A while back, a guest staying at Woodsman’s cabin commented that our bright red bedspread was the same Ikea model as she had at home. She’d just been to visit a friend in Australia who owned the same Ikea lamp as her. We both decided right there and then that this global decorating thing should stop and that we’d never darken their stylish, Swedish doors again. I have to admit that I have lapsed on a couple of occasions since then, but I’m determined to put it behind me and search for more original alternatives.
Our cabins’ decor is inspired somewhat by my childhood fascination with TV programmes like Heidi and Little House on the Prairie. I like the idea of simplicity, a place for everything and everything in its place. I’m also a sucker for a lofty bedroom you reach via a steep ladder and/or a hatch. Anyway, I didn’t get to watch these programmes often, because my big brother would insist on watching Whacky Races or something, (which, secretly, was fine with me). Something must have stuck though, because I find I have a weakness for Vichy checks and polka dots when fashion may dictate that I should be buying the cool, taupe or grey alternative.
Cabin chic or cabin kitsch? It’s a fine line and I regularly veer over the edge! Luckily, we have a rich source of inspiration in the form of the many brocantes and ‘vide greniers’ that take place regularly here in timewarp France.
There’re plenty of hidden gems in amongst many items of dubious taste, and I’ve recently discovered that if I pop into my favourite brocante after lunch, when Le Patron appears to have partaken of a few glasses of red, he’s much more amenable to a good deal. Let the shopping commence….