First as newlyweds, later as new parents, the couple often skied by a rustic home right on the slopes. “‘Wouldn’t it be great to live here?’ I’d say. He’d tell me, ‘You’re dreaming,’” Kristin says. “But one day that dream came true.” After buying the house, though, Kristin and Mike did want one more thing: a design team that could open up the space to accommodate gatherings of family and friends and add a layer of sophistication to the woodsy interiors. “A lot of the design in Jackson is rustic,” Kristin says. “So when I walked into Rush and Klaus’ showroom and saw their blend of modern with rustic flair, I heard angels sing.” Holiday magic glows in the great room, where a crackling fire reflects in the cheery glow of lights on the Christmas tree and a giant elk-horn chandelier. It speaks (or perhaps bugles) to a Jackson tradition: Each spring, local Boy Scouts gather thousands of pounds of naturally shed antlers from the nearby National Elk Refuge and sell them as a fund-raiser. To tame the busyness of the antlers, the designers filled the soaring space over the fireplace mantel with an expansive landscape that highlights one of the Kelly family’s favorite things: snow. When Mike, Kristin, and sons Connor and Kyle return from a day on the slopes, they relax in tailored sofas clad in grayish-blue velvet that adds softness and a hint of color to the room. “Comfort was No. 1, but we also wanted clean lines,” Jenkins says. The frames of camel-hue leather sling chairs glimmer in bronze. A fumed and smoked teak table from Belgium inserts a European sensibility that’s a hallmark of WRJ interiors: Baer’s family is from Austria; Jenkins studied in London. “The Kellys and our other clients in Jackson are sophisticated and well-traveled,” Baer says. “They don’t want their homes here to be a repeat of how they live in L.A. or New York or Chicago. They want their homes to be authentic to Jackson but, at the same time, have a global feel.” Food is always part of the equation for the Kellys, who love to welcome friends. Their New Year’s Day ski lunches are a cherished tradition. More recently, Kristin has opened her doors to the wider community, putting on dinners that raise thousands of dollars for the Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation, a charity that provides funding for pediatric cancer research and helps families pay for treatment and travel to medical facilities. “I’m happy I was able to use our home as a launchpad for an important cause and give back to families in need here in the Jackson community,” Kristin says. Kristin agrees. “The house lets us reconnect with all of our friends, yet it still feels comfy and cozy when it’s just the four of us,” she says. “This house—and Jackson Hole—will always be my happy place. It’s magical to me.”
