At Home SWMT Fall 2017 by Bozeman Daily Chronicle

At Home

IN SOUTHWEST MONTANA FALL

2017

MINIMIZE TO MAXIMIZE: CREATING COMFORT IN SMALL SPACES

SWEET DREAMS: DESIGNING A DREAMY BEDROOM

A LABOR OF LOVE:

RENOVATING A HISTORICAL MONTANA CABIN A

SPECIAL

PUBLICATION

THE

BOZEMAN

DAILY

CHRONICLE Fall 2017 | AT HOME

WELCOME TO

At Home IN SOUTHWEST

MONTANA

O U ’R E H O L D I N G T H E B O Z E M A N Daily Chronicle’s newest magazine, a home magazine that puts the spotlight on the one place we all love best – our own homes in Southwest Montana.

At Home showcases the special needs, eccentricities and beauty of the historic, new and inbetween homes in the Greater Gallatin Valley and points you to the area professionals and businesses that help us build, maintain, furnish and landscape them. We’ll focus on styles and practicalities, trends, inspiring ideas and information you can use. If there are topics you’d like to know more about and people and businesses you know should be in At Home, contact Special Sections writer Hannah Overton at hoverton@dailychronicle.com or 406-582-2642. Welcome Home!

EDITOR/WRITER Hannah Overton DESIGN Matthew Gasbarre

EDITORIAL SUBMISSIONS Submissions are welcome and will be considered for publication. Query by e-mailing hoverton@dailychronicle.com or by calling 406-582-2642.

ADVERTISING DIRECTOR Cindy Sease

ADVERTISING INQUIRIES can be made at 582-2616

COVER DESIGN Photo by Audrey Hall Interior Design by Laura Fedro 2

AT HOME | Fall 2017

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AUDREY HALL PHOTOGRAPHY

Minimize to Maximize ize: CREATING COMFORT AND ORGANIZATION IN A SMALL HOME

AUDREY HALL PHOTOGRAPHY

UNNY THING ABOUT MONTANA; GREAT BIG SPACES TO ROAM, ITTY BITTY PLACES TO LIVE. If you’re crammed into a tiny apartment with three other people and you’re craving order, look to Susie Hoffman, principal designer and founder of Envi Interior Design Studio in Bozeman. Hoffman, who attended design school in New York City, transformed the top floor of the old Bon Ton Flour Mill into her own gorgeous loft apartment, all while sticking to a budget and maximizing available space.

“Small spaces are really all about eﬃciency,” Hoffman said. “Oddly enough, the best way to make a small space feel bigger is more behavioral than it is design, which is to say remove all clutter. Get an understanding of what you need, and minimize.” In a studio or open loft, start by defining each space. In the Bon Ton apartment, the living, dining, kitchen and oﬃce areas were all part of the same room. Area rugs helped define the living and dining “rooms,” with furniture fit to scale. A huge couch will eat up a little apartment and look out of place with the other furnishings. “Everything needs to speak to one another,” Hoffman said. “My personal philosophy is that a space should feel good, it should make you feel something. I don’t think that that has anything to do with one particular piece, but the overall composition; lighting, color, texture, comfort.”

her kitchen area a deep blue and displayed For Hoffman, the storage and hidden space her white dishes on open shelving. “The in the Bon Ton apartment were just as imkitchen was very minimal,” Hoffman said. portant as the open space. Most Bozemanites “It was basically an under-counter fridge, come fully equipped with an assortment of sink with a disposal, a drawer dishwasher, outdoor gear. Finding a place for equipment, and a guest cooktop on an along with other household accoutrements poses a chal- "A space should feel open island. You have to delenge in a small, garage-less good, it should make cide to be very precise about apartment. “The structures you feel something. I what is out on display.” that I built were for storage,” don’t think that that has Hoffman said. “I built a guest anything to do with one Natural light gave the apartarea on a platform so that all particular piece, but the ment a welcoming feeling, of the space under the guest overall composition; and Hoffman added some area could be used for storage. lighting, color, texture, more bright pops of color. She had her gray stools powThe other side of it was a coat comfort.” – Susie Hoffman der coated in hot pink. Warm and gear room. Essentially, as bursts of orange in furnishings and subtle much as you don’t want clutter, you do have greens from plants could be found throughstuff. The way in which you store has to be out the apartment. Each area was defined, smart and it has to look good.” yet they all harmonized and fit together. “Minimalism doesn’t have to mean uncomSome storage will have to be in plain sight fortable or cold,” Hoffman said. “(The Bon because it simply won’t fit in a closet or Ton) was very minimal, but it was also very drawer. Celebrate the pretty items you happy and inviting.” have. Hoffman painted the back wall of Fall 2017 | AT HOME

