Daily News
From Home Furnishing Business
WRJ Design Honored with Jacques Benedict Award for Excellence
October 31,
2023 by HFBusiness Staff in Business Strategy, Designer Weekly, Industry 
Jackson Hole interior design firm WRJ Design was honored by the Rocky Mountain Chapter of the Institute of Classical Art & Architecture (ICAA) with the prestigious Jacques Benedict Award for excellence in classical and traditional design. WRJ founders Rush Jenkins and Klaus Baer were in Denver to receive the award in a ceremony at the Denver Botanic Gardens. Named for the renowned Colorado architect who designed dozens of landmark structures during the first half of the 20th century, the award recognizes today's contemporary architects, interior designers, builders, craftsmen, artisans, students and patrons whose work displays the same expression of legacy, creativity and excellence in the classical tradition.
WRJ Design earned the coveted award for their “Log Cabin Luxury” project, the complete renovation of a Wyoming log home on the banks of a trout-filled creek on a 40-acre site that had once been part of a larger ranch owned by the state’s 1960s “cowboy” governor, Clifford Hansen. “We’re so honored to receive this prestigious award. An enormous thank you to our incredible clients and talented team,” says Jenkins.
Shrouded by cottonwoods and aspen trees and with sweeping views of the Teton Mountain Range, the award-winning project included an expansion of the footprint of the original log cabin to 6,800 square feet. The WRJ design values classical proportions and restrained ornamentation in the tradition of Benedict, reimagining the dated structure with interiors that emphasize integrity for the home’s heritage and natural surroundings, taking the remarkable landscape as design palette with harmonious results. The home was completed in 2019 and featured by Architectural Digest two years later.
Yellowing logs aged over the years were refinished in a light walnut glaze and walls were taken back to the studs and replastered after installing modern mechanics to bring the home up to date with thermal technology. Interior use of debarked logs, plaster and stone mimic exterior finishes to create a seamless flow while honoring the homestead’s historical detailing. An oversize vertical log beam in the great room was removed and floor-to-ceiling windows positioned to embrace the view. The fireplace of locally sourced river rock was retained as a focal point for the seating area, updated with a simple reclaimed-timber mantel. Cashmere drapes, a suede sofa and mohair club chairs in soft earthy tones bring a rich, tactile aesthetic, complementing the coffee table’s locally handcrafted iron accents.
The cabin’s cumbersome original stairwell was reconfigured with contemporary touches, replacing a heavy log rail with a classical, iron alternative, also locally crafted, overlooking the dining room, where a freshly plastered wall defines the space and the custom-designed bluestone dining table nods to the rustic ambience. Choreographed artwork reflects regional themes, honoring the characters and landscapes of the West.
A reconfigured L-shaped kitchen brings elements of contemporary styling with bubble chandeliers and a quartzite countertop and backsplash with chiseled edging. Custom Shaker-style kitchen cabinets in walnut complement modern appliances with clean-lined tradition. A breakfast nook doubles as a premier viewing corner for elk, moose, eagles and the resident bison that roam the property.
In the primary bedroom, a stone-encased fireplace, bison fur rug and dark wood furnishings come together in a rich tapestry of texture and tone. Suede-covered nightstands and a velvet headboard bring a sumptuous layer of luxury to the earthy-hued sanctuary.
WRJ Design’s award-winning project serves as a testament to preserving the past while embracing contemporary styling and technical advancements for modern living. The property has become a timeless retreat in keeping with its natural surroundings, factors that also drove designs by the late Jacques Benedict.
Photos by Eric Piasecki