FLATHEAD LAKE LIVING BY HUNTER & COMPANY INTERIOR DESIGN
“THE CONNECTION TO WATER WAS A DRIVING FORCE IN THE DESIGN—IT INFORMED THE INTERIOR DECISIONS.” – HUNTER DOMINICK, HUNTER & CO.
When you have the ideal setting, it’s pretty hard for a home, even a dream home, to rival nature. But maybe that’s not really the point—for human artifice to rival. Rather, according to interior designer Hunter Dominick, the point is to create harmony with the natural environment.
A recent project on Flathead Lake has given Dominick the perfect canvas to put her theory into practice. A second home to Staci and Mark Campbell, a Seattle-based couple, “The Landing at Somers Bay” is an all-white cottage home which prioritizes views of the lake. The homeowners wanted the world outside to be integrated into the interior spaces of the home. Dominick says, “The home’s connection to the water (and the homeowners’ 
connection) was a driving force in the design—it informed the interior decisions. If you’re in the main living area, the windows are placed perfectly to make you feel like you’re on the water.”
Designed by Peter Brachvogel, an architect from Bainbridge Island, Washington, and built by Montana Build, The Landing invites daydreams of long summer days, water fights, lazy afternoons reading in the shade, and sunset paddleboard sessions across the lake. And as much as you’d want to be outside while at The Landing, the inside is just that—a landing, a welcome refuge from the crazy pace of summer or the city.
About the interior character, Dominick says there’s a marriage of contemporary and tradition. “The windows,” Dominick says, “have mullions and offer a more traditional and simple look. They aren’t huge, but still generous.” The color palette is ethereal and airy.
“While we wanted to keep consistent with the white exterior of the home, we had some freedom with color. In some areas we threw in color to have a whimsical or playful impact. And in other areas, we elevated the palette with gold tones.” The living room color palette was built around a couch that the homeowner found at Dominick’s studio, a chartreuse green mohair couch that is traditional in shape, but more modern in color. Dominick says, “The rug in that room really anchors the space.” And the colors seem to echo the natural world outside—the blues, both nautical and celestial, as well as the golds and greens, harmonize with the environment. Overall, the feel is one of sophisticated ease. No matter the season, the impact reveals a home that is “at home” in its setting.
The home was designed to be a conduit to life outside and these French doors accomplish just that. The floor plan, according to Dominick, facilitates easy access to the outdoors. She says, “From the moment you walk into the home, whether it’s through the breezeway connecting the garage and studio apartment to the main house or through the kitchen, you feel a close connection to the lake.” The living area embodies the sophistication at the heart of the cottage’s design. According to Dominick, “The rug really grounds this entire space.” The homeowner found the couch in Hunter & Company’s design showroom and Dominick crafted the space around it.
“WHILE WE WANTED TO KEEP CONSISTENT WITH THE WHITE EXTERIOR OF THE HOME, WE HAD SOME FREEDOM WITH COLOR. IN SOME AREAS WE THREW IN COLOR TO HAVE A WHIMSICAL OR PLAYFUL IMPACT. AND IN OTHER AREAS, WE ELEVATED THE PALETTE WITH GOLD TONES.” – HUNTER DOMINICK, HUNTER & CO.
Hunter & Company
Established in Whitefish, Montana, in 2001 by Hunter Dominick, Hunter & Company Interior Design specializes in resort and residential design. Their interiors are inspired by the beauty and textures found in the surrounding natural environment. With specialties ranging from project management, space planning, budgeting, fixed finishes, and furniture, Hunter Dominick and her team can capture any style from rustic elegance to contemporary living. About her process, Dominick says, “We take our inspiration from our clients, their lives, and the environments where we are designing. We spend a lot of time talking with our clients to get a sense of the way they live and the styles that they gravitate toward. Often, clients will have an item or a piece that they feel encompasses the look or feel they want to create in their home. Or our clients can find inspiration in our showroom where we have unique gifts, bedding, furniture, and lighting to help create spaces that are distinctly yours.”
