It’s not everyday that a designer is presented with an opportunity to transform her family’s once-beloved horse stable into a cosy retreat.

Built in the 1950s, the single-story structure was constructed specifically for keeping horses, complete with individual stalls, but in recent years the stable has been used solely for storage. With designer Ashley Montgomery taking the lead, her family’s goal was to create a relaxing retreat that sleeps up to ten comfortably—perfect for friends and family to get together.

Ashley, her siblings, and their own families, can visit anytime without worrying about getting in the way or creating extra work for their parents. Much like a summer bunkie up at someone’s cottage, but with the added convenience of a kitchen and bath, they can stay for days without even venturing outside, which is great whenever they get snowed in. “It’s just outside Toronto, so it’s the perfect distance to get away on a moment’s notice. We go up as often as we can, and always for the holidays,“ says Ashley.

Staying true to her eclectic style of mixing vintage with modern, Ashley also incorporated ingenious repurposing to the mix. The result is an exceptionally well-curated collection of furniture, décor and one-of-a-kind ephemera, much of which has cherished ties to family members. “There’s a special sense of pride that I feel for this project. In fact, it wasn’t so much a project as a labour of love, one I worked on even while pregnant (with my son Aiden),” says Ashley. “There’s no television or WiFi, so it’s truly an off-the-grid retreat.”

Photography: Stacey Brandford | Styling: Morgan Lindsay | COUCH, CHAIRS, Ikea; RUGS, Ikea and vintage; PILLOWS, Tonic Living; CHRISTMAS TREES, Bradford Greenhouse; TRACK-DOOR HARDWARE, original; PENDANTS, Restoration Hardware; WOOD ORNAMENTS, GARLAND, Target.

This is where everyone congregates to unwind and catch up. A sense of calm is derived from the extensive use of natural materials, both old and new. In fact, it’s often difficult to discern which is which. For example, the magnificent sliding barn doors appear to be custom built but are, in fact, close to seventy years old! The original pine was in such pristine condition that all it required was a thorough cleaning and some lacquer. Similarly, one might assume the flooring to be original when it’s brand new— smooth flagstone was laid overtop the existing concrete floor—as is the wall, which was custom designed to incorporate a gas fireplace (the only source of heat in the building). The flagstone floors keep cool, which is great in the summer, but come winter they can get quite cold; so new and vintage rugs, while a decorative touch, are also practical. There are baskets full of spare blankets and throws scattered about to keep everyone warm and comfortable on cold nights. The furnishings are both affordable and versatile, with many multipurpose pieces: the pull-out couch converts to a double bed and the homemade side tables are often used as stools for extra seating. “With a deep-seat couch, a blazing fire and a glass wine in hand, it’s hard to leave after the holidays.”

Photography: Stacey Brandford | Styling: Morgan Lindsay | CHAIRS, Bradford Greenhouse; CUSHIONS, Urban Barn; WREATHS, Bradford Greenhouse.

No longer used for dashing through the snow, an old horse sleigh found when clearing out the stable is a charming nod to the building’s provenance.

Photography: Stacey Brandford | Styling: Morgan Lindsay

“The holiday décor is right at home with the year-round décor. Nothing is distracting or looks out of place,” says Ashley. There are already hits of green and gold throughout. Come Christmas, she adds even more gold accessories, such as antique candlesticks, while also using fresh, fragrant pine, spruce and eucalyptus. “When I come up for the holidays, I keep things simple—it’s the one time of the year I’d rather be spending time with family than decorating.”

Photography: Stacey Brandford | Styling: Morgan Lindsay | CABINETS, PLATES, CHARGER, Ikea; NAPKINS, Target.

The open-concept kitchen makes entertaining easy. Taking inspiration from muted neutrals of the stonework and the warm wood tones, Ashley kept to a simple yet sophisticated colour palette, bringing together creamy whites, rich caramel and jet black. She kept to these colours for all six main rooms, helping the space feel unified. In the kitchen, she opted for black window frames to match the rest of the hardware. Especially noteworthy is the magnificent black corrugated metal ceiling. The cohesive colour palette allows the flexibility to move pieces around to change up the look: Often a pitcher from the kitchen ends up filled with flowers and relocated to the master bedroom.

Photography: Stacey Brandford | Styling: Morgan Lindsay | PAINT, Benjamin Moore; MIRROR, Rejuvination; SCONCE, Restoration Hardware; FAUCET, Brizio; SOAP DISPENSER, CB2; TRAY, Ashley Montgomery Collection.

Staying true to her eclectic style of mixing vintage with modern, Ashley also incorporated ingenious repurposing tricks to the mix.

Ashley brought a number of pieces of family furniture out of storage, including the bathroom vanity that was once her brother’s desk. Subway tiles are a timeless choice and the black grout keeps things modern. Tying in with the rest of the space, the bathroom ceiling is painted black.

Photography: Stacey Brandford | Styling: Morgan Lindsay

“Because everything fits into the same colour scheme, I often move things around from room to room to freshen things up.” Inside are decorative nods to the horses that once lived in the stable and roamed the family estate, including a framed photograph of the horse Ashley’s mom once rode.

Photography: Stacey Brandford | Styling: Morgan Lindsay | LIGHTING, L’Atelier; PILLOWS, Tonic Living.

Occupying one of the original horse stalls is a timeless, queen-sized brass bed, originally a wedding gift to Ashley’s parents. Ashley had it hauled out of storage and polished up as good as new. The original door to the stall slides along a black track. To one side was a sink and trough for a horse to drink and feed from. She chose to keep the metal sink as a decorative element (the patina is exquisite) while covering the trough over for much-needed shelf space. Homemade burlap curtains offer a sense of warmth and privacy. The bedskirt allows for convenient out-of-sight storage under the bed.

Photography: Stacey Brandford | Styling: Morgan Lindsay | BUNK BEDS, Wayfair.

Ashley left the original stall walls intact. The top of the side walls are open, with original metal framing. Where once a horse would rest after dashing through the snow, now there is sleeping for four with the clever use of two comfy twin bunk beds. “It’s been a late-night hit when I’ve had some girlfriends up for a weekend,” says Ashley.

“The holiday style is right at home with the year-round style. Nothing is distracting or looks out of place.”