Okay, so I picked up the January 2011 issue of The World of Interiors tonight, and I happen stumble upon an absolutely dreamy cabin. (I must warn you...In an attempt to make you, my readers, the first to see the images below, I was forced to shoot them with my iPhone. There's a random finger and thumb down there, but hey...you saw it here first!)
No, the cabin is not the project on the cover, and it has nothing to do with Le Corbusier. Think 1930's cattle ranch in Kenya shaded by pepper and olive trees. Think big game trophies, English antiques and heirloom silver. Ernest Hemingway is your neighbor and Brooke Astor is a frequent dinner guest when she's in town.
What I love about this project is the sense of romance. This ranch has been continuously owned (thought not always operating) by the same family since it was built in the 1930's. There are pieces of furniture that have been with the home from the beginning and some that were brought in more recently. Everything adds to the history; nothing is haphazard. Owned by a British gentleman, the comfortable interiors hint at Edwardian manor houses of late 19th century England. You expect to see a butler and a couple of footmen milling about. There's a hint of formality and a lot of ruggedness. Exactly what a weekend cabin should be!
The dining room. You can imagine the ladies in their gowns, the men in black ties and the candles flickering...everyone's laughing...even louder than the hyenas laughing outside.
(Gosh, that's a great looking thumb. I should have been a finger model.)
There are aspects of this project that I love...the antiques, the rustic luxury, the history. And others that I don't...the 70's-esque paneling and the threat of being eaten by a lion every night. These shelter magazine editors really know how to....
(Enter butler)
Oh, excuse me. Mr. Hemingway is waiting outside to whisk me away on another big game hunt.
You'll excuse me if I don't show you out.
Until next time!
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