Lodge-style homes or cabins provide an escape from existence in urban centers. Stunning wilderness areas are within driving distance from California cities like San Francisco. Rustic retreats can seem true but still be comfortable. When the economy is strong, homeowners may consider buying a cottage or lodge for vacations and family retreats. Decorating the house to allow it to be inviting and warm helps ensure its value in the event it ever goes back on the market.
History
Cabins and lodges are traditionally wood-frame structures that may have electricity, running water and insulating material –or none of these features. Old hunting lodges built in the foothills of Southern California in the 1890s until the 1920s served as weekend getaways for businessmen and film celebrities. Some cabins survive now –transformed into permanent residences and surrounded by encroaching urbanization. Fishing or hunting lodges, once distinctive retreats for wealthy financiers, today cater to tourists and weekend adventurers.
Function
Cabins and lodges provide comfortable living spaces that help people unwind and revel in their stay. Cabins protect people from the components –heavy rain can spoil camping trips. Having a cozy place to rest after a strenuous day spent hiking or kayaking is important. Some rustic cabins are for spring, summer and fall use only. Insulated ski lodge-type dwellings provide year-round accessibility.
Materials
Organic materials like wood and stone work well in cabins and lodge homes. Choosing the type of wood or rock commonly found in the vicinity helps tie a house into the site. Materials often used in cabins include rough-hewn logs fashioned into furniture, and birch bark and branches used for signs and decorations. Pinecones are plentiful in pine forest settings and look proper piled in baskets or lined up on mantelpieces.
Characteristics
Small cabins might just have a living space, one separate sleeping area and a bath. More luxurious dwellings sometimes feature natural-stone bedrooms along with a number of bedrooms. Kitchens opening up onto a living area make spaces seem more open. Some cabins feature post and beam construction, which allows for an open-concept design–walls aren’t structural and can be transferred. Sturdy cloths and functional objects make the space comfortable without looking overdesigned. Topographic maps placed in pine frames allow vacationers plan drops out of the comfort of the living room. Materials like cotton or wool duck in solids, plaids or patterns, including plants or animals, work well on drapes and sofas. Straightforward table or floor lamps fashioned from dark iron are all suitable in cabins and lodge-style decor. Mellowing electric light bulbs by adding mica colors creates a space cozier at night. Lodge blankets featuring Native American Western or designs themes decorate sofas and seats and help ward off chills on winter evenings. Rustic wall decorations, including reproductions of old lodge signs and travel memorabilia appear on many different retail websites.
Misconceptions
Renting a cottage or lodge home does not need to be done at one time. Cabins are as much about building memories as about design brand new furnishings. A household can enjoy vacations on mismatched sofas and chairs as easily as on a perfectly matched pair. Comfort is important however, as is functionality. Vintage stoves add diverse appeal to rustic kitchens–as long as they work well. Secondhand iron beds or cots fit in visually, but check out the springs to be certain they are not worn out.