Warming Up a Cabin Bedroom at 11,000 Feet

A bedroom should be a restful place with calm colors and soft textures -- 

a sanctuary where you can relax and gaze out the window at nature's beauty. 

But was it possible to warm up our cabin bedroom at a cool 11,000 feet?

Our small bedroom had a good start 

with rough plank walls, a dark wood floor and two windows 

with views of massive pine trees and steep mountains,

But it definitely needed some help in the furnishing department.

Here's a "Before" picture.

First, we cleaned out the stuff left behind.

We jettisoned a metal clothes rack, piles of junk, ratty rugs, and a gigantic plastic cooler.

Ron claimed this old dynamite box that had been nailed to the wall to store odds and ends.

I wanted to keep the look simple but cozy using warm colors and vintage accessories.

I was trying to decide what kind of headboard would look good

in this rustic cabin when I remembered I had a rusty metal headboard in my garden.

We lugged it up to the cabin. It was the perfect size and definitely looked rustic.

We'd decided to keep the bed that was already in the cabin.

The mattress was clean, comfortable and looked new.

Besides, we had no idea how to get a mattress in our compact car. 

The mattress lies on a home-made frame with six drawers

so we pitched the flimsy chest of drawers that didn't complement our style.

But guess what?

During a weekend yard sale hunt, we came across a rustic-looking chest of drawers.

It was marked $50 but the owner came down to $15 when we showed interest

and told her it was destined for our mountain cabin. Sold!

The oil lamp belonged to Ron's Aunt Viola.

A vintage hall tree found at an estate sale long ago and

 some old hooks along one wall hold hats, cameras and binoculars. 

I fell in love with this gorgeous comforter and pillow covers from Cabela's. 

Plaid cotton flannel reversing to fuzzy soft "primalush." 

Although I usually shop at thrift stores and estate sales, 

I plunked down some money for this new set. 

It was worth it. 

The little shelf and photo on the wall came with the cabin

although they were in a different place. 

On the other hand, the nightstands were a creative mix of our own things.

Ron's table is actually his grandfather's old milking stool.

And on my side is a garden table covered with a pretty crocheted piece

that my sweet neighbor Erin gave me and, of course, a pair of cowboy boots.

This vintage etched mirror came from my mirror collection at home. 

We have plans to cover the drywall separating the two rooms

with surplus planks stored in the loft

but for now I hung a Native American weaving flanked by two 

Harrison Begay prints. Both prints feature a young Indian girl tending her sheep. 

The antique rocking chair in the corner was my Dad's.

A Beacon Indian print blanket hangs over the back. 

The bedroom has been warmed up with soft textures and warm colors,
making it a cozy place to relax and snuggle.

At 11,000 feet, the nights are clear and cold, even in the summer.

We might have to add another blanket!

***

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Our Mountain Cabin Gets a New Name

Finally thought of the perfect name for our new cabin in the mountains.

Since it's right at timberline at 11,000 feet, it seemed Timberline Cabin was a great choice.
(Timberline is the altitude above which no trees grow.)

So, welcome to Timberline Cabin!

Come on in and see what we've been up to.

Here's a view out our front window during a beautiful thunderstorm that turned into hail.

You can just make out timberline in the fog.

This was a very welcome wetting rain, as the firefighters call it. 

I think that means it's a heavy enough rain to significantly reduce fire danger.

The sound of the rain and hail tapping on our skylight took me back to fond memories 

of family tent camping as a young girl.

I stepped outside briefly to inhale the fresh moist air
and admire the glistening trees wrapped in foggy blankets. 

With the forest fires under control and the altitude sickness at bay, we had a great time this week. 

However our little dog, Roxy, did not fare well at altitude last visit, 

so we left her in the care of our fantastic neighbor, "Auntie" Tonda. 

We had a surprise visitor at the cabin when a curious hummingbird flew into the cabin.

Since we don't have screen doors, the doors are usually flung open, 

making it just too irresistible to the teeny-tiny birds.

Unfortunately, it couldn't figure out how to get back out and was flying into the windows.

