Dragonfly Designs: 2016

In Tahoe, where I work and live, we are very oriented toward ski and lake culture. However, I like to remember that there are many cabin lovers who use their cabins for other purposes. From time to time I receive calls from women around the country who are decorating cabins for their sportsmen husbands. Sometimes they ask me for fabrics and wallpapers with fishing themes and other times they are looking for hunting themes.

Occasionally, after the work is done, these women send me photos and I see the beautiful sophisticated rooms they create in their elegant cabins and lodges. Luckily for them, there are some gorgeous fabrics and wallpapers designed with hunting themes. Let's take a look at some of my favorite bird and hunting dog fabrics.

On Point

A Brunschwig & Fils pattern I've always loved is called "On Point". It comes in both wallpaper and fabric and in your choice of five colorways. It has a bit of a toile sensibility as it is done in a single color on a cream background. The dog, duck and rabbit images are sophisticated and beautifully drawn. Like all toiles, it looks wonderful if you use a lot of it. It works great if you fling it everywhere in a room, but it also is fantastic if curtains are all you need.

On Point in Blue

On Point Wallpaper in Fawn

On Point Wallpaper in Hunter

On Point in Red

On Point in Tobacco

On point used on the walls and bedding in this charming room.

And below, I used On Point for a client's Tahoe powder room, many years ago. It's one of those patterns that never dates or ages.

On Point in the powder room of one of my earlier projects.

Yep...still love it. You can see that we used the paper on the walls and the fabric in the coordinating window shade.

On Point has the soft colorations of transferware. I'm dying to use a lot of it with a large collection of transferware hung on the walls. Wouldn't this be a pretty look in a dining room--I'd use the On Point for curtains or upholstery.

This room could rock a little On Point in tobacco

Curtains in On Point? Yes, please!

Another fabric I think is absolutely beautiful is Sologne by Pierre Frey.

Sologne in Creme

Sologne in Jaune

Here in this close-up of Sologne you can see the quality painterly detail that one finds in all Pierre Frey prints. Beautiful, isn't it?

Another similar fabric is Edwin's Covey by Scalamandre...

Edwin's Covey in White

Edwin's Covey in Sisal

Edwin's Covey in Willow

Edwin's Covey in London Blue

Edwin's Covey in mustard

Edwin's Covey is a fabric that Charles Faudree loved and you often see it in his work...

Another hunting fabric I love is Flying Ducks by Mulberry Home. This is an especially beautiful fabric with very sophisticated juxtaposition and harmonizing of colors. It swings just a little Arts and Crafts which makes it perfect for a lot of today's modern mountain homes which are heavily influenced in their construction elements by traditional Arts and Crafts design.

Flying Ducks in Sky

Flying Ducks in Stone/Brown

Flying Ducks in Camel/Grey

Flying Ducks in Sand

Flying Ducks comes in both fabric and wallpaper. As you can see below, it makes up beautifully into furnishings, but I also love it in curtains and wallpaper.

Flying Ducks makes beautiful pillows.

The more the merrier--this is a big pattern and looks even better in larger expanses like on this sofa.

Flying ducks is also available in wallpaper. Again, it would be beautiful above the wainscoting in any cabin room, but I also love it for powder rooms and entries.

If you love classic toiles, a pretty one is Brunschwig and Fils Hunting Toile. It comes in 8 colors but I'll just show you the blue here...

Hunting Toile in Blue. So pretty and perfect for the lover of a blue and white cabin look.

Finally, is this elegant hunting pattern with birds called Glenrinnes Lodge...

Glenrinnes Lodge Rust Bird

Glenrinnes Lodge Teal Bird

These are a must for mixing with beautifully colored woolen tartans and distressed leather chairs, don't you think?

Gastaad Plaid from Lee Joffa would be so pretty in a room with Glenrinnes Lodge in Teal Bird.

Inspiration--Scottish Hunting Lodge Style

And, for the true dog lovers out there...

Pitter Patter, a small scale printed wallpaper by Peter Fasano. Charming in utility rooms and children's bedrooms. Call (530) 583-6076 or email dragonflytahoe@att.net for pricing and availability.

A beautiful collection of sporting life gear. Simple choices create beauty and order. I find that most men love attractive environments and that those that love the great outdoors, often appreciate a beautiful indoors, too.

I hope you enjoyed this little duck and dog fabric tour. Of course there are many gorgeous hunting fabrics with stags but I'll save those for another day. If you can't wait and you'd like to take a peek now at some of our favorite stag fabrics, go here.

I have always loved the work of designer Charles Faudree who died last year. Faudree was a Tulsa based designer who specialized in Country French interiors. A prolific interior designer, author, showroom owner and fabric, furniture and wallpaper designer, Faudree's style had a profound influence on decades of American style. Of particular interest to us is that Faudree loved the mountains, particularly Cashiers South Carolina, where he owned a series of cabins and worked on other local projects.

Faudree in the mountains with his beloved King Charles Spaniels.

I always love to show Faudree's work because he managed to mix together pretty and sophisticated with loads of fabulous antiques. This time of year, however, I thought it might be interesting to take a look at some of the photos that show his mountain rooms decorated for the holidays.

A mantle beautifully decorated with greenery, pine cones, white roses and Christmas stockings.

Yet another perfect mantle in a home Faudree decorated for his sister.

When you start with a red room, Christmas decorating is easy. One red amaryllis adds a touch of Christmas to this charming cabin living room.

Another Christmas mantle. This one with beautiful boughs, glass balls and tassels. Narcissus bulbs in elegant planters complete the look.

Luckily for us, Faudree's own Cashiers cabin, fondly referred to by him as "The Roost" was photographed by Traditional Homes, decorated for Christmas. Let's take a look at it...

Faudree on the deck, again with his favorite Spaniel. Lot's of simple garlands and wreaths.

Again, Faudree adds greenery boughs to the mantle. This time looping casually around a carved wooden deer head...

I adore the little Christmas sleigh and pine tree collection on the mantle. Don't you love the way Faudree adds a Santa hat and wreath to the statue in the corner.

By the way, here's a look at this same light and airy room during other seasons...

Sea grass matting, white painted walls, a mix of French furniture and blue and white fabrics create a fresh and pretty cabin look.

This is a very pretty style for cabins, especially for summer use. I've been in a handful of Tahoe lakefronts that look like this and they always make me feel so happy.

Another view of the same room shows Faudree's large Christmas tree next to a beautiful old tapestry.

And here is the same room from yet another angle, below.

Every where you look there is something captivating.

In the foyer, another mantle to decorate with more garlands and pretty glass trees and antique houses.

The kitchen sports blue and white transferware, a Faudree favorite, and when you call your cabin The Roost, there must be a hen collection ...

Pretty soft painted cabinets in cream and grey mix with a beautifully greyed old barnwood ceiling. On the walls is Faudree's own Faux Bois Wallpaper in Grey.

Perhaps my favorite room in the house is Faudree's bedroom...

This room manages to be masculine and pretty all at once. Oddly,tThe traditional log walls work beautifully with Faudree's signature French furnishings.