From Horses to Hospitality

 

If you had stumbled upon Don and Melissa Hartford’s Montana cabin a few years ago, chances are you wouldn’t have been too impressed. While its 600-acre setting on the Yellowstone River may have dazzled you, the 1,000-square-foot structure was little more than an austere building used for the medical care of horses. “The previous property owners had a horse seminar business complete with a huge indoor arena, stables and this veterinary barn,” Melissa explains. “We didn’t plan to have horses here, so we wanted to convert the old medical barn into something more useful for our lifestyle.”

 

And convert it they did. Today, the inviting cabin in Paradise Valley exudes comfort and warmth, providing a perfect respite from the hectic pace of everyday life. A far cry from its utilitarian past, the cozy cabin now serves as idyllic guest quarters on the couple’s sprawling ranch.

 

“It’s such a great place to unwind,” says Melissa, who spends the rest of the year in the Midwest and Southeast. “And the setting is ideal — you can relax on the porch and hear the gurgling creek while watching all of the river activity and enjoying spectacular mountain views.” The idea for the barn conversion was born when the couple realized they could use more space to accommodate visiting family and friends. Though they have ample room in their main house on the property, they liked the idea of creating a separate, private cabin with amazing views and a come-on-in ambiance.

 

To get the project started, the couple turned to Janet Jarvis, AIA, of The Jarvis Group in Ketchum, Idaho. “Not many horse barns are turned into guest suites, so our goal was to turn a rather lackluster structure into a cozy cabin,” the architect recalls. “We were basically working with the outside shell of the old veterinarian barn to make the building work for a two-bedroom guest house.” Given how unique the transformation was, the process was surprisingly smooth. Only a few minor issues arose.

 

“To add a base to the building, we had to cut the stone to a thin veneer to cover a rather ugly foundation wall,” the architect explains. “It gave the building more stature and grounded it to the landscape.” The only other challenge was flooring. “Since we were dealing with a slab-on-grade construction, the addition of rustic wood floors was a challenge,” the architect shares. “We had to float the wood to prevent any moisture or nailing problems.”

 

The actual conversion, which was done by Jason Cipriani of Cipriani Construction in Livingston, took just a few months, and the couple was thrilled that the cabin was ready in time for Thanksgiving. Some interior walls were removed to create an open floor plan that combines the living room, kitchen and dining area into one space. A fireplace with a stone slab hearth was added, as well as wood paneling for all of the walls. Two bedrooms and a bath were carved out of the space, and a wraparound deck was also incorporated.

 

Inside, the ambiance is comfortable yet stylish, thanks to a bevy of textures and details. “We wanted to create a place where people could come on in and put their feet up without fear of breaking anything,” explains Melissa. “With kids, grandkids and pets running around, it didn’t make sense to do anything like a French provincial style, but we didn’t want longhorn steer either. The result is something soft and cushy — it looks rustic from the outside, but it’s very comfortable and well-appointed inside.”

 

 

The casually contemporary interior design was created by Elizabeth Schultz, ASID, of DesignWorks in Bozeman. “The design is casual, comfortable, slightly rustic and eclectic, a cross between an authentic and modern cabin,” the interior designer explains. “The owners are all about comfort and the idea of ‘liveable-ness,’ so there are sofas you can sink into, plus window seats and reading nooks filled with pillows.” One of the couple’s favorite design features is the outdoor wood-burning pizza oven. “It just became a focal point for the entire ranch, because it’s such a great place to hang out by the river and have beer and pizza,” the architect says.

 

Whether they’re enjoying al fresco dining or just sitting outside enjoying breathtaking views of the Beartooth and Absaroka Mountains, friends and family feel very much at home. “We enjoy family cookouts and just being together,” says Melissa. “Plus, there’s an old cottonwood tree nearby that the grandkids say is just right for climbing.” Although Melissa and Don’s kids have affectionately dubbed the cabin “Clark’s Cabin” because they say they feel like the Griswold family on vacation when they are there, the truth is that the cabin is the exact opposite of what you’d expect from the disaster-prone movie family. In fact, the cabin is so picture-perfect now that no one would ever believe it was once a simple building dedicated to horses.