The Sun-Upgrade: ADDING SOLAR PANELS TO YOUR HOME

E T W E E N T H E Y E A R S 2000 A N D 2010, Bozeman saw a boom in solar installations. Conor Darby, Co-Owner and Chief Operations Oﬃcer at OnSite Energy, attributes the boom to the forward-thinking influences of the Montana State University community. “We had a lot of early adopters during those 10 years, as well as a couple of progressive companies that promoted the technology,” he says. “Once there was a fair amount of solar that was visible to everyone in Bozeman, it caught fire.”

marketability and resale value of a property. Installing a solar system is also a low risk investment opportunity. Residents see the payback in 10-12 years. “The savings that we’re showing people over the lifetime of their system, typically 25-30 years, is in the tens to hundreds of thousands of dollars.”

Not every home is suitable for a solar energy system. Physically, there must be enough space on a roof for solar panels. Trees and buildings can obstruct sunlight from hitting solar panels. Pole mounts are a good option for homes that may not have a good Today, there are more kilowatts of net metered solar electric systems installed in the Gallatin Valley than anywhere else in Montana. roof and sit on some acreage. Solar can be installed on a steel With a 65-70% decrease in module pricing from 2009 to the present, post or a ground-mount rack, but this requires excavation and solar systems are more popular than ever. longer wire runs. “An unobstructed south-fac“The savings that we’re ing roof with a steeper angle between 10-45 deOnSite uses net metering with Northwestern showing people over the grees would be ideal.” Darby says. “An easily Energy to balance out the variability between lifetime of their system, accessible circuit breaker or panel with a good production and consumption in a home. Montana sees a peak of consumption in the winter typically 25-30 years, is in location for an inverter, say a mechanical room months; shorter, colder days result in a higher the tens to hundreds of or garage, (makes a home a perfect for solar installation.)” Darby says. load of heating and lighting. Net metering stores

thousands of dollars.”

energy credits over a 12-month period. Energy is stored during periods of over production (summer) and is dispersed during the darker winter months when lighting and heating loads exceed solar production.

“We have close to full voltage in just ambient light,” Darby says. “We see a lot more power flow through the system through greater current on the lines when there is intense radiation from the sun.” Houses running on solar energy reap several benefits. It is a local, clean renewable energy source. Solar panels increase the

– Connor Darby

Check the warranties that come with solar installation. OnSite’s solar installations offer a 10-year warranty and inverters have online data monitoring services. Customers can use their iPads or smartphones to track the production of their system and verify that the system is operating correctly. Once solar panels have been installed, upkeep is minimal. “If anything, modules collect pollen or dust,” Darby says. “Usually a good rain storm will rinse them off. If it’s dry for weeks on end, it’s a good idea to rinse them off with a hose.”

COST BREAKDOWN 6-7 kilowatts of solar array will produce the same amount of energy (approximately 9000 kilowatt hours a year) needed to power a home in Southwest Montana. (Kilowatt hours are what we are billed for every month.)

6-7 kilowatts = 20-24 solar panels 20-24 solar panels = Approximately $15,000.00 to install.

$15,000.00 (Approximate cost) - $4500.00

(Residents receive a 30% federal tax credit for installation)

- $500.00

(Additional Individual state tax credit)

- $500.00

(Additional credit for spouse)

$9,500

(Approximate net cost after subtracting tax credits)

*Often ďŹ nanced through home equity loans or low interest consumer loan program through Montana Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ).

