By Chanda Wahl, Designer Interiors

The first time I visited a family’s log home near Livingston, I caught the scent of pine as I reached for the door. A muddy pair of boots sat nearby and the morning sun picked out warm honey tones in the woodwork. Details like these always feel like a “welcome home” to me.

Over the years, I’ve come to believe that design rooted in place should feel as relaxed as a Sunday coffee and as familiar as a friend’s laughter filling the kitchen.

*A gathering space where rustic charm meets fresh functionality—Western Roots reimagines Montana living for generations. See more of this remodeled log home and other projects in our* *gallery*.

My own journey began with windblown grass and wide open sky in South Dakota. I grew up in homes where the outdoors came inside with every guest, summer dust, and autumn leaves trailing behind. Now, living and designing in Montana,

I still reach for those same honest materials and practical comforts. I often choose pieces with a bit of story behind them. Wood with a scar from its working days. Hand-thrown pottery in a local glaze. A window perfectly framing the changing sky.

Local Stories, Western Style

Every project starts with real conversations. Often, clients reminisce about a childhood quilt, a favorite fishing spot, or a painting by a neighbor. When possible, I bring these stories forward visually. A family in Red Lodge once gifted me a box of river stones from their property. We pressed some into their new entryway floor. The rest filled a vase near the kitchen. Small reminders of place sit right underfoot.

Authentic western style shines in these details, not just in broad design statements. Sometimes it appears as a hand-painted mural in the mudroom or a table carved by a friend. I have seen vintage farm tools turned into coat racks or an old saddle placed by the door to catch the mail.

Comfort, Season by Season

Montana home design has to work as hard as its homeowners. I might choose a wool rug woven nearby because it can handle icy boots. I often order a table from a local woodworker who understands winter’s demands. I always test a chair to see if it’s good for muddy dogs and family movie nights.

Using local materials grounds a home and means you live with the landscape, not against it.

Color and Light From the Land

Sometimes the palette for a project comes directly from the view outdoors. Last spring, I asked a client to pick a favorite spot from her porch. She pointed out the pale green of wild sage growing by the fence. That shade became the paint for her reading nook. In another home, tile patterns echo a creek’s ripple or the line of distant hills.

My best ideas often come after a walk, paying close attention to the colors of sky, fields, and stone.

Making It Your Own

The most meaningful homes in Montana are shaped by the stories that matter to those living there. When I worked with the Olsons, their branding iron collection had been in the barn for years. We cleaned it up and turned it into art above the mantel. Another client asked for a window seat facing the mountains for her morning coffee ritual.

Western interior design is not about following rules for their own sake. It is about blending what is meaningful, practical, and beautiful to create a feeling of comfort and connection.

*When a client’s friends feel free to put their feet up or the sound of laughter bounces against wood floors, I know the space truly fits.*

If you are dreaming of a place that feels like Montana, layered with memory, built for the way you live, and always open to adventure, let’s brainstorm together. I would love to see what inspiration your story and this landscape can bring to life.