Retiring in Style
Polished west-end home offers relaxation with a modern design
Sheila and Jack Collishaw love sipping coffee from their deck while enjoying the perfect view of the South Hills of Billings. Jack, a native of Montana and now retired, heard the call to return here after a career spent in central California.
The Collishaws’ home on the far West End, and its surrounding 10 acres, is serene and offers well thought out amenities for retirement in the country.
When first approaching the 5,400-square-foot, three-bedroom, 3½-bath home, you see a two-level patio with magical views of the South Hills.
Jake Nienaber, owner of Zuhaus Construction; Ellie Lowe, coordinator of Zuhaus Interiors; and Jason Loyning of JL Kitchens by Home Yellowstone, collaborated with Sheila to realize her vision of blending a love of black with lighter wood tones, spacious rooms and an elegant yet relaxed design throughout, something that made their home distinctive.
“Sheila wanted something unique and different,” Jake says. “We love it when a client is as adventurous as we are. Our goal is to not follow trends but to create them.”
The home’s exterior siding is a black LP SmartSide with ledgestone accents providing a touch of brown. The garage doors in a rustic cedar unite the color scheme.
While the home still has an overall modern feel, you can see touches of mid-century modern, mountain modern and even old-world design.
Eighteen-foot tall open ceilings and timber beams above the great room are a warm and spicy brown, complementing the space. “The Douglas fir timber accents throughout the home match the solid core interior doors,” says Jake.
The house, with its full-length semi-custom glass front door, is composed of the living area, a distinctly designed kitchen, family eating space and a formal dining room, walled in with glass and sliding doors. Around the corner is a coffee bar, an additional full-size beverage refrigerator, laundry room and pantry.
“The main level reflects that modern look in the tile, lighting and kitchen,” Ellie says. “We were able to create a unique centerpiece for the home with the upstairs fireplace’s off-center hearth.”
Sheila put a lot of thought into the home’s layout based on their lifestyle, keeping in mind that this house would be their forever home.
“The entire home is custom to the homeowners, including many unique characteristics,” Jason says. “The Collishaws love to entertain, so the open floor plan reflects that.”
The main level of the home also has a bifold door opening the entire wall up to a covered patio with endless views.
“We spend so much time outside it was a no-brainer,” Sheila says. “Being outside is our happy place.’
The black aluminum windows and bifold doors in the D406 Design Series from 406 Window Company complement the colors of the home both inside and out.
“Even with large openings, we make sure a home exceeds the standard in energy-efficient windows and doors,” says Brian Reay, owner of 406 Window Company.
JL Kitchens designed and custom built the cabinetry throughout the home as well as the shelving and cabinets surrounding the fireplaces on each level. The main floor fireplace is surrounded by quartz, which matches the kitchen countertops and backsplash.
Hidden in the gold frame seen above the fireplace mantel is a television set that, when turned off, appears to be decor.
In the kitchen, with the exception of the Wolf stove and oven, major appliances are hidden from view with matching panels, including double dishwasher drawers within the island. Along the kitchen wall sits a Subzero refrigerator built within the cabinetry and covered with cabinetry panels. All of the appliances were purchased without their fronts, making them what’s known as “panel ready.”
“The lower kitchen cabinets were built two inches taller for ease of use for the Collishaws, so we adjusted the height of the Maple, silver-umber upper cabinets as well,” Jason says.
The formal dining room is separated by glassed-in walls with sliding glass doors. It was all Sheila’s idea.
“Our dining room is everything I’d hoped it would be,” Sheila says. With an artistic flair, she found a distinctive design that graces the dining room wall. The home’s master suite is conveniently located on the main floor as well, with his and hers walk-in closets.
The color scheme, black with light wood maple cabinets, continues in their spa-like bath, complete with a tiled shower and a Jacuzzi soaking tub. Euro floating cabinets are accented by black half-moon drawer pulls, adding a modern twist.
Downstairs you’ll find a walkout basement, accessible by both stairs and an elevator, which opens to a spacious family room complete with big screen TV, an oversized wet bar, beverage refrigerator, ice maker and built-in storage drawers to keep clutter at a minimum. The space is also equipped with spare bedrooms and baths, perfect for overnight guests.
Just outside the elevator sits a bit of old-world flair. It’s a custom-designed door that opens up to the couple’s wine cellar. “The owners wanted a rustic arched door that you might find in an old 18th century winery. It was made to our specifications from reclaimed Douglas fir and handmade iron hardware,” says Jake.
“With hopes to finish her wine room with old-world flair, we decided to bring a bit of that style into the basement with the tile in the downstairs main bathroom and stone on the fireplace, yet maintain a flow with the rest of the house,” Ellie says.
The lower patio has two sets of French doors that open to the walk-out patio complete with an outdoor theater system and plenty of games for friends and family.
“Sheila was confident in her personal style, yet open to new ideas. She is great at stepping out of the box and making something her own,” says Ellie.
With it’s fresh mix of modern design and rustic elements, the Collishaw home offers peaceful relaxation. For Sheila and Jack, it’s their one-of-a-kind dream home, perfect for retirement.
