy of Teton Board of Realtors

GREAT ROOM | VIEW 2

BEFORE (LEFT) • Large window mullions interrupted views • Imposing over-scaled fireplace • Outdated flooring color and planks

AFTER (RIGHT) • Replaced window-wall with large glass panes • Included drapery to soften the space • Added bookcases to anchor the fireplace • Replaced hardwood floors Before photo courtesy of Teton Board of Realtors

KITCHEN

BEFORE (LEFT) • Vastly outdated kitchen • Cabinets, appliances, lighting and flooring all needed replacing

AFTER (RIGHT) • Redesigned and renovated entire kitchen • Added a butler’s pantry and mudroom Before photo courtesy of Teton Board of Realtors

• Changed flooring throughout

DINING ROOM

BEFORE (LEFT) • Outdated windows and moldings • No ceiling light fixture over dining table

AFTER (RIGHT) • Redesigned and renovated entire kitchen • Added a butler’s pantry and mudroom • Changed flooring throughout Before photo courtesy of Teton Board of Realtors

PRIMARY BEDROOM

BEFORE (LEFT) • Poor quality wall-to-wall carpeting • Inefficient master bedroom flow and layout

AFTER (RIGHT) • Redesigned primary suite with new sitting area and bed orientation • Replaced carpeting with wood flooring • Updated all furnishings Before photo courtesy of Teton Board of Realtors

PRIMARY BATHROOM

BEFORE (LEFT) • Terribly outdated materials—lighting, cabinetry, plumbing, tile and stone • Impractical layout with wasted space

AFTER (RIGHT) • Redesigned entire bathroom suite for a modern, spa-like feel with more natural light Before photo courtesy of Teton Board of Realtors

PROJECT NARRATIVE: SPRING GULCH RANCH This 1990s 6,800 square-foot log house epitomized the quintessential Jackson Hole hideaway.

The clients desired a full renovation throughout to bring the home up to current standards. During construction, the clients happily announced that they were expecting twins, so the project took an unexpected turn and an entirely new wing was designed to mirror the existing home.

The before pictures reveal the many interior architectural elements that were quite common throughout the region during that time period. These included orange-toned logs, dated kitchens and bathrooms, heavy window trim and mullions, and putty-colored walls. By contrast, today’s home buyers are seeking a cleaner and lighter aesthetic—a strength of our practice and where the magic happens.

Our mission was to reinvent this residence for a young and growing family to evoke a more timeless design with a fresh appearance, but also to retain the inherent charm and character of a log home. We proposed several floor plan alterations to bring harmony and architectural balance to several key areas and to improve traffic flow.

Although renovations can sometimes feel overwhelming, our goal is to provide creative vision and reassurance throughout the project so that clients remain engaged with the process of reinvention. These homeowners were thrilled with the outcome, especially given this new chapter in their lives.

GREAT ROOM

BEFORE (LEFT) • Massive log window framing • Orange-toned logs and flooring • Outdated mantel style

AFTER (RIGHT) • Glazed logs and flooring in a warmer brown tone • Replaced mantel to complement the existing river-rock fireplace • Updated chandelier and furnishings Before photo courtesy of Teton Board of Realtors

GREAT ROOM | DINING AREA

BEFORE (LEFT) • Asymmetrical room due to existing staircase • Outmoded orange logs and flooring • Log cabin-type banister railing

AFTER (RIGHT) • Glazed all logs and flooring a richer mahogany tone • Relocated stairwell and replaced it with a new plaster art-wall for a symmetrical backdrop in the dining area • Replaced banister with hand-wrought metal railing Before photo courtesy of Teton Board of Realtors

GAME ROOM

BEFORE (LEFT) • Multi-paned doors disrupted view • No window treatments • Orange wood tones

AFTER (RIGHT) • Added sheer drapes to hide and soften the log columns • Updated furnishings and decorative lighting • Replaced door style with singlepaned glass Before photo courtesy of Teton Board of Realtors

BAR AREA

BEFORE (LEFT) • Limited use of room due to pool table • Passé furnishings and decorative lighting

AFTER (RIGHT) • Added welcoming custom-designed steel and bronze wet-bar • Swapped overhead light fixture for a more contemporary style • Improved function and comfort in the space Before photo courtesy of Teton Board of Realtors

KITCHEN | VIEW 1

BEFORE (LEFT) • Extremely dated kitchen with poor flow

AFTER (RIGHT) • Reconfigured layout and improved traffic flow • Fully updated kitchen with chipped edge quartzite countertop, copper hood, state of the art appliances, and more Before photo courtesy of Teton Board of Realtors

KITCHEN | VIEW 2

BEFORE (LEFT) • Extremely dated kitchen with poor flow

AFTER (RIGHT) • Reconfigured layout and improved traffic flow with a full kitchen update • Added drapes to soften breakfast area and hide columns Before photo courtesy of Teton Board of Realtors

PRIMARY BEDROOM

BEFORE (LEFT) • Clunky fireplace box with uninviting and dated built-in bookcases • Heavy wood paneling surrounding fireplace

AFTER (RIGHT) • Refaced fireplace with stone and added new reclaimed wood mantel • Softened room with wool wallcovering and drapes • Included luxurious cashmere carpeting Before photo courtesy of Teton Board of Realtors

LET US HELP YOU SEE YOUR VISION When purchasing an existing home, sometimes minor furnishings and easy design updates are enough; however, in other cases, a more extensive renovation may be in order.

Either way, we would love to help you explore the possibilities and help you realize a beautiful vision for your new home.

We would love the opportunity to work with you and appreciate your consideration.

DESIGN STUDIO & INTERIORS WRJDESIGN.COM | PO BOX 910 | 255 E. SNOW KING AVENUE | JACKSON, WY 83001 | 307.200.4881