Friday, January 16, 2009

Ranch House Style

I love, love, love home decor and interior design. My parents were in the design and interior decor business most of my life, so I have always had a bit more experience with that kind of thing. For example, I know how to seal tile and can appreciate the quality of a properly installed tile. I can't go into a public restroom or someone's home without looking to see if their grout lines are straight. Sorry, I just can't!

I am a huge window shopper. I am always dreaming about the ranch house. Goodness, even just a ranch cabin will suffice! The Dranch House or Cabin I would love to own someday. The Dream Ranch House or Cabin I would love to decorate someday. Oh, the fun I would have!

I am attracted to cozy, inspiring environments. I believe the most important thing about our environments is that they reflect our personalities, our lives, and our interests. That it be authentic and livable to who we are. That alone will speak to someone's home decor. Some people could care less about home decor and interior design.....the more power to them! Others spend hours and hours rearranging furniture and buying and collecting new pieces and redecorating every week.....the more power to them! The wonderful thing about home decor and making your "nest" is that nobody else can tell you what to do with it. Unless your husband is picky about those pink floral curtains in the bedroom. At this point, not a problem for me. (No husband, nobody to tell me how to decorate!)

This winter, I have been mad about plaid. I am not sure why, but I currently seem to have more plaid throw blankets than the average person needs. The following are not all of them!

I also became infatuated with logger checkers. Is that what it is called? Maybe it's logger plaid? Anyway, I was shopping with my cousin this past Thanksgiving and we saw logger checkers everywhere- on purses, scarves, hats, and coats. Here's a funny story. As we're shopping, oh goodness, this man goes walking down the mall and he's wearing a logger's plaid flannel. But no, he wasn't trying to be in style! He was just wearing a flannel because he was one of those men that wears flannels. It was probably something he'd been wearing for years. Little did he know he was making a fashion statement and that I was coveting his flannel!
I saw this chair at an antique store and had to snap a picture. It was an old armchair recovered in Pendleton fabric~ and in logger's plaid! I wanted it for the Dream Ranch House!

I have some favorite looks, favorite things, that I would love to use in my future Dream Ranch Home.

Native American print pillows! I covet these Chief Joseph pillows from Pendleton Woolen Mills.

Zebra print rugs! I stole this one from my Desert Rose! The picture, not the rug or the cute grand kid!

Antler anything! This antler bowl is faux but it was under $10!

Vintage cowgirl touches! Like this nightlight in my bathroom.

Rustic candle holders! The store we got these lodge-y birch candle holders at is now out of business. I got the leaf-embossed candles on clearance at Fred Meyer.

Isn't the leather detailing on these great?

For more great western and rustic style tips, I found this great site the other day, the Cactus Creek Daily/Blog. This is "an online magazine that spotlights rustic, western, and vintage home goods through interviews, feature stories, and product guides related to the marketplace." I just love the styles and products they feature here! They even gave me some advice on where to find Pendleton style blankets at more of a Target price-point. I'm sure there is nothing like Pendleton, but not everyone can afford the good stuff!

For now, I am starting to collect a few things that warm up my small place and reflect my cowgirl style. I may not live in the Dream Ranch House yet, but I am surrounding myself with things that keep the dream alive.

What is your style? Do you like rustic western decor? Do you have any favorite key design pieces (antlers, Navajo prints, cowhide?)


28 comments:

  1. I recently saw some pictures of houses constructed using "whole tree architecture." It was amazing! Google it (or the architect, Roald Gundersen). He uses these trees in such beautiful ways - it is not like a log house, being lighter and airier in feel.

    I now want one!

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  2. PG: Thanks for the shout out!!
    OHC: Thanks for the tip, I will look forward to exploring more about Roald Gundersen...

    Blessings to all, Fancy@CactusCreekDaily.com

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  3. I love that first room !! the plaid flannel just says warm and comforting. As far as the Antlers go ,come on up we find sheds(when they loose them in the winter) all over the farm

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  4. We have a store here in Houston called Antek's. You would love it! My whole apartment is western and vintage cowgirl... can't wait to move that stuff to a small house out on some land! =]

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  5. I like wood and rock and natural elements. We bought a timber frame house. I'm not as into rustic cabin decor, probably because I see so much of it in Vermont. But I do like the natural aspect. So I try to sneak that in. :)

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  6. I am a huge fan of earthy tones in decor, our condo has very natural colors in it, and is decorated with photographs we have taken and interesting pieces from our travels.

    I LOVE cowboy decor, but boyfriend wouldn't go for it. He is more of the casual, earth tones kinda outdoors decor guy which is totally fine by me. Though I would like to sneak a little western in there :o)

    BTW I love Pendleton blankets too... I really, REALLY want one. Everytime I go to Oregon I look at them in the stores and drool over them. Someday I'lll get one!

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  7. I want your candle holders!

    My style is eclectic--but I really like distressed furniture--and leather with throws--because leather never gets outdated and it cleans up well.

    We're always a bit dirty and stinky after the horses, so a pristine house for horses, just won't do.

    On the husband issue--I was lucky to have found one whose tastes are identical to my own, but that isn't always the case--I've seen some homes who practically split down the middle because the husband/wife tastes were so different--my own mom and dad were like that.

    I admire that you're planning ahead for your dream home.

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  8. looks a little like our inn :) Love the Pendleton look.. so warm.. makes you feel all snuggy buggy :)

    gp

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  9. i love that rustic look! it is so cozy. my fave is old farmhouse... i guess. more like the pottery barn look! but if i had the money to have a vacation home in the woods, i'd go rustic!