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Fall 2017 | AT HOME

A Labor of Love

R E N O VAT I N G A H I S T O R I C A L

M O N TA N A C A B I N

OWN IN WEST YELLOWSTONE, ON the South Fork of the Madison about seven miles from Hebgen Lake, Rhonda and Ray Pittard have embarked on a true labor of love. About five years ago, the couple

The cabin struck a nostalgic chord as Rhonda and Ray walked through it for the first time. The previous owners had been spending summers there for 40 years, and it was decorated with 1970’s flair. It was important to the preceding homeownspent 18 months searching for the perfect cabin in the mountains. ers that the new owners maintain the structural integrity of the cabin. “The family we bought the property from wanted They looked at nearly 50 properties when their real estate compato be very careful that whoever bought it wasn’t just going ny called with the listing in West Yellowstone. to come in and change everything about it,” Rhonda said. “I knew as soon as we went through the gate that this was “You always want to put your personal stamp on it and make going to be the property my husband would want,” Rhon- it your home, but the idea of wanting to rip things out and change it was never going to be an option.” da said. “We pulled in and there’s the pond and the tree and the house and they had these beautiful geraniums all over. I thought, oh my gosh! This is going to be the house.” The cabin sits on 20 acres, with a newer, smaller guest cabin nearby. It features a basement with bedrooms and storage, a main floor with a kitchen, dining room, living room, oﬃce and bedroom, and an upstairs with a master bedroom and full bathroom. The cabin is approximately 110 years old. Rumors swirl about its construction and use. It was part of a fish camp in the 1940’s, but the remaining history is up for debate. “There’s a rumor that the top half of the bedroom came from a snow lodge, a little ski resort up on top of Lionhead.” Rhonda said. (Lionhead was home to Montana’s first chairlift in 1954.) 8

AT HOME | Fall 2017

“You have to figure that if the property is older, there is going to be some upkeep,” Ray said. “We didn’t expect as much as we got.” T H E H E I N O U S B AT I N F E S TAT I O N The previous family had vacationed for a week every summer at the cabin, but the Pittards purchased it with the intent of spending a lot more time there, including winters skiing at Big Sky. During their first winter, Rhonda noticed a strange smell coming from the upstairs bathroom. She spoke with their caretaker, who believed the cabin had a bat infestation. The family had to wait until summer for further investigation. This would be a reoccurring theme; something would go wrong in the winter, and repairs would have to wait until late spring or early summer. “When summer came around,

we decided to lift off the roof and see what was going on,” Rhonda said. “This was during the day time. I don’t know how many hundreds of bats flew out.” In addition to the bats, squirrels were also living in the walls. The upstairs bathroom had to be torn down and everything was gutted. They replaced the walls and patched the roof. “Bats can get in through tiny holes, so you have to make sure everything is sealed up properly,” Ray said. THE FROZEN SEPTIC SYSTEM

Everything was dug up, and an insulated “heat cave” was built underground to keep the lines from freezing. Contractors had to bypass the old tank to get to the new tank. “The hardest part of that was waiting until spring time, because they can’t dig into the frozen ground,” Rhonda said. “It always happens when you have guests.” U P D AT E S H E R E A N D T H E R E When the pond’s aerator broke, the pond froze and killed nearly all of the fish. The Pittards began making replacements outside and inside cabin. They cut back some trees so they could enjoy an unobstructed view of the property from their deck. The stain on the deck and cabin had to be replaced, which required removing the old stain.

“The most interesting thing about the older house is, when you want to make changes, it’s never as easy as you’re accustomed too,” Rhonda said. “(In the past,) things were put in a certain way. People were doing it on their own and learning as they were doing it with the little bit of knowledge that they “I really love to cook, but the cabin is set up for an electric had. When you come in behind, everything is a bigger project. stove,” Rhonda said. ‘I would like to have a nice gas stove, You have to correct what was done the first time, and then put but to have a gas stove would involve cutting into the cabin it in again.” and rerouting existing lines.” The septic system, which had only been used in the summer time, froze up when the Pittards tried using it in the winter. Whoever updated the system in the past had left the old septic tank intact, causing sewage to flow into both the new and old septic tanks. In the middle of a harsh winter in West Yellowstone, nothing was flowing anywhere. Once again, the Pittards waited until the ground unfroze to make any repairs.

