Cohesive Design
with the Home Yellowstone Family
by Alex Clarkson
“An innovative leader who is always 20 steps ahead regarding what is in the best interests of the business, its clients, as well as his co-workers, he’s very compassionate and empowers the rest of us to fulfill the vision,”
–The Home Yellowstone team’s desciption of Founder, Chris Yochum
For over 20 years, Home Yellowstone has been committed to easing the design process for renovation and new construction of residential homes in Billings, Big Sky, Bozeman, and beyond. Their one-stop-shop design center offers flooring, custom cabinetry, interior design, appliances, window coverings, countertops, closets, hardware, and LED lighting. The team at Home Yellowstone passionately strives to exceed client expectations and deliver a home that reverberates family.
To truly appreciate the design experience provided by Home Yellowstone, it’s essential to understand the vision of the founder, Chris Yochum. Opening in 2001 as Cabinet Works, Chris initially offered clients a broad selection of custom cabinetry. Within five years of observing clients juggling samples of flooring and tile to create a cohesive design, he concluded that he could make the home design process more fluid and stress-free. This ideology has evolved into Home Yellowstone, a unique design center offering all the elements necessary to create each client’s vision.
Upon entering the showroom at Home Yellowstone, there is a strong family-centric feeling. Clients will notice that the team of Home Yellowstone prioritizes its clients’ families because they themselves operate as one; enjoying vacations, weekend barbeques, or holiday gatherings together. All members of the Home Yellowstone family are interconnected and highly passionate about their roles. Denise, Interior Designer, has been at the core of the evolution of the company from a cabinetry center to Home Yellowstone. Chris’ sister, Megann, has specialized in cabinetry design and function for over 15 years. Rachel, Flooring Designer for over 12 years, is Denise’s bonus daughter. Project Coordinator and Closet Designer, Hailey, is a family friend. The company’s Controller, Rhonda, has known Chris since high school. Delivery Specialists, Shawn a high school friend of Chris, and Joey, a past student of a Yochum family member, complete the family circle. The Home Yellowstone team describes Chris as, “An innovative leader who is always 20 steps ahead regarding what is in the best interests of the business, its clients, as well as his co-workers. He’s very compassionate and empowers the rest of us to fulfill the vision.”
Client-Focused Design
The showroom’s kitchen island serves as the epicenter to develop a multidimensional understanding of each client’s project. With a cup of coffee in hand, clients will collaborate with Megann, Rachel, Denise, and Hailey on design components, inspirational photos, family wish lists, and the purpose and expected functionality of the area(s) being remodeled or newly constructed. The team will travel to job sites, gaining insight into a client’s personality and style. Combining all elements, the team will create an original recipe for each client. Each ingredient (flooring, custom cabinetry, interior design, appliances, window coverings, countertops, closets, hardware, and LED lighting), is custom selected to meet the client’s vision, and can easily be substituted.
Upon the client’s approval of the design and elements, the Home Yellowstone team’s involvement has just begun. They serve as guides through the design process from the beginning to the completion, coordinating with their manufacturers, installers, countertop fabricators/installers, as well as the client’s contractor. “The family environment and experience that we offer is what sets us apart,” Denise says. “We alleviate client stress because we provide direction, design options, and our contacts; following the client through until their project feels like Home.”
“Family, memories, and love make a house your home. True love costs nothing, yet it gives you everything. Boxes for dishes and rolls of carpet exist on every street corner in America. You can find appliances on every website and countertops in any garage. But home isn’t something you buy. Home is family. Home Yellowstone brings your family home. Your family is your passion and your home is ours.”
–Chris Yochum, Founder, Home Yellowstone
Designing for the Builder
Branding Iron Construction, LLC, one of Home Yellowstone’s most trusted builders, recently collaborated with the firm to design a Fall 2022 Parade of Homes. Owners Jarrett and Karen Smith believe that homebuilding should focus on quality and lasting value, not quantity, with every project from initial planning and lot selection to final walk-through managed by Jarrett. Communication and building relationships to build a Home (not merely a structure) is the common value possessed by both the builder and designers.
Situated near a county school, the transitional farmhouse-styled ranch home was designed to maintain family balance and functionality. From the exterior, the quintessential pure white paint is brought to life with black framed windows, doors, roofline, and soft wooden accents flanking the entrance. Entering the home, one is welcomed with natural hickory floors, exposed wooden beams, solid maple doors, and a window wall extending into the Billings farmland. The heartbeat of the home is one continuous living space centered around a contemporary waterfall island, accented with a matte black farmhouse sink and faucet. Custom white cabinetry softened by the warmth of maple glazed wood accents and a wood hood with a cleverly hidden television niche create an elegant environment. To bridge the farmhouse and contemporary styles, the backsplash is a perfectly imperfect pearly white oversized subway tile. The home includes elements of matte black finishes on the door hardware, lighting, and plumbing fixtures.
In the private quarters, statements of sophistication and timeless Montana rustic style are evoked. A matte black feature wall in a herringbone pattern is shouldered by white gloss composition tile in the zero-entry floor into the shower wet room. Light gray textured hexagon tile on the floor symbolizes harmony and balance, and a ventless electric fireplace positioned near the freestanding soaking tub offers a spa-like experience.
Children’s bedrooms adjoin on the opposite side of the home, each designed with custom closets providing generous drawer and hanging storage. Solid maple wood barn doors connect the bedrooms to the striking adjoining shared bath. Pendant lighting in wood with matte black accents frame the mirrors. A sophisticated linear, vein-cut travertine tile with a contemporary thin matte black tile accent completes the tub surround.
“Family, memories, and love make a house your home,” Chris says. “True love costs nothing, yet it gives you everything. Boxes for dishes and rolls of carpet exist on every street corner in America. You can find appliances on every website and countertops in any garage. But home isn’t something you buy. Home is family. Home Yellowstone brings your family home. Your family is your passion and your home is ours.”
