MELDING TRADITIONAL WESTERN DESIGN WITH A CONTEMPORARY FLAIR IS NO EASY TASK, UNLESS YOU ARE JACQUE JENKINS- STIREMAN, a local designer who executed clear and well-de ned objectives to help a Lake Blu , Illinois, couple with two very di erent aesthetic styles de ne Western elegance in their Teton Pines home.
“I wanted to incorporate the owner’s personal treasures into the new design of the home,” Stireman says. “Honoring the husband’s traditional Western desires with his wife’s transitional requests was what inspired me. It became the design direction.”
Like most of her projects, the custom furniture, fabrics, art and architectural details re ect the personalities of the family who dwells here. From the oversized pewter vase on the claw-footed rent table in the entryway to the iron chandelier above it and sconces along the rotunda-like staircase that leads to the second oor, there is a cohesive and inviting vernacular.
On the second oor, thoughtfully weaved-together patterns and textures give dimension to every corner of the well-appointed guest quarters. At the top of the staircase a reading nook with a red hair-on-hide ottoman between two taupe suede chairs references the abstract horse gure painting by September Vhay downstairs. The main attraction is a fun- lled media room with a built-in bar, game table and entertainment center. An old-fashioned slot machine, train-cart co ee table and distressed leather bar stools around a bistro table give it a Western-saloon-for-all-ages feel.
Much of the woodwork was designed by PlaneWoodTM, a by-design case goods division of Stireman’s company, which has been a passion of hers. “Being able to execute our design vision with this division allows for unparalleled customization for our clients,” she says.
The color palette downstairs is stately with deep blue and red hues. Spool chairs with a crisp navy-and-white Thibaut Tigris velvet pattern mingle with a split, quarter- sawn oak co ee table, highlighting the red horse painting above the replace. A contemporary bronze sculpture of the Tetons on the double-height wall in the kitchen also draws the eye upward. Modern Windsor chairs and classic leather stools with contemporary backs are part of one of Stireman’s favorite spaces: the breakfast nook.
The Western appeal is most apparent in the study o the entryway where a classic-inspired iron gun rack and a striking painting of an Indian chief hearken back to a different era. The Native American textiles outside the o ce o er another transition to the first floor master bedroom, which mixes the wife’s love of fresh, classic lines with the husband’s passion for the West. Neutral-toned artisan rugs and boucle? chairs in front of another tranquil hearth display Stireman’s “heart first” approach.