In an effort to avoid changing the structure of the property and cutting into the load-bearing walls, Rhonda settled for electric appliances. They installed a new dishwasher, stove, oven, vents and a refrigerator. “(The cabin) still looks more or less the same, but now it has modern appliances,” Ray said.

Fall 2017 | AT HOME

C A L L I N G T H E C A B I N “H O M E ” Eventually, the nostalgia of the 1970’s furniture wore off, and the Pittards wanted to bring their own style into the cabin. They put up unique art, and Rhonda changed the color scheme to match her own taste, using reds, greys and blacks. “When you’re dealing with a log cabin, you have a lot of wood you’re working with,” she said. “There’s a lot of brown. I try to brighten it up. I love galvanized metals to give it a break from all the wood.” Ray needed an oﬃce, so they converted one of the bedrooms on the main level. They had doors built out of old barn wood and installed throughout the cabin to compliment the rustic theme and create more privacy. Of all of the changes and hard work, the Pittards attribute the most work to their wonderful caretaker, Dan Alder. “If you’re not living there year-round, a great caretaker who knows what they’re doing is an essential thing,” Ray said. “We have a great caretaker, and that’s really the whole secret behind everything. He’s really dependable, trustworthy, and knows the property like it is his. He makes sure our water doesn’t freeze in the winter; he just keeps us in great shape.” “I believe the people who lived there before us would be proud of the place today,” he added. “It still has the same character. We try to make sure we don’t change it too much. It keeps it special.”

THE CONTRACTORS The following is a list of contractors that helped the Pittards with their renovation. • Hilgard Log Builders in West Yellowstone for the bat eradication and interior rebuild. • Advanced Waste Water Specialists in Livingston for the septic issues.

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AT HOME | Fall 2017

• Madison Valley Plumbing in Ennis • Barca Electric in West Yellowstone • Yellowstone Log Chinking and Painting

Lawncare in a Winter Wonderland

H E N T H E WA R M W E AT H E R C O M E S to an end, don’t completely give up on your lawn. Jan Cashman of Cashman Nursery in Bozeman (www.cashmannursery.com) offers sage advice on preparing, decorating, and caring for our lawns when the temperature drops and the snow begins to fall. H O W C A N W E P R E PA R E O U R L AW N S F O R WINTER? In the fall, mow the grass fairly short to help prevent ‘snow mold’ from developing on it. Voles and other rodents burrow under the snow and eat grass. Cutting your grass shorter will give them less to eat. We recommend fertilizing your grass in fall with a fertilizer higher in phosphorous (the second number on a fertilizer bag) than the lawn fertilizers you used in the spring and summer, which were higher in nitrogen. Your grass will need less water as the weather cools and the days get shorter, but it is important to keep your lawn healthy as it goes into winter, so don’t stop watering altogether until mid-October. W H AT A R E S O M E P L A N T S T H AT W I L L S U R V I V E M O N TA N A W I N T E R S ? Outdoor plants here go dormant in the fall so they can withstand winter’s cold temperatures. Then in the spring, the Gallatin Valley comes into bloom with new leaves and flowers as the trees, shrubs, perennial flowers, and grasses start to grow when temperatures warm. When shopping for plants in the spring and summer, choose trees, shrubs, and perennials that are hardy in our winters. Bozeman and surrounding areas are in USDA plant hardiness zone 3, and we can grow many plants listed for hardiness zone 4. Usually, plants you purchase from a garden center are labeled with their hardiness zone. Perennial flowers, vegetables, fruits and herbs like asparagus, rhubarb, strawberries, raspberries, oregano and chives all die back in the fall but emerge from the ground the next spring to grow and produce again.

