Shelly Walker is a true Montana Woman. She was born and raised on the northeast side of the Rocky Mountains and has always been thankful to call Montana home. The beauty of Montana’s natural resources is an inspiration to Shelly both on the canvas and in her interior design endeavors.

The great outdoors and wildlife have been a big part of Shelly’s life. She enjoys hunting, fishing and camping. Her love of nature and Montana’s natural surroundings inspire her creative spirit to, “bring Montana home.” Shelly’s focus is to create a balance of comfort and style and also to bring out her clients’ personalities by incorporating their personal items into the mix of the decorating scheme. As well as being a gifted artist, Shelly’s life experiences exemplify her down-to-earth attitude, keen eye for detail, appreciation for art and a creative spirit.

Shelly has decorated homes all over the United States, but prefers working in her home state. The location may change, but her passion and desire to bring the outdoors inside stays the same. It is always a challenge to build custom pieces on site from resources found on the property. It is a challenge Shelly enjoys. Her passion is to take nature and incorporate it into someone’s home. It is common to provide affordable options for her clients. The Walker’s Rustic Elegance Interior Design team can provide a unique creation without breaking the bank.

Shelly likes specialty projects, no matter the size. An entire home carries the same weight of importance as does a single room in someone’s home. Communication and trust between Shelly and the homeowners is essential. Shelly takes the time to understand her clients so she can help create the environment that the homeowner desires. One’s home is a sacred place. It is important to feel good when entering the door.

She loves working with her clients to cultivate a sense of style. Many people who claim to have no assured sense of style themselves can often recognize other people’s natural style and instinctive good taste. Yet while acknowledging that others can put together their own personal items and color in an interesting way, they persist in denying their own abilities and fail even to attempt to analyze why some combinations look better than others.

Shelly states, “Over the years I have watched enough people develop an excellent sense of style, as well as a good eye for both the acquisition of home décor items and their placement, to know that the cultivation of this skill is definitely possible. More often than not, if you really look at and analyze what both pleases and suits you, the development of your own sense of style quickly follows. And when you have gained confidence in your own tastes, have developed a good eye, and have attained a working knowledge of various furnishing styles, all decorative possibilities will open up to you.”

Almost everyone at one time or another has to create a home, whatever his or her circumstances or space. Shelly loves to use items from your family’s past, from old west relics to porcelain treasures. She likes to take the treasures dear to your heart and then embellish them to enhance your home atmosphere. Shelly enjoys using the rustic elegance theme from crystals and antlers, to latigo and lace.

One of the many things that set the Rustic Design team apart from others is their willingness to share their knowledge. They love to teach as they go along and encourage owners to be involved in the entire process. One of Shelly’s favorite projects was featured in Country Magazine a few years ago. A couple purchased a 115 year-old log farmhouse and wanted to turn it into their unique home. Shelly worked with this husband and wife team on a daily basis teaching them her techniques room by room. They had the desire to be hands on and now the farmhouse is not only their home, but also their work of art. They take pride in knowing that they helped create their own special atmosphere.

From early on in Shelly’s life art has been an important element. Being a stay-at-home mom, Shelly began working with pastels and ventured into various mediums. Over the years her artwork has been exhibited in various shows and has been included in several annual arts events. Shelly’s artistic talent and amazing techniques go a step farther in the home where she can create a masterpiece on a bare wall using a variety of processes as well as relief sculptures.

Shelly’s life experiences have carried over into her decorating style. Shelly has a rare ability to take something old and bring it back to life or embellish something new to create a unique effect. Starting over after a divorce, Shelly set out to make a cozy home for her three young boys. Furniture and items bought from the thrift stores were transformed to create a homey environment.

Lloyd Walker came into Shelly’s life and together they formed a beautiful partnership in marriage and business. They made their home on a ranch outside of Choteau. Lloyd is an accomplished craftsman and helps carry out Shelly’s vision. As a team of creative minds, they have established and opened Montana Antler Art Gallery & Gifts and continue to tackle new endeavors.

Montana Antler Art Gallery and Gifts is located in Choteau and is the home base for Walker’s Rustic Elegance Interior Design as well. The gallery has over 3,000 square feet of showroom. Shelly happily shares that the gallery features over 70 Montana artists (and growing). The collection includes bronze sculptures, leatherwork, textiles, and Montana wool, to name just a few. As much as possible Shelly tries to use this artwork in her interior design business. Shelly smiles as she explains that they have recently decided to add a cozy pie shop and her son is now starting Bow Hunters Archery in the back of the gallery, which will feature a retail store, shooting range, lessons and repairs.

Shelly leads her team with passion and a vision to create and design an atmosphere of adventure, with a surprise in every room. Shelly’s innovative style is definitely “outside the box.” She has a talent for infusing a blend of color, textures, and techniques to capture the charm and warmth of rustic elegance. Shelly’s creative energy is endless and her incredible artistic talents bring decorating to a higher dimension.

Shelly readily admits that it is a definite team effort that makes her dream possible. She gives credit to Gina Dalrymple, her office manager, and Tammy Eaton for helping keep things rolling along. Linda Williamson, Interior Designer, recently came on board and is in charge of changing the displays and arranging gallery functions such as Artist Receptions and special events. Justin Gardipee and Bob Korman help in the building and grounds department. Annie Eckard is part of the Flathead Valley team and feels fortunate to work for such a genuine and talented boss. She gladly explains that most days seem more like a pleasant adventure rather than work.

Relocating to the Flathead Valley about a year ago, Shelly enjoys the natural beauty and lush surroundings that provide added inspiration to create unique homes. Shelly gives a lot of credit to nature for inspiring her creative juices. She is happy to call the Flathead home, but explains that Choteau will always pull her. “Pheasant hunting is awesome,” she said. The gallery is there, but most importantly, her children are on the east side of the mountains and now there is a new grandchild with another on the way. She is becoming very familiar with the road through the mountains to the prairie!

Now that Shelly is a new grandmother, she is enjoying life on a whole new level. Her children have always been her passion and as she moves into this new season of life as a grandmother, she is looking forward to enjoying her family on a whole new level. She is proud of her boys and has enjoyed watching them mature into young men. Shelly strives to be a role model, not only for her family, but for her employees as well.

Shelly is enjoying growing older and values the lessons life has taught her. She states, “It is important as a woman to take care of yourself first. It can be as simple as taking some time to breathe, but take some time for you. By taking care of yourself, you can become a more effective wife, mother, friend, or employee. Life is precious and beautiful, something to be treasured and enhanced, and most of all… be artful in all you do.”