Case Study: The Grande Dom Estate Vacation Rental

Ever been on vacation to a place so beautiful that it felt fated? And you instantly knew this place would be an ongoing part of your family's story?

That’s what happened to Scott Thomas and his family when they first visited the Grand Tetons five years ago. This area is among the most beautiful landscapes in the country--perhaps the world.

The Grande Dom Estate is the Thomases’ first dedicated vacation rental, and they wanted it to be a cut above the rest—not just a vacation home, but a truly luxurious retreat. Says Scott of the estate, “it’s not just a place to stay, it’s a feeling that stays with you and leaves you wanting to come back time and again.”

Creating this uniquely restorative space was a labor of love for Scott Thomas and his family. Of course, the dramatic beauty of the Tetons helps. But creating an interior that stands up to this grandeur takes time and effort to achieve. It can't come together overnight; it has to be intentional. The keys to making a vacation rental feel memorable and special? Intentional design, intuitive understanding what groups and families need, and luxury finishes throughout each room.

We’re proud to be part of the design of this beautiful space. Not just because the finished project is beautiful--we also believe that it's a useful case study for anyone interested in opening or updating a vacation rental property that will stand out in a crowded market. We partnered with The Grande Dom Estate to create a solid Hickory wood barn door and a Black Walnut Modern Mantel. The estate is now available to book, and we talked with Scott to get his thoughts about the project. Discover how our products helped create the sumptuous atmosphere that he was after.

How did you find RealCraft?

I think it was probably through Google, and then in combination with some kind of social media, because I know we knew we wanted to do a barn door for the entry to the speakeasy-style lounge.

We wanted to do a custom barn door that had much more character. There were several other competitors out there that offer something similar as it relates to barn doors. But it just felt like the craftsmanship and quality with RealCraft was so much better than the alternatives.

I remember looking at a website of a big player...that does a ton of barn doors. But then, once I started customizing a design, the price just seemed almost prohibitive for what I was getting.

With RealCraft, I didn’t feel that way. I liked that you send wood samples. And I realized when I got the samples, wow, this is really awesome. You can get any type of wood, any type of finish, and it just had a different feel.

Then we decided we need another mantel [for the Sequoia Suite]. We decided, let's go with a mantel from RealCraft as well.

How long had you been looking for a barn door before you found RealCraft?

I would say we knew we wanted to put in a custom barn door for the property. Once we designed the property, we wanted to have this different look and feel between the larger living area and this more speakeasy, lounge space.

And we wanted to capture the character as you entered into that more classy space. It probably took us six months to stumble upon what we wanted and working with you all to dial that in as well.

Would you describe a few of the reasons why you chose RealCraft as opposed to competitors?

Definitely the customization, definitely the craftsmanship. Seeing the samples helped. I'm a sucker for Black Walnut already. And then just seeing your approach to design and delivery and everything else. It just fell in place. And the price was competitive for the quality of the product."

What is your advice to others who might be considering our products?

I think the samples are great because you can make sure that it's going to work well in your space, with other finishes that you have. And I know you give a credit [from the purchase of samples] towards the purchase of a product, which I appreciated.

I would say you probably need a professional installing the barn door, especially something of the scale that RealCraft produces. This isn't like some normal door that you just put on a hanger that runs back and forth on a track. It is a substantial piece of wood and craftsmanship, and you want to make sure that you've got the appropriate backing and everything else...Because it's just it's too nice of a product to screw it up during installation.

How likely are you to recommend our products to friends or family?

I would say 9 out of 10. I am definitely a promoter, definitely somebody that would share it. The only reason it's not a 10 is because your product is not for everybody.

It's meant for somebody that's looking for something that is going to take a property to the next level, who is looking for that craftsmanship and that quality. And so that's why I may not recommend it to every single person.