Monday, February 28, 2011

Design Bucket List #5 - Decorate a Cabin in the Woods


Number five on my Design Bucket List is to someday decorate a cabin in the woods.
Or a cabin in the mountains, at the lake or on a river.

My love affair with all things rustic began years ago in Oregon when my friend took me to her grandfather's fishing cabin on the river. It was perfect with its knotty pine interior and deck overlooking the creek. I fell in love with the worn leather sofa, plaid fabrics and antlers. It wasn't tacky at all, but rather accumulated over time, and with great taste.

Since then, I've always dreamed of having a cabin like that. Mr. A also dreams of having a little fishing cabin in Northern California, possibly on the Mattole River.

When my boys were little, I decorated their rooms with lodge pole beds and Indian blankets by Ralph Lauren.
I carried the theme through with vintage artwork of fishing and hunting themes. There was also
the proverbial deer trophies too. So, I got it out of my system!

For a while!
Inspired by this home, decorated by Mimi Maddock McMakin, I've been thinking about rustic cabin decor again.

Whether it is a cabin on the river, lake, mountains or simply in the forest, the decor should embrace the natural elements outside like Ms. McMakin did in this great room.

Nothing says rustic more than a stone fireplace, especially when set next to wood paneled or log walls.
Rustic cabin decor can be very dark and overwhelming with all the wood on the ceilings, walls and wood floors. I like how bright colors like red, plaids and Indian blankets liven up this room.

Another dark room, but I don't mind because it looks so inviting and comfortable with its masculine decor.


The light, neutral sofa fabric, high ceilings and river rock fireplace give this living room a lighter feel.

I love this room with the log walls and ceilings. It is simply decorated with vintage iron beds and white bedspreads. Who wouldn't want to sleep here!?

Who wouldn't want to wake up here!?
Even though I'm not going to be decorating a cabin in the woods any time soon, there are certain elements that I'm still drawn to. Hudson Bay and Indian blankets, kilim and cowhide rugs, leather chairs, wicker, tartan plaid fabrics, antlers and pine cones all say cabin to me.

"Cabin Lite"
This room also says cabin to me, even with the white walls.
Plaid sofa! Wicker! Kilim rug! Indian blanket!
I could live here!

It's hard to choose which I like better. The traditional cabin in the woods with the dark, paneled walls and ceiling, or a lightened up version like above.

How about you?
Do you also fantasize about a little rustic cabin in the woods to fix up?

Pin It!

22 comments:

Helen said...

This post is sheer heaven ... number One on my bucket list AND I would live there year round.
Helen in Bend Oregon

AT HOME BLOG said...

I lllllove cabins too!! These are awesome!!! :-)
Kisses
Etta

Unknown said...

I do, I do! I love the lighter look but also love the stone fireplaces. Lots of plaid and Indian blankets for me. And ticking.

Connie in Hartwood said...

I always have to be really careful when looking at cabins, because I'm afraid that I'll drool on my keyboard. We have an outbuilding on our property that will one day become a guest house ... the 'cabin' that I dream about, with all the things I love. As of now, I plan to take the lighter approach to decorating it, because we have such wonderful light ... and The Husband will probably want to use it as an art studio.

So many of the elements of your darker rooms would also look gorgeous in lighter rooms. Picture stud walls, exposed siding, ceiling beams and cross-ties, wood floor, antique rugs, primitive wood furniture (with the occasional 'cast off' antique piece), and masculine upholstered pieces. I picture it SOOO clearly in my head ... now I have to make the real building match what I see in my imagination. This project will not happen this year. Too much going on to add something else to the To Do list. Perhaps, next year?

Carol S. said...

I love cabin decor. We visited Blue Mountain Lake (The Hedges, check out their website cabin pictures) in the Adirondacks in northern New York. It was dream decor for me. The next couple years I turned our basement into "the lodge" with dark red half walls, twig tables, plaid sofa, and on and on. Fun style.

I've since gone back to a neutral decor, but remember the fun I had collecting items for that room.

NanaDiana said...

We had a cabin on a lake for many years...and loved it. I hope you get yours! (cabin that is;>) Hugs-Diana

Anonymous said...

These images are wonderful, Delores.
We know a couple who live in an antique log house. They have a secluded property. Their home, the main house, has one bedroom. The living room has a stone fireplace. The kitchen has a farmhouse table. They have another cabin on the property for guests. This is an amazing antique cabin, also moved to their property. It has one room, furnished with antiques, including an iron bed and working wood cook stove. There is also a farmhouse table. Once we were treated to a meal cooked in iron pots on open fires outdoors and served at the farmhouse table in the guest cabin. Absolutely wonderful. A bathroom was added to this cabin, as well as the main cabin. There are other log buildings on the property, all furnished with antique furniture and accessories.
There are absolutely gorgeous gardens all around the property. We enjoy our visits, so very much.

Linda in AZ * said...

* Hi, Delores~ FIRST of all, did you know that YOUR great plaid tablesetting pic (in the right column), & the first cabin LR pic are shown right next to each other??? Soooo, you've ALREADY got the tablesetting (!!!)~ you COULD tell Mr. A that you simply just "need the REST"!!!!

