This luxurious modern mountain house designed by The Ranch Mine is nestled into the rugged terrain of Whitefish, a resort town in the Rocky Mountains of northwest Montana. The region is renowned for its bountiful pine trees, pristine rivers and lakes, majestic mountains, and awe-inspiring glaciers.

Entitled ‘Shadowbox’, this dwelling was created to be a sanctuary where modern luxury meets natural beauty, offering a one-of-a-kind escape in the heart of Montana’s wilderness. Drawing inspiration from the crisscrossing mountains that form the nearby glacial valleys of Glacier National Park, Shadow Box’s silhouette captures the essence of these timeless natural wonders.

DESIGN DETAILS: ARCHITECTURE The Ranch Mine BUILDER Wood Roots Construction INTERIOR DESIGN The Ranch Mine
INTERIOR DECOR The Lifestyled Co

The exterior is clad in black standing seam metal siding, with different rib patterns alternating along the elevation, echoing the differing ridges and furrows of the surrounding pine tree bark. The black color mirrors the shadows cast by the surrounding forest, offering a striking contrast against the verdant landscape.

The only break in the elevations is for the recessed entry and covered patio. The recessed entry, clad in inviting warm hemlock, serves as a clear indication of where to enter the home.

The covered patio contains a sauna, fire pit, and sunken hot tub. Whether enjoying the framed view of the forest in the sauna or stargazing by the fire pit or in the hot tub beneath the Montana sky, every moment was designed as an opportunity to commune with nature. The property is in the Wildfire-Urban Interface, or WUI, a term used for areas that experience wildfires.

Specific attention was taken in the design to harden the structure and reduce the threat by creating defensible space around the house in the landscape, using a Class A metal roof assembly that is effective against severe fires, non-combustible metal siding, WUI-compliant decking, and significantly reducing exterior vents and other common fire prone building elements.

Step into the interior of this house in Montana to find a luminous great room with a ceiling that soars to over 25 feet tall and has windows on all sides to soak in the majesty of the surrounding pine trees and landscape, creating an almost snow globe-like effect during the winter months.

Two en-suite bedrooms along with two bunk rooms provide abundant space to accommodate the owner’s family and guests to rest after a day exploring all that Northwest Montana has to offer.

What We Love: This house in the Montana wilderness offers its owners an oasis in the mountains for family getaways. A black exterior facade allows this home to blend into its surroundings while providing a visually striking contrast with the verdant terrain. We love the expansive walls of glazing that not only flood the interiors with natural light but frame views of the breathtaking landscape of the Rocky Mountains.

Tell Us: What are your overall thoughts on the design of this mountain escape? Let us know in the Comments below!

Note: Be sure to check out a couple of other sensational home tours that we have showcased here on One Kindesign in the state of Montana: Breathtaking Montana mountain retreat in harmony with the environment and A rustic luxe retreat in Montana that is in perfect harmony with nature.

PHOTOGRAPHER Dan Ryan Studio