How a former stables has been transformed into the ultimate party house and stunning walled garden

“We took over the running of the farm from my husband’s parents and we knew we had to diversify to survive,” says Sasha. The couple started by transforming a plot of land into holiday cottages on the 3,000 acre-estate (www.marstonlodgefarm.co.uk), which have proved very popular.

"I always knew we could turn the stables into something amazing. We could create an event space and knocked through into the walled garden. Because of my love of gardening, I knew we had an opportunity to create something so beautiful and I really hope we have. It’s too special to be a neglected field.”

She started developing the derelict walled garden in March 2022 when the diggers moved in. “I knew what I wanted,” says Sasha who has her own garden design firm (sashinthegarden.co.uk).

“We started planting in April and finished in July and I planted every single thing – including 2,500 box plants – helped by my son who was home from university and his friend. We worked from 6am to 10pm.”

Sasha used plants from Johnsons of Whixley and D Tail Plants. And the results are well worth the effort.

The summer of 2022 was very hot but she was able to pump 22,000 litres of water a day from a reservoir on the family farm to keep the plants alive.

Having found a plan from 1874 that showed a quadrangle, Sasha decided to honour that in her garden design, which is for all year round.

A former greenhouse has been turned into an outside entertaining area complete with log burner and views over the walled garden, where Sasha holds her gardening workshops and which is also used for private dining and even smaller weddings.

Alongside that is Sasha pride and joy – the biggest greenhouse she could find without it being made bespoke.

“This is what bring everyone to the garden, they just want to be in the greenhouse. We do photoshoots – we even have a bride getting married in here and people often want to eat their dinners in here.”

Sasha also holds free gardening sessions called Mindful Mondays . A locally made gazebo is also a site for wedding services and old bricks and stones have been repurposed. Brides can even use some flowers from the garden for their bouquet. Two water leaf ball fountains from A Place in the Garden finish the effect.

But it isn’t just the walled garden that has seen a transformation. Sasha has created an event space and the stables block has been turned into nine en-suite bedrooms in the former loose boxes (it can sleep 22 with the adjacent Laundry Cottage), together with a stunning kitchen (from Concept Kitchens), sitting area and dining room. The old tack room has been converted into a pool room and the old cupboards repurposed into a bookcase and bar. New lighting from Garden Trading sits alongside the original stable lamps which have been rewired.

“I haven’t changed any fenestration or any layout. All I’ve done is taken all the old breeze blocks down and put it back to how it was.”

Sasha knew what she wanted but did employ Native Architects to make her dream a reality, and building work (Riley Developments) started in January 2021 and finished in July 2022.

Her sense of style is clear throughout the Stables, as is her passion for using local tradesmen and suppliers. She employed electricians Scotton Park Electrical and F&H Smith plumbers.

S he designed all the interiors herself, however. “I am one of those annoying people who would rather do it themselves than pay someone else and then not like any of it.”

All the ceramic floor tiles throughout the building and bathrooms are from Terzetto Stone in Tockwith and fabrics for the curtains and headboards are all from Waltons Mill Shop in Boroughbridge with upholstery by Brian Jones.

The walls throughout the bedrooms are in neutral Welsh Flint from Dulux, while the woodwork is in Timeless also by Dulux. In the living areas and hallways, Sasha has gone for Old White from Farrow & Ball with Green Smoke from the same company in the event barn and media room.

She sourced the many sofas and chairs from Sofa.com in Harrogate when it was closing down. Many of the vases and accessories and other sofas are from Homesense and the theme of marrying old and new continues with old plans, maps and horse-related prints adorning the walls, some found in the attic which have been in the family for centuries and others purchased from the likes of Ebay. Six old family packing trunks have been relined and reconditioned to form features again marrying old and new seamlessly.

Upstairs the bedrooms are all doubles, many with stunning views of the Vale of York. All the bedrooms are stylish and meld the traditional and contemporary to great effect with antiques bought at auctions and sensor lights in the bathrooms.

Outside there is the Laundry Cottage which contains more bedrooms, its own sitting room and kitchen and is often used by the bride and groom and nicknamed the wedding cottage.

The Stables are available for a minimum of three nights, but that doesn’t include access to the event barn which is booked separately but you do have access to the walled garden. Guests can self-cater, although Sasha says most people will get caterers in for at least one night.

And its not just weddings. “We have had 80ths, 40ths, family reunions,” says Sasha, who also holds charity pop-up shopping events. The next one for cystic fibrosis takes place on Thursday, with a preview evening on Wednesday.

huttonwandesleystables.co.uk