Ron came to the rescue as he gently covered the hummer with a tea towel and released it outside.

We have got to get some screen doors. 

After all that excitement, I decided to warm up the living area by adding a few accessories.

Those little touches mean a lot and can change the whole feel of a room
(or two rooms in our case).

I had the idea of turning two wine crates on their side and stacking them to make a bookcase.

Who doesn't need more storage?

Ron made a base for the bookcase to give it a finished look,
added a shelf and screwed the two boxes together. 

Then I filled it with CDs, books and some vintage containers.

I love that it fits perfectly under the window and you can see the writing on the side of the boxes.

Note the cute carved owls that hold a tea towel. 

Ron also made the table top that rests on a vintage sewing machine base,

creating a multi-purpose surface. 

Isn't he handy?  

I added a few things such as an old alarm clock, an antler,
a battery candle and a colorful woven cloth. 

I think it's quite serendipitous that we already had almost everything we wanted for this cabin -- 

things that we've collected over the years and knew someday would find a perfect home.

Now they have . . . in Timberline Cabin.

***

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French Country Cottage

Introducing Colorado Rustic Style

Hello My Friends!

Thank you all for your wonderful comments and interesting stories about altitude sickness.
I really appreciated hearing from you all but have not had time to answer each comment.

You may have noticed my blog hasn't been about French Country decorating lately. 

That's because my creative energy has been directed toward the mountain cabin 

I purchased about a month ago.

I wanted to let you know I'll probably be writing about the cabin this summer, 

returning to French Country decorating in my home in the fall. 

I hope you're enjoying hearing about the progress at the cabin as much as 

I'm loving every minute of this exciting new adventure.

So instead of French Country, I'm calling this summer's style Colorado Rustic. 

Although it is a rustic style, I think the area rugs, floor-to-ceiling drapes and 

Native American weavings add a softness to this more masculine look.
Wait til you see what I do with these green chairs! 

This beautiful weaving is an authentic Navajo shoulder robe or shawl

purchased in Taos, New Mexico many years ago. 

It may have been used as a young dancer's shawl.

So, on to the latest news . . . we had quite a scare this past week.
The day after we returned from the cabin due to altitude sickness,
a lightning strike caused a forest fire close to our cabin. 

This is just one of many fires scorching the western U.S. 

and my heart breaks for those who have lost their homes. 

WE LOVE OUR FIREFIGHTERS!!

The road to our cabin has been blocked by the state police unless you had proof of residency. 

So scary, watching the progress our amazing firefighters have made on the evening news and Facebook updates. As I write this, the Weston Pass fire is 63% contained. 

We felt somewhat safe because our cabin is in a marshy area 

surrounded by steep rocky mountains. Still, such a worry. 

Ironically, we met with an insurance underwriter at the cabin this week 

to see if our wood-burning cook stove is approved for a policy. 

Fingers crossed. I'll feel better if we have fire coverage. 

Oh, and speaking of marshy areas, guess who else likes our marsh. 

We were thrilled to see this 7-foot bull moose quite near the cabin --
probably a football field's length away!

Ron also saw a cow with a calf but they were too far away for a picture.

We are making good progress on cleaning up the problem areas

and I'm excited to cross things off our to-do list. 

This week, we are loading up our car with hopefully the last of the trash

to be removed and are working on a few small projects.

Most importantly, we are learning to relax and slow down

so we don't get altitude sickness again! 

***

If you enjoyed your visit, I hope you'll follow me by email.
Just subscribe (it's free) in the upper right column of this page.
You can also follow my Pinterest boards to see all my favorite photos.
Thank you!!

***

Linking with:
Shabby Art Boutique, Little Farmstead, Rustic & Refined, Our Southern Home,
Dwellings, The Dedicated House, Between Naps on the Porch, Stone Gable,
A Stroll Thru Life, Savvy Southern Style, Designthusiasm, A Delightsome Life,
Have a Daily Cup of Mrs. Olson, Follow the Yellow Brick Home, French Country Cottage