Wyoming State Capitol Restoration
Cheyenne, WY

Project Strategy

The Wyoming Capitol was first constructed in 1890. It was expanded in 1917, and again renovated in 1980. For this renovation, the design team was faced with the challenge of bringing together designs from three different architects, while at the same time creating a cohesive look which was faithful to the original plan. The architectural and design team discovered three different species of wood, various marbles from different origins, as well as different styles of decorative painting. What was lacking was an original photo of the floor. To bring all of these design elements together and select the appropriate flooring, the architects and designers relied on stencil designs from original photos. The design team, with the help of a historical preservation firm, was able to extract the original color palettes from the first phase of the Capitol’s construction. With these color choices, designers put together color combinations for the Axminister carpet. Working with Tarkett/Desso, multiple custom samples were produced until the final choices were made. Custom patterns were created by referencing original murals which were discovered in crawl spaces, or which were painted over in subsequent renovations. To stay true to the original design required extensive research and detective work. This extraordinary effort allowed for the Capitol of Wyoming to be renovated to its original splendor, while simultaneously modernizing its infrastructure.