FROM THE HOME FRONT
Susan Martin: Creating a cozy nook for winter
Late fall and winter is the time to hunker down in a spot that hopefully offers a crackling fire, a cozy chair and excellent reading material.
If only you could crawl into the pages of an L. L. Bean Home catalog for a couple of months –and lose yourself in a woodsy world of plaid, flannel and fleece.
This time of year, I always think back to some of the cabins and lodges I have stayed in through the years –and what, besides the scenery, made them so appealing (even on freezing fall mornings!).
A few things come to mind: Thick wool blankets (never new). Stone fireplaces. Porch rockers. And, from the old fishing camp my family and relatives routinely took over when I was a kid – bunk beds with captain’s drawers.
This week, I also found myself thumbing through the new book “Cabins” (Gibbs Smith), by Ralph Kylloe.
Writes Kylloe: “Rustic homes have come a long way in the past few decades … (and) many designers of traditionally built homes are incorporating rustic elements into their structures.”
Adding a rustic porch, den or living room, for example. Or bringing in a piece or two of rustic furniture to traditional residential settings, he adds.
Kylloe’s is a big book with a big price ($60), and the cabins are more elaborate than the tiny ones we stayed in at that old fishing camp.
Still, there are common elements. And these are the things that make a room so comfortable in the wintertime, whether we’re talking about a mountain retreat or a suburban home. Such elements physically, or even visually, warm up a room.
Some ideas:
• Wood –and lots of it. Wood floors, wood furniture, wood walls and ceilings, mantels crafted from recycled barn beams, you name it. Even an odd assortment of wood side chairs around a dining table can feel inviting.
• Comfortable reading chair. It’s a must. The main upholstered pieces in Kylloe’s photographs often are oversized –whether they be leather, tapestry or some sort of patchwork design. Textured fabrics are key, and an ottoman is nice, too.
• Good reading lamp. If you’re going to be spending a fair amount of time in that chair, you’re going to need to see the book you’re reading.
• Touches of nature. Baskets filled with pine cones. Baskets filled with kindling. Earthy bowls filled with nuts that require cracking open with a special tool. Very important.
• Checkers, board games, puzzles. Game tables bring people together, too, which can really make a room feel cozy.
• Blankets. Think plaid blankets. Nubby fringed throws. Colorful quilts. These can be folded over the backs of chairs, ends of beds, arms of sofas, even tops of furniture. They provide extra layers of color, pattern, warmth.
• Big, plush pillows that complement each other but are not too matchy-matchy. Or go seasonal. L. L. Bean has an assortment of hand-hooked pillows, each with a different pattern. There’s a skier, snowflake, loon, tree and more.
• Textured rugs. Braided rugs on bare floors are one option, but tribal carpets, hooked rugs and other styles work well.
Oh, and a dog curled up at your feet can warm things up, too.
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