Last month our friends invited us to spend the weekend at their family’s vacation home in the Blue Ridge Mountains and I was completely charmed by the whole experience. The cozy fire, the snow falling outside, the antiquing, the competitive board games! I can’t stop thinking about how wonderful it would be to someday own a small second home a few hours away nestled among the trees. Summertime would be filled with camp fires and s’mores (I recently learned my British husband has never had a s’more?! Clearly, this needs to change…) and winters filled with sledding and hot toddies. Below, I’ve gathered inspiration images for how I’d decorate a mountain retreat (think American rustic meets English granny chic). I hope you enjoy!
Floral curtains steal the show in the Lake Tahoe home of Decores Barbares founder Nathalie Farman-Farma. You can see more of the home in her gorgeous book. (Photo: Miguel Flores-Vianna)
I can’t get over the exposed wood ceiling beams in the Farman-Farma’s Lake Tahoe home–exposed beams seem to be a mountain house must. (Photo: Miguel Flores-Vianna)
A sweet bedroom (those curtains!) in Farman-Farma’s Lake Tahoe retreat. (Photo: Miguel Flores-Vianna)
A rustic lodge in the Adirondacks decorated by the brilliant Miles Redd. The fern fabric is such a classic. (Photo: Noe DeWitt for Architectural Digest)
Another glimpse of the GP&J Baker Ferns fabric in this Adirondacks lodge decorated by Miles Redd. (Photo: Noe DeWitt for Architectural Digest)
Amanda Brooks’ farm house (explore more of it here!) in the English countryside would also look lovely in a mountain setting. (Photo: Oberto Gili for Architectural Digest)
The Halsted House owned and designed by Whitney McGregor is a rental cabin in The Highlands of North Carolina (I’m dying to visit!). It looks beyond charming.
Another glimpse of The Halsted House. You know I love gingham! (Photo: Megan Runion)
Lauren Santo Domingo’s Southampton home, pictured above, has a laid back vibe that I would love to channel in the mountains. (Photo: Ricardo Labougle for Vogue, September 2019)
The breakfast nook at Santo Domingo’s Southampton home. The perfect mix of casual elegance! (Photo: Ricardo Labougle for Vogue, September 2019)
In this newly built Mill Valley home designed by architect Gil Schafer (and decorated by the genius Rita Konig!) reclaimed wood was used throughout.
The kitchen of the Mill Valley home is my dream mountain house kitchen (those countertops, the open shelving, all that unlacquered brass hardware!).
My ideal mountain retreat bedroom (by the dream team—Schafer and Konig).
The Mill Valley home’s walk-in closet is equally dreamy.
The Mill Valley home’s painted checkerboard floors are almost too good to be true.
Another view of the master bathroom (that tub!).
I’ve saved this family room photo to my “dream home” file more times than I can count. Those bookshelves! That English roll-arm sofa!
Our mountain house will definitely need a reading nook just like this (it will undoubtedly be Gabe’s favorite spot).
Another glimpse of the Mill Valley family room by Schafer and Konig. Love the doors swung open—major mountain house vibes! See more of this amazing house in Gil Schafer’s latest book.
Hand waxed cypress walls in a magnificent room by interior designer Melissa Rufty. It’s a bit formal for a mountain retreat, but it’s so gorgeous I couldn’t resist sharing.
This home by Texas-based interior designer Meredith Ellis has the perfect mud room for a mountain home.
Another stunning space by Meredith Ellis. The brick floors are perfect for a mountain home.
Another view of the room by Meredith Ellis. Love the blue green color palette.
This dining room, also by Meredith Ellis, is the perfect balance of formal elegance (the framed chinoiserie panel) and rustic goodness (that faux bois wallpaper and those chairs!)
A handsome kitchen by Heidi Caillier with terra cotta tile floors and soapstone countertops.
Another glimpse of the smart eat-in kitchen by Heidi Caillier. Wouldn’t it be perfect in a mountain retreat?
I mean, that breakfast nook!
Also, had to share this bathroom in the home by Caillier. Major mountain home inspo!
A moody dining nook in a cabin decorated by Heidi Caillier that I couldn’t resist including.
This Connecticut interior decorated by Cathy Kincaid would be right at home in the mountains. Explore all of the dreamy home here.
Another lovely space in Connecticut by Cathy Kincaid.
More brilliance by Kincaid. That wall color! Those beams!
The foyer of the Connecticut home by Kincaid strikes the perfect rustic note.
One last look by Cathy Kincaid that is saved in my “mountain house” folder. Traditional sophistication meets country chic!
Some chic pieces to get the rustic mountain cabin look:
I hope you’ve found this post helpful if you have (or dream of!) a rustic retreat of your own.
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I’ve so enjoyed all of your content recently. It has been wonderful that you’ve been posting more. Thank you!
Kara – You have no idea how nice that is to hear! Lucky to have such wonderful readers like you!
Love this post and all of your posts lately! Thanks for taking the time to post “get the look” items after the inspirational photographs!
Julie – I’m so glad you’re enjoying them. Thank you for reading!
Love this post! Well, I love all your posts, but I have a mountain home so this one is great. It is challenging to find the right things! I have that fern fabric, but mine is by Schumacher. Also, I L❤️VE Cathy Kincaid! All her work is amazing. Thank you!
Susan – The Schumacher fern is so good, too! Thank you for your kind words. Happy decorating!
We purchased a lake house about 9 months ago and it’s like you aggregated all of the inspiration photos I had already saved for my decorating process, plus some new ones I hadn’t seen before! I actually already installed a couple of those Thomas O’Brien Piaf fixtures you shared and I think I need that Lands End quilt…
Also, agree with Kara. Have been loving your posts lately and following along with your decorating process on Instagram!
Full-on rustic is not for me, but leave it to Miles to make the lodge look chic! I follow Whitney and have been swooning over every glimpse into Halsted House. It comes across so effortless, yet cozy and chic at the same time. And like you, I continue to save images of the Mill Valley house by superstars Schafer and Konig to my inspo files over and over. They really know how to give a new build soul! Heidi Callier is one of my favorite designers too, for the same reason.
Rachel – Thank you for your kind words. It sounds like your lake house is going to be amazing! Love that Thomas O’Brien fixture so much–lucky you!
Hollie – “Give a new build soul,” indeed! Love that we have so many of the same inspirations. When we finally buy a mountain house, you’re invited!
I love Heidi Caillier’s work, and have many images from her site on my Pinterest boards. I keep returning to that Schafer/Konig house as well–so beautiful! I sure am enjoying all the posting you’ve been doing lately.
M.E. – Thank you so much! Heidi Caillier is so talented. I’ve saved many pins of her work, too!