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  10. Great pics, I love western decor too. I was just last night over at Pioneer Woman's, looking at the rehab on her lodge. You gotta go over there, to her Home and garden section and check it out.
    I wonder, what is she going to do with it when she's done?

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  11. My husband is dying for a zebra skin rug. We have a cow hide rug in our entry way, but he wants a zebra hide. And I love the ranch style. When ever my husband retires, we have both said we are going to buy a log cabin. I can't wait for that day!!!

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  12. I love that flannel chair too!! Looks like a great place to snuggle up and read by a cozy fireplace. I'm not sure what my decor "style" would be. I love vintage things in general, including western, love cozy and the warm interior of wood, especially pine. I have a few Pendleton things, in fact my sis used to work there. I guess, in a nuthshell, ranch/farm would be my style of decor of choice. Fun post and thanks for the link.
    Have a great weekend!!

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  13. Western...horses...cowboy...Love it all. Oh I want that Pendleton RoundUp night light!!!

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  14. I love that chair! It would clash terribly with my room but I could find room for it somewhere.

    If I could decorate my dream house I think the theme would be leaning more towards the beach. I think it comes from being a New Zealand and the beach being such a part of our culture. I don't think I would have peices of driftwood lying around but def lots of blues, whites and stripes.

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  15. ooooo I love that stuff too! That is so funny, my parents had a floor covering store for 28 years, and just closed it this year! so I grew up with all that stuff too, I actually used to help dad grout and lay, and cut tile occasionaly! wen I worked for them.

    I left you another glass of lemonade over at my blog, just to show how much I enjoy your blog!

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  16. The paint in my new family/kitchen room is called Rustic Boot,the banquet at the table took 2 hides of tooled leather, there is a calf hide lying across the ottoman, huge wooden "Lonesome Dove" sign is on the wall, the bar glasses have leather holders on them, the wine bottle hodlers are of cowhide...I think you get the picture!
    Your Desert Rose Auntie!
    PS your Pappy has ALWAYS worn logger checked coats...what a style icon!

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  17. My dream home is an old style country farm house, the ones with the wrap around veranda. Extra deep so there's plenty of room for a swing.
    Our home right now is quite a mish-mash. An interior designer would have nightmares I'm sure! lol
    Hubby has a large collection of Greek statues and such (proud of his heritage) and I'm much more western/country.
    The good news is that when (not if!) we find our acreage and move out to the country he wants the 'new' home to have a more country feel.
    Now if we can only find that place! lol

    ps - I love that chair, looks like a great place to curl up with a warm drink and a book.

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  18. Great post Pony Girl!!!
    The main living room of our house is mine, and it has a lot of horsey things in it, but they are English style, not Western.

    Our "Man Room" however, has antlers, dead animals, lodge/rustic candles and decor, and some Western horsey stuff too.

    Wouldn't it be fun to design a lodge similar to the one that the Pioneer Woman just did???

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  19. Eclectic, with Southwest, South of the Border and rustic comfort. Stay tuned. I'll be sharing pix of some of our stuff. I LOVE those candlesticks and the Pendleton pillows.

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  20. Mix it up here. Like a little bit of everything, but not all in the same room. :) We have a 100+ year old house and we asprire to redo every room, eventually. So far, we only have managed to really get the bathroom downstairs done, and it's still not 100% done. Getting close, though. And my houseblog is seriously WAY behind on updating!

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  21. You need to come out and tour the Pendleton Woolen Mills...you would go crazy! Did I mention they sell discounted blankets and pillows:-) Love all the stuff you love.

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  22. Hello Pony Girl

    I have something for you on my side, hope you lik it.
    PS: I like your blog here.
    Cheyenne

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  23. Nothing more sexier than a handsome wearing a penleton. I love your dream cabin, it's perfect for a cowgirl....

    xoxo,
    Cathleen

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  24. I like your taste and love the place you've pictured. Gorgeous!!

    I am not real good with interior decorating or design. I know what I like but I don't really know what it's called. It is probably like "mutt designing"...a mix of all different things. LOL

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  25. {Lisa} ~ Although "mutt designing" is pretty darn catchy, I think the word you are looking for is "eclectic" - and it's totally a style! I love it myself. I have everything from antiques to the western look to more modern and scandanavian decor....I just combine it all! I think we should just surround themselves with things we like, use, or have memories with, regardless of style, and then it becomes your "own" style! ;)

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  26. I'm not sure I have an identifiable style. I like French Country, but not when it gets too frou-frou. I like contemporary clean lines, but not when it gets too austere. So, mine is quite an eclectic mix of cozy, and clean. (Lines that is...I still have a good supply of dust bunnies laying around).

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  27. I love rustic western with an old world spanish/mexican flair. I'm all about wrought having as much wrought iron around as possible. I collect old rustic crosses. I also have a couple of staple pieces of furniture- a handmade table that's marked 1/1 made by a man in Stephenville, TX and a 100 year old dresser. I have a vintage cowgirl print bath mat that I intend to design a bathroom around (i'll post blog photos when I'm done) and I love zebra print, chocolate browns and rich, deep reds. Great post, PG!

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  28. Candles are intrinsically connected to many events in our lives, such as birthdays, holiday dinners and religious celebrations. Recently, however, candles have become a part of our everyday lives adding warmth style and mood to every room in your home. See how the candles have managed doing this.

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I love hearing from my readers!! I truly enjoy all of your feedback, advice, helpful tips, and stories. You all make me laugh and I learn so much from you, too. I will try to post replies to your comments as often as I can.

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