Inside the Real 'Yellowstone' Ranch: Here's What Goes Into Creating John Dutton's Stunning Montana Home
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This post contains spoilers for season 5 of Yellowstone.
The gorgeous setting of John Dutton's ranch in Paramount Network's hit series Yellowstone is enough to make lifelong city-dwellers want to flock to the wild frontier of Montana.
PEOPLE sat down with production designer Yvonne Boudreaux, who has worked on the series since season two, to find out the inspiration behind the estate owned by patriarch John Dutton (played by Kevin Costner) and how modern décor has been melded into the family's stronghold on tradition.
For fans who really want to live out their Montana fantasy, it's possible to book a stay in two of the cabins at the Chief Joseph Ranch in Darby, Montana, where the show is filmed. And if they'd rather bring Montana home, furnishings and other design pieces inspired by the set are available to purchase via an official partnership with shopthescenes.com.
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PEOPLE: The property, which is actually a 2,500-acre working ranch in southwestern Montana, got a face-lift for the production. What changes were made for the Dutton family?
Yvonne Boudreaux: So the lodge was built in 1914 and took three years to build. The lumber and the stones [seen on the show] are all existing from the property. The barn used to be white and green. They did add a little bit of a porch in the front, and of course the back porch, which I think is the most special place on the property. It faces that lone tree that John sits around.
PEOPLE: What was the inspiration for the décor in the main lodge and other dwellings?
Boudreaux: The inspiration is very Montana ranch life. We've got Ralph Lauren, Pendleton, the cow hide, it's very cozy. You already have such a beautiful timber and rock palette. It's also very generational. It has old elements and new. So it really emphasizes that it's been here for such a long time and has a timeless feel, especially the great room.
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PEOPLE: John's bedroom design seems to pay respect to the lodge's history.
Boudreaux: Yes, the ranch's roots are Native so there is definitely a respect and a nod to having that representation. The bedding is a luxury fabric that has those beautiful Native designs. The raw logs and the wood tones add such a warmth. In everything that we do, [show creator] Taylor Sheridan says he wants a sunset vibe. So that's the tone that we stay in.
This season where John's governor, Taylor literally said he wants to be at the capital as much as John Dutton wants to be there, meaning we're not going to do a lot of scenes there. That's a really good contrast of very clean, sharp, cold lines. I want him to look like a fish out of water, whereas when he's at the ranch, he's at home. What he's surrounded by is his power.
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PEOPLE: As gorgeous as the interiors are, the landscape plays a big part of the allure of the estate as well. How did you work that into your designs?
Boudreaux: I mean there's your color palette. When they hired me, they said, "You're going to walk out in that field, and I want you to take a moment to yourself. It's one of the most beautiful places on earth." They were correct.
New episodes of Yellowstone air Sundays at 8/7c on Paramount Network.
