Houzz Tours
My Houzz: Renovated Dude Ranch in Wyoming
Nestled in the Wyoming mountains, this idyllic getaway honors its natural surroundings and dude ranch history
Rapid Canyon Ranch, the getaway home of Clint and Becky Pickrel, is perched on the so-called "edge of Earth" at the base of Wyoming's Big Horn Mountains. The peace in their little piece of heaven is so palpable that the couple can almost drink it in.
Becky worked with local Sheridan, Wyoming, architect Ross E. Iverson to design their mountainside retreat. Wanting to pay homage to the original house, once a working dude ranch, and the surrounding countryside, they used a mix of timber, locally sourced stone and reclaimed barn wood. The main house on the property is a tribute to the rustic and romantic West with modern styling and amenities.
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: Clint and Becky Pickrel
Location: Sheridan, Wyoming
Size: 5,000 square feet; five bedrooms; six baths
That's interesting: The ranch was considered among choice locations for the filming of The Horse Whisperer.
Becky worked with local Sheridan, Wyoming, architect Ross E. Iverson to design their mountainside retreat. Wanting to pay homage to the original house, once a working dude ranch, and the surrounding countryside, they used a mix of timber, locally sourced stone and reclaimed barn wood. The main house on the property is a tribute to the rustic and romantic West with modern styling and amenities.
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: Clint and Becky Pickrel
Location: Sheridan, Wyoming
Size: 5,000 square feet; five bedrooms; six baths
That's interesting: The ranch was considered among choice locations for the filming of The Horse Whisperer.
Getting to Rapid Canyon Ranch is a dusty yet rewarding journey. After you exit off the highway and drive along a bumpy road, rock chucks, wild turkeys and antelope are often the only traffic you'll see. The main house nestles among a cluster of trees at the end of a large circular driveway, which surrounds a sunken planting area.
Views of endless sky, craggy mountain ridges and rolling green hills surround the ranch. The captivating sky is like a giant blue blanket over the mountains.
Clint and Becky live a short drive away in Gillette, Wyoming, but escape to Rapid Canyon Ranch whenever they can. Becky maintains the design blog Woven Decor, and the couple are both active leaders at a Foursquare church, which keeps their weekends busy.
Clint and Becky live a short drive away in Gillette, Wyoming, but escape to Rapid Canyon Ranch whenever they can. Becky maintains the design blog Woven Decor, and the couple are both active leaders at a Foursquare church, which keeps their weekends busy.
Soaring ceilings and two-tone beamed walls greet visitors in the home's entry. This room originally had a typical nine-foot ceiling, but the couple had it lifted to reveal the graceful lines of the roof.
The stone fireplace is original to the home, and the ironwork was custom made to match the light fixtures. A baby grand piano (the top is visible here) sits on the other side of the room.
Custom ironwork: Iron Mountain Anvil, JT Craft, Sheridan, Wyoming
Custom ironwork: Iron Mountain Anvil, JT Craft, Sheridan, Wyoming
Architectural cutouts on each side of the main living room let in natural light. This cutout hosts a small seating area, complete with sheepskin rug, reading material and freshly blooming geraniums.
Becky integrated modern finishes and furniturelike cabinetry in the adjoining kitchen to give it an updated spin.
Wall paint: Haven 6437, Sherwin-Williams
Wall paint: Haven 6437, Sherwin-Williams
Next to the kitchen is an eat-in breakfast area with doors leading to a patio. Light floods the space, which makes an ideal nook for reading the morning paper or swishing down some OJ.
Becky's brother, Rick Remington of Remington Construction )based in San Clemente, California), crafted the custom built-in shelving. The additional storage and banquette seating anchor this side of the room and provide the perfect foil for upholstered taupe twill chairs from Baxton Studio Forza.
Becky's brother, Rick Remington of Remington Construction )based in San Clemente, California), crafted the custom built-in shelving. The additional storage and banquette seating anchor this side of the room and provide the perfect foil for upholstered taupe twill chairs from Baxton Studio Forza.
On the other side of the kitchen is a long farmhouse-style table, grounded by a luxurious Oriental rug that echoes the red tones of the wood in the adjoining great room.
Wall paint: Napery 6386, Sherwin-Williams
Wall paint: Napery 6386, Sherwin-Williams
The bedroom wing of the house showcases a fascinating combination of classic ranch style and modern detailing. Instead of fighting the bowling-alley hallway, Becky decided to accentuate its length with a graphic runner that ties the entire wing together.
Runner: Swedish Stripe, Transitional Collection, American Cottage Rugs
Runner: Swedish Stripe, Transitional Collection, American Cottage Rugs
The original bedroom doors got a modern twist with a vibrant shade inspired by the hallway runner.
Door paint: Plum Dandy 6284, Sherwin-Williams
Door paint: Plum Dandy 6284, Sherwin-Williams
The doors set the tone and color palette for each room, from coral orange to purple to the greenest of aquas. Becky carefully selected artwork and accessories to match each jewel-tone door.
The master bedroom and ensuite bathroom sit at the very end of the long hallway. A velvety red chair sits in a corner nook where sunlight floods in and where the rushing roar of the creek can be heard indoors.
The creek sits just outside the master bedroom. Outbuildings in varying degrees of disrepair sit along its banks, past the house. Fixing up these additional buildings is next on the long design to-do list that Clint and Becky have dreamed up.
A working fireplace, complete with brick surround and metal hood, sits in the corner of the master bedroom. Becky is an accomplished artist and crafted the finish on the hood using metallic plaster products from Modern Masters.
Stylish bathrooms grace the bedroom wing. This bath, shared between two bedrooms, boasts a custom sink surround, courtesy of Remington Construction. Floral accent tiles run around to a walk-in shower, toned down with geometric floor tiles and gorgeous wood.
Cobalt sink: Kohler
Cobalt sink: Kohler
Another bathroom across the hall was outfitted by Shirl Yager of Interior Images. The translucent onyx countertop and deep brown woods are accented with a cheerful yellow.
Multiple seating areas in the basement mirror the great room upstairs, including this bar area, a lounge with gorgeous red tufted leather sofas and a poker table in the far corner — complete with extending chip drawers.
Pool table: Connelly Billiards
Pool table: Connelly Billiards
The huge stone fireplace is the most striking element in the downstairs space. The fireplace is original, but was upgraded in stature to give it even more presence in the room. Custom built-ins on both sides add storage and function.
A custom wine closet down the back hallway is nestled between two concrete walls. The paneled wall and herringbone brick floor add interest to this small but functional space. Becky created textured metallic art with images of grapes to accent the back wall.
A small bathroom next to the wine closet uses a distressed chest for the vanity and a textural stone sink.
Vanity: Home Decorators, distressed by Becky; sink: Lighting Direct
Vanity: Home Decorators, distressed by Becky; sink: Lighting Direct
The artistic shower is lined with layered stone made with fossils from the region. Becky found the fossils on eBay from a private seller and inserted the pieces as if they had settled naturally into the crumbling, stacking layers of the Earth.
Clad in stone and wood, the patios provide plenty of outdoor eating options. An outdoor living room set offers a place to gather around the stone fireplace and chat with friends, or enjoy the nearby hot tub.
Inside and out, Rapid Canyon Ranch almost speaks its own language. It is Clint and Becky's nature getaway, private retreat and a place where they can just be.
See additional photos of Rapid Canyon Ranch
Houzz Call: Do you live in an inspiring ranch? We want to see!
See additional photos of Rapid Canyon Ranch
Houzz Call: Do you live in an inspiring ranch? We want to see!