A Multi-Generational Legacy
by Halina Loft
What does it mean to curate a “Montana Look” in your home?
This question solicits wry smiles from Addi Sires and Kathy Koelzer. They’re sitting in the sleek yet cozy confines of Sires’ office at Montana Expressions, a retail furniture store and interior design firm in the Gallatin Valley’s Four Corners. Beyond the office is the company’s expansive showroom, showcasing decor, home goods, furniture, found objects, apothecary items, and lifestyle ware, like jackets and accessories. The inventory mixes rustic and modern, dark leather and light fabric, salvaged wood, and crisp, contemporary designs. Sires is Montana Expressions’ current owner and CEO. Koelzer leads the firm’s interior design team, a role she’s held since joining the company in the early 2000s.
“Thirty years ago, when development took off in Big Sky, we were doing a very different look,” Koelzer explains, “more of an old-world, European aesthetic.” Today’s “Montana look” is a bit different. “It’s seeded in the use of stone, reclaimed woods, and metals as the canvas. The interiors are uncomplicated and straightforward. If the client wants, we may add an antler chandelier or a European-mounted elk on the fireplace,” Sires adds. Bozeman’s vibrant, active culture also tends to seep into the style. “This area is a draw for climbers, skiers, cyclists,” says Koezler. “They typically have a simpler lifestyle and may want to reflect that in their homes. So, to us, ‘Montana Look’ is just a phrase to describe a home in a place that you love.”
If there are any two people qualified to talk about Montana style, it’s Sires and Koelzer. Both were born and raised in the state and hail from multi-generational Montana families. In the 1960s, there was a corner grocery store where Montana Expressions now stands; the store, dubbed Mac’s Corner, was owned by Sires’ grandparents. “We’re kind of keeping it next generation on the corner,” says Sires with a grin. Sires took over ownership of Montana Expressions from her father, renowned Bozeman business leader Ralph McHenry, after his passing in 2022.
Montana Expressions, initially, was another outlet for McHenry to express his love for all things that make a home beautiful. After many years as an antique collector and dealer, McHenry convinced Koelzer, who had recently closed her own design boutique in downtown Bozeman, to come on as his collaborator. Together, with the help and participation of others on their team, they expanded both the retail and interior design side of the business.
“To us, (the) ‘Montana Look’ is just a phrase to describe a home in a place that you love.”
–Kathy Koelzer, Montana Expressions
Of course, the Montana of then isn’t the Montana of now. “When we started, everything was just…less developed,” says Koelzer. “There were only a handful of interior designers in Bozeman, and not nearly the client base and need for design that there is today.”
Sires remembers the shock in town when million-dollar condos went up for sale near Main Street. “Everyone thought, who is going to pay a million dollars to live in downtown Bozeman?” The Yellowstone Club, Big Sky’s prestigious private community, was barely more than a dirt road at its conception in the late 90’s. “In the winter, Ralph and his crew sometimes literally had to use a snowmobile to access a jobsite,” says Koezler.
“For Fox Run, I collaborated with a local artist who specializes in reclaimed wood to create the front door and a bathroom vanity. The pieces complement the home’s old beams, adding instant character and depth.”
–Kathy Koelzer, Montana Expressions
Much has changed since then, but Montana Expressions has never had trouble evolving to meet the times. “I am always eager to try new things, to push the design expectations,” says Koezler. Koelzer’s design motivation lies in longevity over trends. “Most people aren’t interested in redoing their interiors every two years. They want a look that they love, a design that can last years and still look amazing,” she says.
Looking at photos of a recently completed Montana Expressions project in Fox Run, Koezler’s expertise is evident. “The owners were from California and were very excited to be relocating to Bozeman,” says Koezler. After reviewing pictures of the client’s California home and listening to the homeowners’ vision for a new Montana home, the process began. “Many emails and long phone conversations were exchanged, and a relationship of trust began. And also, a friendship,” Koezler recalls.
The outcome is an interior that’s unique and unexpected while still feeling overwhelming zen. Dark neutrals like black, grey, and deep green ground the home’s color palette and transform aspects of the space. A shining example of this is the home’s living room fireplace. Koezler opted to finish the fireplace in slate stone, a choice that makes the living space feel both contemporary and timeless. Warm wood acts as a counterweight to the darker details, adding a comforting brightness to the home’s kitchen and dining space. The Montana Expressions team often works with local craftsmen to create bespoke pieces that reflect their clients’ dream spaces. “For Fox Run, I collaborated with a local artist who specializes in reclaimed wood, Eric Nellis, to create the front door and a bathroom vanity,” says Koezler. “The pieces complement the home’s old beams, adding instant character and depth.”
“Most people aren’t interested in redoing their interiors every two years. They want a look that they love, a design that can last years and still look amazing.”
–Kathy Koelzer, Montana Expressions
While Koezler works with interior design clients, Sires focuses on the retail side of Montana Expressions. The store has a new website that emulates the look and feel of being in the showroom itself – cool, calm, easy to navigate. And she’s busy nurturing the next generation of the Montana Expressions family. “We have a talented group of 20 somethings that are offering a new perspective on our business,” says Sires. “They, coupled with our established crew, are exceptional.” Thus begins a new chapter for Montana Expressions.
“We have a talented group of 20 somethings that are offering a new perspective on our business. They, coupled with our established crew, are exceptional.”
–Addi Sires, Owner and CEO, Montana Expressions
The two years since taking over for her father have been a whirlwind for Sires, who has gracefully navigated her new position with consideration of what came before. Sires has set a clear direction for Montana Expressions—a direction that honors her father’s legacy as well as embraces the future.
McHenry’s imprint on not just Montana design, but also on the people he encountered, lives on. Sires says, “We joke that he’s haunting the store. It’s a joke, but you can still feel his legacy here with us.”