H O W C A N I A D D S O M E N AT U R A L C O L O R T O M Y L AW N I N T H E M I D S T O F A W H I T E OUT? Our winter landscapes can be monochromatic and dull--white and gray. Evergreen trees and shrubs, like blue spruce, pines, junipers, and arborvitae, are great choices because they stay green all winter. Ornamental grasses which turn a rich color of tan in the fall, can be left with their seed heads to sway in the breeze all winter and then cut back when spring comes. Some trees and shrubs have colorful branches. Red Twig Dogwood and Golden Willows are two. Orange berries on mountain ash trees and tiny crabapples make the tree look like it has decorations on it after their leaves fall. These berries provide food for our feathered friends in the winter. There are many deciduous (leafy) and evergreen trees that do well in our area that will provide winter interest to your landscape W H E N I T C O M E S T O D E C O R AT I N G M Y L AW N , W H AT A R E S O M E T R E N D S S P E C I F I C T O M O N TA N A ? Montana climates are dry so landscaping with drought tolerant, water conserving plants, called Xeriscaping, is one trend. Rustic western themes using old wagon wheels, split rail fences and western garden art are popular. Large rocks integrated into a landscape also give that western feel. Some good decorations for the yard (not plants) are obviously Christmas wreaths and lights. After Christmas, some homeowners put their old Christmas tree in a snowbank for a winter decoration and a place for the birds to find shelter. Many people have pots of flowers on their deck or next to their front door in the summer. When the flowers are spent and frozen, they either plant evergreens in the pots or push small cut evergreen trees into the pots before the soil freezes too hard for interest in the winter months.

Jan Cashman has operated Cashman Nursery in Bozeman with her husband, Jerry, since 1975.

Sweet Dreams PERSONALIZING A DREAMY BEDROOM

OUR BEDROOM IS YOUR SANCTUARY. It is where you retreat from the stress of work, and prepare yourself for whatever the next day brings. People spend one third of their lives asleep, with a majority of that time in their bedrooms. Purchasing a quality mattress is a good start, but creating a relaxing environment, one that mirrors both yourself and the design of your home, is key to reaping all of the benefits a bedroom has to offer. T R E N D I N G I N M O N TA N A B E D R O O M S A well-designed bedroom will harmonize with the rest of the home. “(Bedroom design) seems to be dictated upon how their home is constructed,” says Laura Fedro, Principal Designer of Laura Fedro Interiors in Bozeman, (laurafedrointeriors.com.) “I think people are all over the board with bedroom design in Montana, especially if you’re shopping locally. If you look farther afield, a more modern rustic bent is the direction people are headed, with an emphasis on a more 'dressed' bed, with lovely bed linens, a few decorative pillows and perhaps a simple, tailored drapery.” Fedro’s designs are found in residential projects around Montana like The Lazy Heart Ranch, Ansel Haus, and the Sunrise Ridge Townhouse, just to highlight a few projects. She has also designed interiors for commercial properties like the Bozeman Public Library and the Bridger Bowl Ski Area. “My philosophy about bedrooms is that what you first look at when you wake up and what you touch as you get into bed matter most,” she says. “To that end, I love to use beautiful wall color(s) (and using paint in a pearl finish is a very

AT HOME | Fall 2017

AUDREY HALL PHOTOGRAPHY LAURA FEDRO INTERIORS

affordable finish for walls), and I really believe in spending more on nice 100% cotton sheeting and natural fiber blanketing.” THE COLOR The color of your walls does so much more than coordinate with your decorations. Color is an effective tool in influencing mood. No color is off limits, but some colors will create a soothing environment while others can fill you with anxiety. Choosing a bedroom color comes down to personal preference. “I don’t know that there are colors that are necessarily more suitable than others,” Fedro says. “I often advise clients that the colors they wear and are naturally attracted to are usually the colors that are complimentary to their skin tones and make them feel inherently good.” This does not mean there isn’t a jumping off point for selecting appropriate hues. Designers take the time to get to know their clients and discover what works best for them. “If I had to blindly choose a palette for a bedroom for a client I hadn’t met,” Fedro says hypothetically, “I would start with a palette of warm neutrals.” THE BUDGET The budget is tricky, and the amount of a redesign or remodel will vary from client to client. In terms of splurging vs saving, Fedro recommends purchasing a quality mattress set that will sleep well for several years and saving on bedside tables, lamps, and other decorative furniture. Quality bedding is worth the cost. “I’d move to natural fiber bedding (that can be washed A LOT without showing much wear), a handsome bedstead, then some form of drapery and a rug.”

