This story could be under the title “Better Late than Never”. After all, these photos (styled by none other than Miguel Flores-Vianna) were meant to run in House Beautiful around ten years ago, but because of changing editors, they never saw the light of day. Instead of allowing the story to disappear forever into the crisp mountain air, we thought we’d celebrate autumn by sharing our design of this miniature rustic lodge.
When it was purchased in the 1990’s, this cabin (built in the 1920’s) came fully furnished, albeit with cast-offs and broken-down furniture. Here and there, however, were some real treasures – an old Indian basket was one, as was the massive Moosehead mascot that surveyed all from its perch above the stone fireplace. Our contribution was to furnish the spaces with comfortable seating, appropriately effortless antiques, simple linen curtains and a large antler chandelier.
The honey-colored knotty pine walls were left as we found them. In the kitchen however, we opted for painting the walls and cabinets, and we covered the floor in old-fashioned marmoleum . The sleeping loft and a tiny guestroom were furnished simply, with vintage quilts and woolen blankets mounded onto the beds to ward off the coming winter chill.
Designing the rooms of any house, be it rustic or formal, is always about creating an authentic sense of place. It’s about assessing what suits both life and style. Our goal for this Lilliputian mountain cabin was to accept what was good while being true to its best self. Sometimes the less one does to a space, the more successful the result.