Country Homes
Inside A Contemporary Country Retreat by Designer Sam Sacks
Published on August 22, 2025
Heather Dryden and Peter Miller have an affinity for country life. “We’ve been skiing at Devil’s Glen for 22 years, renting each winter in Creemore,” says Heather. “We’ve also become avid cyclists and appreciate that the area has some of the best cycling in Ontario.” Once the kids were leaving for university, the couple started thinking about downsizing in Toronto and buying and building in Creemore, where they’d be in close proximity to summer and winter sports, and the many friends they’d made there over the years.
In 2019, Heather and Peter purchased 22 hectares of land just outside of Creemore. Peter works as an investment banker in Toronto, so they downsized in the city and started planning the new country house. The property, which reminded Peter of “the rolling hills of England,” came with a cute but run-down log home. Their longtime designer Sam Sacks quickly renovated, transforming it into a cosy modern retreat from which the couple could plan their dream house: a 4,380-square-foot, barn-style new-build in a contemporary country style.
With architect Kyra Clarkson working closely with Heather, Peter and Sam (seated), the project took shape where an asphalt tennis court once stood, and was complete by spring 2024.
“The goal was to create a clean and contemporary space that really engaged the landscape,” says Kyra. “We wanted it to be open and light filled, framing the views of the hills and woods.”
Expansive glazing in the dining area perfectly frames the view to the gardens and pool.
Designed as a T-shaped structure and clad in pine stained in a charcoal hue, the house wraps around a beautiful outdoor pool.
The entry vestibule has practical porcelain floors with a stone look, and there’s a chair for pulling on boots. When it came to the interiors, Sam struck the same balance between clean lines and natural warmth.
Sam created the aged look of the fireplace wall with a layer of mortar overtop of the stones. “It makes it look like it’s been repaired a bunch of times,” she says.
“Heather and Peter wanted it to feel elevated but still casual enough to properly live in,” she says. The great room is a perfect example of this mix: a grand stone fireplace soars above a comfy seating area, creating a look that’s sophisticated and contemporary, yet warm and rustic. “I was pulling from a lot of different design languages,” says Sam.
Instead of black window frames, Sam opted for wooden frames and recessed blinds, keeping the attention firmly on the outdoors. “Everything else needed to be a complement to the gorgeous view.”
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Architect Kyra Clarkson was careful with scale in the great room, ensuring that people would “feel comfortable and cosy in this tall space.” The Douglas fir–clad ceiling and convivial seating area keep things warm and inviting. “There’s a bit of Scandi and a bit of ‘high 1970s cabin’. It was important that it wasn’t campy in any way; we didn’t want to hit modern farmhouse right on the nose,” says Sam.
A collection of sculptural pendants defines the dining area, which flows right off the kitchen.
Natural ash stools bring a dash of Scandi style to the kitchen.
The double-sided fireplace is the focal point of the great room. The living area flows into the dining area and kitchen, where stone-veneer walls echo the fireplace.
Streamlined cabinets in white oak are complemented by simple brass pulls.
Sam describes Heather and Peter as “highly social humans,” who entertain a lot. For this reason, she avoided anything high-maintenance in the kitchen, choosing easy-to-clean quartz for the lower backsplash and behind the range. Heather consulted her sister, a chef, on the layout.
Peter playing barista at the coffee station.
“Her biggest complaint for a lot of kitchens she works in is that they’re unnecessarily large,” she says. “Sam did a great job of planning the space — it’s really well laid out.”
Neutral colours and natural textures create a serene vibe in the principal bedroom.
Throughout the house, bronze and brass finishes add a soft glow while a mix of rich woods and textured ceramics are quietly elegant. Despite its size, the home is designed to feel intimate and unpretentious. The three bedrooms are intentionally simple: two share a bathroom, and the third has its own spa-like ensuite.
A pair of velvet chairs are perfectly placed to take in the vista from the principal bedroom.
Here, life moves at a different pace. Mornings start with coffee and a hike, afternoons are for long bike rides, and evenings are spent watching the sunset reflect off the pool, enjoying a fire — or entertaining a crowd.
An elegant shower enclosure and practical wood cabinets epitomize form meeting function.
“We hosted a family wedding here in the summer, which was really fun,” says Peter. “We put a tent in the driveway and had the fire on in the screened-in porch, so there were lots of unique areas with totally different feels. It’s a good party palace.”
The freestanding tub in white terrazzo stone is smooth and sculptural in the ensuite.
This country retreat is more than just a home for the couple — it’s a lifestyle, one defined by open space, fresh air and the simple pleasure of time spent with their favourite people.
A modern articulated sconce and graphic bedspread — a Sam Sacks signature move — bring energy to the guest bedroom.
Once the project was complete, Sam was lucky enough to become one of these people. “They invited me and my husband up for the weekend and it was such a thrill to be a guest in one of my projects,” she says.
A screened-in porch has a fireplace that shares its chimney with the great room fireplace, inviting fireside lounging, indoors or out.
“To wake up in a house I designed, to see the way the light falls at every hour of the day, to swim in the pool, to have wine by the fire and to wake up in one of the bedrooms — it sounds simple, but it was a career high for me.”
The serene pool reflects the surrounding hills and is bordered by thoughtful landscaping.
Lauren Miller
House & Home
Sam Sacks Design (design), Kyra Clarkson Architect (architecture), Margaret Curtis Landscape Design (landscape architecture)