Making your house a home and your

town a community. AUDREY HALL PHOTOGRAPHY LAURA FEDRO INTERIORS

AUDREY HALL PHOTOGRAPHY LAURA FEDRO INTERIORS

Providing quality new & custom furniture at an affordable price in a friendly, honest and no pressure atmosphere.

There are ways to cut costs. “For rooms with a hardwood floor, rather than buying an expensive patterned rug, consider buying carpet yardage in a beautiful wool or sisal look and having the edges bound,” Fedro recommends. “In terms of the furniture, rather than spending the entire budget on a ‘bedroom suite,’ find interesting pieces that are mismatched and then unify the look by buying great decorative bedding.” TURN DOWN AND TUNE OUT At the end of the day, nothing will keep you awake at night like a glaring overhead light. Consider a soft, bedside lamp. “A staple would be bedside lighting, so you don’t ever have to turn the overhead light on until you’re cleaning,” Fedro says. “As you’re preparing for sleep, I think it’s important to create a calm setting for yourself, and low lighting levels is an easy one to accomplish.”

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Many people have televisions or laptops readily available in the bedroom, but Fedro advises against it. Again, it all comes back to personal preference, but cellphones and miniseries binging can keep you wide awake. “I’d strongly suggest keeping electronics out of the bedroom, knowing that’s a diﬃcult one to accomplish in this day and age” Fedro says.

Dawn Josephine Collective: H O M E D ÉC O R F O R LOCALS AND OUTO F -T O W N E R S

The Wall Art is Art Addiction Couch is Cisco Brothers Lucite Tables, Geode Bottles, Book are Jamie Dietrich Pillows are Cozy Nomad Chairs are Phillips Collection Lamp is Moss Studio Stump Table is Ganderwood Dolls are Dumye

OWN ON MAIN STREET, Dawn Josephine Collective’s showroom is flush with unique items from artists all over the country, appealing to both locals and tourists. The store serves as both a furniture and gift shop, offering everything from light fixtures to handmade jewelry. Back home in Buffalo, New York, Dawn Josephine Kempisty found success as an interior decorator and jewelry designer. Dawn had been drawn to Montana for years and had fallen in love with the eclectic, artistic feel of Bozeman. When the space on 5 E. Main Street became available, she wrapped up a job as a project manager on a house in New York and headed west. Now, on the edge of its second year in business, Dawn Josephine Collective offers a variety of home décor, suitable for both locals and vacationers. “If a person has a second or third home here, they want it rustic,” she says. “They want the true Montana house because they have the modern house wherever they are from. Then you have the (locals) that want the modern vibe. Locals are number one.”

Dawn making jewelry

AT HOME | Fall 2017

“I sell smaller scale upholstered furniture in two different lines,” Dawn says. “I have a high-end line of American made furniture and a more affordable imported line.”

In addition to upholstered furniture, unique goods for every room in a home are displayed throughout the store. Dawn Josephine Collective is organized so that pieces complement each other and resemble sections of a home. “I have everything from coffee tables to lamps to gifts created by a wide range of artists from all over the country,” she says. One of the newer featured artists in Dawn Josephine Collective is Jamie Dietrich of Los Angeles. Dietrich designs lucite and acrylic furniture. The pillows and blankets are created by Cozy Nomad design from Malibu. In addition to her jewelry, Dawn showcases her own design talent by working with Lisa Easton of Bozeman to design lighting fixtures. When Breck, an artist from Michigan, approached her with a material intended for making pendants, she decided it would look better as a shade for a floor lamp. The lamp is available for sale in her store. “Because I have the design side, I usually know what I’m looking for, but I also like collaborating with the artists, just as people do with me and my jewelry,” she says. Whether they are first, second or third home owners, everyone is searching for more affordable, kid-tested, style-approved furniture. The pieces she chooses are durable, high quality and economical. “The vacation home owners want affordable, just in case something happens to it,” she says. “They don’t want to put a $6000 couch in their vacation home, just in case something breaks. They’d rather have a $1000 couch, but it still has to be comfortable.” For Dawn, client satisfaction is the most important. She happily chats with customers in her store and has also made herself available for house calls if a client requests it. “Whether or not I like the direction a design is going, the customer has to be happy,” she says. “They live with it. Maybe I throw out a quirky idea and they don’t like it, but I’m not offended. In the end, I want them to say, ‘Dawn really helped me with creating this project.’ It really is all about the customer.”

