House Hunting

"The Cabin"

(i.e. the family cabin my partner grew up visiting)

Hello! And a big welcome back from Trixie! Sorry I haven't been around these days, but you will see why once you read on:

My partner and I are currently in the process of buying a house, and although it is very exhilarating, it is also very emotionally and physically exhausting. If you have ever been in this process you will know exactly what I am talking about. The never ending twists and turns of compromises and firm decisions. The caring enough to make an offer but not caring enough to be crushed when you find upon inspection day the foundation to be completely unstable. The decision of neighborhoods (gay friendly? liberal? "hip" ?) while worrying about the price tag (of course I would love to live in Northwest - but that Million Dollar price tag is a LITTLE bit over our budget).

It seems as though the only thing keeping me going is my endless "scope of imagination" (as Anne Shirley would place it), and my sudden inspirations of ways to "design" our "house of dreams" (okay, that phrase should really be our "house of livable compromises which someday may be built into the house of dreams"). So enough of this talking already, what I'm really attempting to get at is my point: the direction I am taking my angle of this blog is in my house inspiration, construction, and design. What better focus to have but within the realm of my own life?

I start with my partner and my first inspiration: the retro cabin.

Yes, yes, when one thinks "cabin" those horrible "Roughing It In Style" decor, filled with wooden carved bears and trout fishing curtains.

That's where we need to focus on the word RETRO.

We're thinking more Doug Fir meets Grandma's cabin in the woods: Jo Ammerman
At her cabin in the Bradshaw Mountains in Arizona

Its more of an emotional design inspiration that is much more basic. It’s the cabin that you visited with your family when you were a kid. The mixed lot furniture that was as comfortable as the sweat pants you were wearing while running around the woods. The eco friendly style of thrift store items and little waste. The plaid couch (see above) and large picnic tables:

The perfect living space to feel relaxed, at home, and comfortable. Because let's face it, mama wouldn't let you run around the house now would she? But the CABIN, well the cabin is that no holds barred "leave the rules at home," sort of place where you stayed up late roasting marshmallows and drank coffee from the percolator roasting coffee directly over the campfire flame.

Of course this style doesn't actually come at a "cheap" cost these days.

In fact the Franciscan inspired Apple dishes are a highly coveted and longed for item in the antique world (and can you believe that my partner's grandmother simply "had these" as the cabin throw away dishes?), as are the Fire King Tulip bowls. My folks were just in town this weekend and bought us a pair of these as an engagement gift:

They ran at about a $50 price tag, a "steal" for this set! So if anybody finds them elsewhere for less expensive, please send the link!

Okay, I also love these:

Now the only question is: what the hell do I call this new style?