* 8 years ago we built a small (just 1600 sq. ft) & delightful ski place in Park City, UT, & altho we had never PLANNED on that (a second house), it was T*H*E most WONNNDERFUL DECORATING EXPERIENCE I've ever had! I got to start from scratch (except for a few terrific European antiques I ADOOORED & brought back from Germany & Austria)& it was SOOOO FUN to do!!! We had stone floors (hand "broken" & laid), FAB views of the slopes of DEER VALLEY & the lake below, antlers I'd found in Germany graced the tall fireplace & I "finally" had a PLACE for big, delightfully rustic (& surprisingly COMFY!) grapevine chairs I'd always wanted, RL plaids tempered w/ more contemporary whites n' creams, Hudson blankets, antique skiis n' other ski equipment, etc... IT WAS TOO WONDERFUL~~~ literally, I believe it was the most exciting "thing" THIS gal had ever been able to do (design-wise)!!!(Hubby was a jewel about it all, too, & he also loved it when it was all put together)...

* When we moved to the Tucson area (main house was in St. George, UT), we had to sell both places because, of course, the convenience for frequent visiting dimished~~~ within 4 hours, before even hitting the market, we had 5 full-price offers on the ski place (& a similar result on the golf course house in St. George). We sold the PC place COMPLETELY furnished, right down to the horn flatware... (Annnd, upon reflection, I wish we HAD gone ahead & kept it~~~ I just adored it SOOO MUCH, winter OR summer-wise!!!)...

* Soooo, think you can understand why it's QUITE HIGH on MY "BUCKET LIST"... I'd LOVE another lil' ski place in the mountains. We did recently go back & stayed at the Stein Erickson Lodge and oh, DH practically had to draaaaag me back to the airport!!! SOOO BEAUTIFUL!!!

* Thanks for sharing all these pics, one of my FAVE ways to live!!!

Warmest blessings... Hopefully, TTYL...
Linda in AZ *
bellesmom1234@comcast.net

La Dolfina said...

Of course I would!
I too love all these elements.
If you haven't been to the blog Slim Paley you need to visit. She has a home in Sun Valley that you would absolutely drool over! She also has an amazing abode in Santa Barbara and a beach house that was published I think in House Beautiful last year.
She is so lovely and down to earth. You will love her blog.
You've had some wonderful posts of late Dolores!!!
Would love to get together again soon...
xo

Kathy Walker said...

Mountains, lakes, cabins are in my soul....lovely post!

Yvonne @ StoneGable said...

That look feeds my soul! I love the cozy and relaxed feel... but wih grat, great style.
Now I too want to devorate a cabin!
Yvonne

Sarah said...

Delores, I love both looks, but dream of a cabin along a stream. I recently discovered Rustic Elegance by Ralph Kylloe. Have you seen this book? Full of amazing rustic structures, but not the cabin size. LOL
I think you would enjoy it.
As always, thanks for sharing your inspiration. ~ Sarah

Kim @ Savvy Southern Style said...

My husband was going through some kind of manopause a few years ago and all of a sudden wanted a cabin in the mountains. Yep, we bought some acreage and talked about building a little tiny two room cabin with a loft. Well, later he snapped out of it and sold the property. I do love these images and would have had fun decorating that little cabin.

Mary said...

My hubby has cabin fever! I could happily enjoy a mountain getaway to play house, curl up, have a beverage with a plaid blanket & dog in my lap in front of cozy fire... Numbers one thru three would satisfy me but numbers four thru nine, especially number eight with its birch log railing & shelving really floats my boat :-)

Blooming Rose Musings said...

The images you have shown us are fabulous. I love all the plaids and blankets. Sheer heaven. My bucket list had me fantasize about decorating a beach house...which I am finally doing now. I'm loving every minute of it...I just wish it were MY beach house!!!
Your wonderful post has led me to now fantasize about a cabin! Very fun post!

Anonymous said...

These rooms are just all so cozy.... perfect spaces to curl up w/ a book in front of a fire during a snowstorm. Your boys room sounds like it was a wonderful space for them!! xo

Tracy F. said...

Would love to decorate a cabin in the woods. But, knowing that it probably wasn't in the cards, I did it with my pool house! Since the pool overlooks the woods, I did a stone floor, antler chandelier, horse mural, bandana wallpaper in the bath, leather chairs, cowboy fabric and painted, country furniture.

Carla said...

Amazing fireplaces; I think that is what draws me to these rooms. Oh to have a cabin in the woods would be a dream come true.

justjohn said...

I live in a log house, own another and have a cabin in the North Carolina mountains... so if you get the urge to decorate... check http://jlivingstonjr.blogspot.com for some pics.

Allison Shops said...

The log cabins remind me of Gatlinburg, TN. I pondered going more rustic when we built five years ago. Ultimately, it would have meant getting rid of a lot of furniture I already owned... and loved. Maybe next house.

Allison
Atticmag

Bargain Decorating with Laurie said...

Yes Delores, I fantasize about decorating a little cabin in the woods, and I can't even decorate. I think we have the same bucket list. My husband has always accused me of wanting to buy several houses just so I could decorate each one in a different manner. (I'm afraid he's right). Loved all of these photos. laurie

Pinky at Designs by Pinky said...

I would just love to have a little cabin someplace to decorate!!!!! I love the look: the plaids, antlers, stone, wood etc. I think it is such a RELAXING way to live! It won't happen for me but it is fun to dream......I sure hope it happens for you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! XO, Pinky

Related Posts with Thumbnails