The Best of the West

Cozy, country and simple make a comeback at home

By Patricia Rivera
CTW Features

Image courtesy Gordon Gregory Photography

As life grows more complicated, more appealing becomes a home with the cozy feel of Western d�cor.

Country style often resembles the rustic feel of cabins in places such as Montana, Wyoming and Colorado, characterized by a certain cowboy nostalgia and a yearning for a connection with nature.

"It takes people back to a simpler time and gives their home a warmth that they're looking for in their home," says Paula Kelly, owner of Gilroy, Calif.-based Rocky Mountain Cabin D�cor. And this simple Western beauty is easier to create than you realize.

"What makes the Montana style different is the use of natural materials," says Seabring Davis of Livingston, Mont. She's the author of The Big Sky Journal: The New Montana Cabin: Contemporary Approaches to the Traditional Western Retreat (TwoDot, 2008), a book that showcases how traditional cabins integrate a homestead heritage with sustainable living, luxury with logic and pleasure with pragmatism.

Davis notes that folks looking for that Western feel often make the mistake of overdoing the theme or using it in appropriate places. She visited one home that used cowhide fur on place mats to give the table a rustic look.

"There are places where the Western or Rocky Mountain look can be overkill," she says. Davis says the best way create a Western feel in a home or retreat is to build on your current d�cor. Instead of trying to use too many Western pieces, select a few that contrast with your home's look.

"If you like a Western taxidermy style, integrate it with a sleek city look so that it works almost as a shocker," she says.

Additionally, designers are seeing a great increase in a contemporary spin on Western d�cor. "Clean lines and lots of texture are now characteristic of Western homes. Interesting wall textures such as grass cloth and plaster are popular," says Erika Jennings, owner and designer of Carole Sisson Designers in Big Sky, Mont.

Western style rooms use an abundance of texture through barn wood accents and leather fixtures.

In her book, Davis showcases an eclectic cabin outfitted by interior designer Diana Beattie of New York. The home already featured two creations by the original owner: a mountain sheep chandelier and white quartzite fireplace made of stone quarried on the property. The designer took care not to place furnishings that would compete with the rustic brown tone of the log and wood cabin. She opted for "leather furniture that 'disappears' in combination with a Black Forest breakfront and twig-embellished Adirondack tables."

Color is added with area rugs. Paintings from regional artists punctuate the sense of place in the cabin. Kelly suggests strategically placed rustic floor lamp or antler table lamp to warm a sitting area.

"Hickory and log furniture can also give a room a nice elegant rustic look," she says.

Jennings mentions some other small things you can do around the house to add some Western flare. "I think using leather, raw hides, and Western artifacts can play into a more contemporary aspect of your home," she says. "Using furs and things that are indigenous from the area is what you should do."

In her own Craftsman-style bungalow, Davis uses a collection of heart-shaped rocks on her fireplace mantle. She found the naturally shaped rocks, native to Rocky Mountain rivers, while on fishing trips.

"It's organic and it connects the home to the outdoors," she says.

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