I took my 80+ year old friend out for a marathon shopping expedition today as a way to say "adieu" to 2012. Since I cannot dream for myself, I started dreaming for my daughter, so this post is dedicated to her and the decorating possibilities a new year can bring.
She is sick, sick, sick, I tell you, of her tired furniture and decor. She is dreaming of a new look, which translates into, "she is speaking my language."
She mentioned she was interested in a lodge look, she loved blue and yellow toile, and "I was thinking of a cowhide rug, Mom." Hmm, I am not exactly certain what a lodge look is, but I took a stab at it today and wanted to share with her, and you, my finds. She'll have to let me know if I hit the mark on any of it or whether I need to go back to the drawing board.
First up are these twig end tables from Garden Ridge:
Flanked next to a leather couch, which is what she said she wanted, they would make a nice counterbalance to the masculinity and darkness of a leather sofa, as would this plush white rug from Garden Ridge:
Not exactly bear skin, but animal-like in a subtle way and only $99. She mentioned she wanted a cowhide rug, which I didn't find one today, but that brings up the question that plagued me all day. Where exactly is the line from southwestern and country to lodge? Subtle differences, indeed.
A perfect example of what I am talking about is this rugged looking piece I found at TJ Maxx that could just as easily fit a southwestern style. I thought it would be excellent for the flat screen television and storage for DVDs.
Although I cut this photo off with my lame cell phone shot, I thought it also had potential as a television stand. It had a lovely rugged look that didn't strike me as country or southwestern. Though this photo doesn't do it justice, this would be my pick for a lodge look.
I really like these faux hide chairs. Turquoise is my thing, but a few ornate and old chairs painted an Annie Sloan chalk-paint yellow and recovered with this fabric would look fab opposite a leather sofa. If the wall behind was painted a smart navy, these chairs paired with a white rug would really pop and go a long way toward tying in the yellow and blue toile! I also like how the chairs and the rug have a similar texture.
rawhide
Though this look is way too contemporary for her, it is a great example of how a white fuzzy rug looks cozy and rustic all at the same time.
I also like this coffee table, though I don't think it is practical with a soon-to-be toddler running around.
I am thinking a tobacco-colored leather ottoman would look best. Something similar to this but a larger scale.
As I looked through accessories at Garden Ridge, I found this wire and metal moose that I kind of loved so much I started dreaming of the Northwest!
I mean really, how cute is that? I am not one to state the obvious, but I thought this metal sign would be nice propped up on a tabletop vignette:
My daughter also mentioned that she really liked antlers as accessories. In this photo from House Beautiful, this antler replica is hung in a more contemporary setting, but would look good with the white I have popping in our imaginary room, especially against a brooding navy wall.
In fact, I think the only way to make dark lodge colors not feel closed in would be to mix them with a generous amount of white (and yellow toile).
I don't think that this bench from TJ Maxx is the style she was really going for, but I snapped a photo of it just to see what page she is on. I need a "you are here," map for the future.
I found this antler lamp at Hobby Lobby, which I think would look amazing on a sidetable with maybe the lodge art propped up next to it with some other wildernes-ish display pieces. It's unique and would look great on the right table with the right artwork, but I wouldn't like a pair of them flanking my couch.
I also spied this barrel at Hobby Lobby. I absolutely love this for a corner. It would look great displaying Graham's sword collection or even a fern.
An oversized rustic clock would be a great accessory. World Market had some awesome clocks BTW. Wish I had snapped a photo or two, but here is one I liked that I saved to pinterest.
This sideboard would look smoking hot next to a farm house table with a wrought iron chandelier. And God knows Graham likes his iron!
And to tie in the lodge feel from the dining area to the living room, maybe we could squeeze that hide rug in after all.
She could have that man of hers hang these barn doors in the hallway to hide the washer and dryer.
When it comes to the fabric she likes though, I am still a bit flummoxed about how to incorporate the yellow and navy toile. Perhaps mixing a masculine stripe with the toile in coordinating colors would do the trick? It would also give me the excuse I need to purchase that tabletop sewing machine I want and, oh yeah, help her.
Some toile drapes such as these could be really sexed up with some horizonal navy blue stripes or even a color-block band of navy blue for the bottom half.
Something like how these country style drapes were done. Use your imagination!
There is also the option of just changing up the toile to be outright woodsy. This may be a better option simply because I wasn't able to find a yellow and navy toile online I thought she would like and that would match a lodge style, but I did find these woodsy toile fabrics:
Call me crazy, but I am really feeling these fabrics, especially the hunting hounds. Toile with a fussy decor, is just, well, fussy! Done with the right amount of rustic, in the right dose, just might make these fabrics brilliant.
Though not toile, this fabric could also make some interesting drapes, It's a bit graphic and thus more contemporary to me. Maybe not the next Scandanavian trend from Ikea, but not your average rustic look either:
Like any look you are trying to achieve though, it is best not to overdo a theme. I would not use this fabric in conjunction with any other moose art or other moose fabrics. The old adage of less is more applies.
Maybe drapes in the yellow hunting dog toile with some navy stripes hung high like these?
So I leave this post with some lodge interiors I perused from the internet that confirmed my own experience today with trying to nail down this look. It's a bit like nailing Jello to the wall. In my haste, I forgot to note where the photos came from, so please forgive my plagiarizing and take a gander for yourself at how other's interpret this highly personal style.
So from my humble lodge to yours, Happy New Year! Oh yeah, and Dana, we have a small conundrum. How are we ever going to mix your love of cupcake decor with lodge? If I was employed, you would have one each from Garden Ridge in every color right now!
