Ralph Kylloe - Cabin in the Woods

C ABIN IN THE W OODS

C ABIN IN THE W OODS

Written and Photographed by RALPH KYLLOE

First Edition
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TEXT AND PHOTOGRAPHS 2007 Ralph Kylloe

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced by any means whatsoever without written permission from the publisher, except brief portions quoted for purpose of review.

PUBLISHED BY
Gibbs Smith, Publisher
P.O. Box 667
Layton, Utah 84041

Orders: 1.800.835.4993
www.gibbs-smith.com

DESIGNED BY Michelle Farinella Design
Printed and bound in China

Library of Congress Control Number: 2007927417

ISBN 13: 1-4236-0200-5
ISBN 13: 978-1-4236-0200-2

For my wonderful wife Micheleyoure the best!

Contents

This is my nineteenth book. Some people build homes or rustic furniture. Others act as legal counsel or invest other peoples money. Still others practice medicine or drive trucks. I write books and make photographs. I love what I do: document and record the creative work of others more talented than I. And there are hundreds of thousands of others out there who do the same thing I do. Just walk into a major bookstore sometime and youll realize that there really are millions of books on the market today. Nonetheless, I like to think Ive had an influence, albeit small, on the field of rustic furniture and design. I see all kinds of homes and all kinds of rustic furniture. At my gallery in upstate New York, budding artists stop by just about every day (at least in the summer) to show me their latest creations. And a few times a week I receive portfolios from designers and architects who would love to see their work published. Frankly, I am incredibly encouraged each time I speak with any of these people. They have the drive to create something and the courage to show their work to others, which can be very scary if you dont have your head on straight. The potential for criticism or rejection is too much for some people. At the same time, I love speaking with entry-level people and, as an educator, take a bit of pride in realizing that they came to me for advice. Some novices go on to make really great furniture. Ive had the pleasure of encouraging a few dozen individuals who have created careers for themselves in the rustic furniture business.

Architects are another matter. Usually a sophisticated group, a few have been annoyed when Ive made slight suggestions that I felt would enhance their designs. Others have been grateful. I would have been an architect myself (I had four years of architectural design in high school) had I not found the math more than my simple mind could bear.

How I wound up in the rustic design business is a long story. My undergraduate degree is in photography and art history. I designed parks for my masters degree and also have a doctorate from Boston University. From there I went to the night school Harvard and completed a three-year program in business administration. While there I also studied astrophysics.

Thirty years ago I bought my first piece of antique rustic furniture. It was not what I had trained to do, but I fell in love with the antiques and art business. Im my own boss and follow my own instincts. I love rustic stuff. I really do. I live in the Adirondack Park and have spent time in many of the great camps up here. About ten years ago I stumbled onto the creative geniuses in Bozeman, Montana. Although the historic camps of the East are exceptional, the architects and builders in the Bozeman area have brought rustic design to new heights. Their use of recycled materials is nothing less than profound. And their ability to create original rustic homes is awe-inspiring. I suspect there is something in the water out there that fosters great design and great artists.

Apart from all that, this book started out to be a book on small cabins. But as time went on, I kept finding really great homes that were larger than just small! And the homes were so gorgeous and inviting I had to include them in this book. So here they are! Each of the homes presented is more than just a pretty picture. Each has a passionate story behind it. Each is a bastion of joy and compassion. Each home is an object of art in itself. And each is a place where families come together and share the passions of play and bonding. The homes are not just structures; rather, they are living, breathing entities that help to make the world a better place.

As always, there are more people to thank than I can remember. But Ill do my best. Here goes!

My special thanks to Harry Howard and Nicole Bates at Yellowstone Traditions; architect Larry Pearson, Alyssa Ruffie, Katie Lineberger, Dennis Derham; Keith Anderson, and Josh Barr at LPAIA; architect Candace Miller; Jacque Spitler at Outlaw Design; Kam Faldapour; architect Kipp Halvorsen; Erica Hash; Jeff Sheldon; Bill Penniman; architect Jeff Thompson; Dick Beahrs; architect Owen Lawlor; Steve Boysol; Tony Cocca; Jill and Brian Gautie; John and Tina Keller; Chris Lohss; Peggy and Dennis Boyle; Josh Barr; Adam Britt; Greg Matthews and others too numerous to mention.

Also a special thanks to my editor, Madge Baird, for her unique ability to keep me focused when Im up to my neck in projects. And to Christopher Robbins and Gibbs Smith at Gibbs Smith, Publisher, who both have the vision and courage to publish my books and many others that document the art of the West. And to my wife, Michele Kylloe; there is no way I would have accomplished what I have without her. My daughter, Lindsey Kylloe, has helped style many of my photographs and is an absolute asset to all of my efforts.

As a rule I never mention the names of the owners or where the homes are located. But to the owners of these great homes I express profound thanks! Thank you for your hospitality and for allowing me to include your homes in this book.

It was still dark when I woke. I put on my robe and slippers and wandered down the hall to the shared bathroom at the Chico Hot Springs Lodge in Chico, Montana. The room was cheap and comfortable and I had stayed there many times over the years. Once back in my room, I dressed in my bathing suit and ambled down the old hallways to the outdoor pool. Water from the local hot springs poured into the structure about the size of an Olympic swimming pool and built in the 1930s. And although steam rose dramatically from the hot water, the stars in the sky shone brilliantly. I slipped into the half-filled pool and quickly immersed myself. The outside temperature was barely above freezing. I was the only one there. It was about 5 am. The hot water calmed me.