Country Homes
Ashley Montgomery Designs A Florida House That’s Relaxed, Casual And Rooted In English Style
Updated on March 12, 2024
At first glance, you wouldn’t believe this home is in Florida. Sure, it’s perched on the edge of a golf course and the beach is only a five-minute walk away but, with decorating that’s defiantly more traditional than tropical, there’s nary a flamingo or palm print in sight. “Even though we’re in Vero Beach, Florida, it doesn’t mean we have to have seashells everywhere,” laughs Canadian designer Ashley Montgomery, as she sinks in to a sofa in the living room of the home she designed for her parents, Andrea and Bryan Davidson. The Oro-Medonte, Ont., couple had been wintering in Palm Beach since 2008, but they were looking for a home with a more laid-back vibe. When they found the Orchid Island Golf and Beach Club in 2019 — a haven for golf, water sports and fishing on the Atlantic coast, north of Palm Beach — they knew they’d found their happy place. “It’s a quiet community reminiscent of old Florida,” says Andrea.
In 2020, they bought a 1980s, 4,000-square-foot, three bedroom house with a two-bedroom guesthouse that had been on the market for five years. “It was one of those houses you knew was going to be a project,” says Ashley. “My parents have always been drawn to finding a diamond in the rough.” She started in on a full gut renovation. “They wanted a home that would feel comfortable, beautiful and utilitarian at the same time, one that would allow family and friends to visit and have their own space, so we wouldn’t feel piled on top of one another,” continues the designer.
The one-and-a half- year-long project came with its own challenges, of course. “Things move a bit slower down here,” says Ashley. Not to mention that having your parents as clients can be tricky.
In the foyer, an antique sideboard and contemporary lighting create a stylish first impression. “I wanted the decorating to look as if the English countryside collided with California cool.”
The new layout is designed to improve flow and function, but it’s Ashley’s choice of casual yet luxurious finishes, blend of new and vintage pieces and signature palette of muted earth tones that create a unique sense of quietude that permeates every room. When the living room’s sliding doors are open, the verdant view is framed like art. White oak beams line the 11-foot-high ceilings and draw the eye up.
Ashley moved the kitchen and dining area to the back of the house to make it more accessible to the pool and back patio.The subtle mix of patterned upholstery fabrics and striped textiles adds cosiness and color.
The dining room combines massive woven pendants, a rustic wood table and chairs with seagrass seats. “Texture justcalms everything down,” says Ashley.
Deep olive–hued millwork flanks the fireplace and sets off the stone.
“With the oversized island, we needed a substantial vent hood to hold its own in the space,” says Ashley.
Ashley topped the lower kitchen cabinets with a dramatically veined Calacatta Tova marble in a leathered finish — an unusual material for Florida homes — which the marble supplier had stashed away since the 1980s.
Ashley reconfigured the huge principal suite, using some of that space to create a vestibule while making the bedroom feel more intimate. Plush bed linens and spare, shiplap panelling create a serene environment.
Three-quarter height shiplap brings character to the principal bathroom.
A spacious open shower features floor-to-ceiling tile with an artisanal look.
The laundry room’s pale blue cabinets provide plenty of storage.
Pretty yellow tile brings sunny vibes to the guest bathroom.
“We wanted the petite guesthouse kitchen to double as a pool bar,” says Ashley, who filled the limited space with pattern and personality.
The guesthouse bathroom echoes the style of the main house with quiet colour, brass accents and shiplap panelling.
Andrea, Bryan and the whole family couldn’t be happier with the result. “My parents wanted this place to be a reflection of all of us — not just their style or our style, but somewhere we could all feel at home,” says Ashley. “This is us,” agrees Andrea. “It’s beyond my wildest expectations.” Now, when Ashley, her brother and sister, plus the grandkids come down for the holidays, they enjoy the cosy, comfortable rooms between rounds of golf, jaunts to the beach and hanging out by the pool. “Here, we’re happy just to be together,” says Andrea. “It’s our home away from home.”
Lauren Miller
House & Home
Ashley Montgomery