Wine Not? I N S TA L L I N G A W I N E C E L L A R I N Y O U R H O M E

AN ANY HOME HAVE A WINE CELLAR?

According to Connie Autrey, owner and designer of Avalon Way Interior Design in Four Corners, Montana, the answer is yes! “Certainly, it’s nice to have a space in your basement because that’s just naturally cooler, but any room in a house can be converted into a wine cellar,” said Autrey, who has 20 years of design experience. Autrey recommends avoiding rooms with exterior walls and any exterior light. These rooms will heat and cool with the outside temperature, and wine should be stored at 45-65 degrees Fahrenheit. Rooms that are too warm will cause wine to age too quickly, while rooms that are too cold can slow the aging process. “Obviously, (the room) needs to be pretty well insulated,” she said. “If you’re just planning on keeping your wine for a couple of months, or even a couple of years, you could deal with a small unit that attaches on the inside of the room to keep it cool. If you’re a more serious collector, then you would want (a cooling system) that is integral to the home. This will be costly, but also a lot more effective and reliable.” Designers typically involve contractors with experience creating wine cellars in

the actual construction. The room chosen to contain the wine cellar will have to be gutted and waterproofed. A vapor barrier is necessary for maintaining proper humidity in the room; too much humidity can cause mold to grow within the cork and/or the wine. Too little can cause the cork to shrink or crack, causing leakage or air to get into the bottle. Green or masonry board and 6-millimeter plastic sheeting can be used to create a vapor barrier. “You put your materials over your green board or your masonry board,” Autrey said. “I personally think it’s pretty cool to have stone of some kind on the walls, but it could also be porcelain.” For the wine racks, Autrey advises using woods like redwood, mahogany or cedar. The best materials for the floor are tile, stone or brick. LED lights are perfect for illuminating a wine cellar because they do not emit any heat. Since the surfaces are waterproof, upkeep is fairly simple. “For the small-scale collector, this could be a weekend project, with a couple hundred dollars and some sweat equity,” Autrey said. “For the more serious collector, they may actually want to entertain in that space. Maybe there’s a high-top table and a couple of chairs, or a whole bar in that space. Those collectors will want each individual bottle displayed beautifully. There’s quite a range for your budget.”

Stock Up!

Malary Lindley, sales associate at Vino Per Tutti, and the WSET certified sommelier responsible for the wine list at The Emerson Grill in Bozeman, offers some advice on stocking your wine cellar. “Bottle aging can really improve a wine,” Lindley said. “For example, Bordeaux can be kept in a bottle for 20-50 years. It’s interesting to collect wine from different vintages. It’s like you’re drinking history.” WINES THAT AGE WELL INCLUDE: • BORDEAUX • PINOT NOIR • BURGUNDY PINOT NOIR • BOROLO • BRUNELLO • NAPA CABERNET • WASHINGTON SYRAH • WHITE BURGUNDY* • RIESLING* “A lot of the wines I mentioned are big, bold wines. Keeping them in the bottle can cause properties like tannin, alcohol, texture and acidity to soften. You can see more characteristics in the wine than you would have if you drank it very young.”

“It’s your house. You should always drink what you like. Keep the wines around that you love, and love to share with other people.” *“People don’t think you should age white wines. I just tasted a Riesling from 1980 that was still very much alive. If you like this style, keep it around.”

Fall 2017 | AT HOME

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