Saturday, May 27, 2017

Vintage Western for My Texan



We moved to a 1935 cottage and cottage rules here...except in one room.

My husband's bedroom is Western, no doubt about it.

The old knotty pine paneling suits it and all of his vintage Western touches look at home here.

These 1950s cowgirl boots that RH's father had custom made for his wife (RH's stepmother), take center stage here. Our daughter used to wear them.

There are other Western reminders in RH's bedroom. 



Let's put some Texas swing music on and show you around.




My Texan is proud of his roots. His mother's father's father's father, a French Huguenot, settled in Texas in 1833. We used his first name for one of our sons but couldn't quite get up our nerve to name one after his middle name:


Ptolemy

RH is also proud of his other heritage. His mother's mother was a Cherokee.



Here's a photograph of RH with his beautiful mother, older brother and little sister taken with Tex Ritter, one of the early "singing cowboys" in many movies. The photograph was taken about a year after Tex Ritter's "Do Not Forsake Me, Oh My Darling" won an Oscar for Best Song in the movie High Noon.

My husband remembers Mr. Ritter telling him "Don't touch the gun, son."



I gave RH this vintage steer horn mirror for Christmas many years ago, paying for it on layaway at an antique store.





For a while I tried to corner the market on these little china cowboy hats.



Our daughter surprised her daddy with this pretty painting one Christmas.



It hangs over his chair.



This picture of Sequoyah and his Cherokee alphabet was a gift from a son.



But the 1960 cancelled check that came with it drawn on the Texas State Bank makes us smile too--$45.50.



I never did get around to baking a cake in this heavy pan shaped like the state of Texas, but it makes a great catchall for little things in his room.



I cut a few herbs to go with some blooms for RH's bed table.



The curtains we found for the bedroom came from Goodwill when we moved here in January.



You might think these curtains don't belong in a Western room but when I spotted four panels I grabbed them. I thought they were just the right touch to give a little old world elegance to the room.




We liked them so much that I found another two panels on eBay after finding a label that they were Burlington, a rare pattern called Monaco Rose Hydrangea. 



Another trip to Goodwill produced a Longaberger tabbed curtain that was perfect to cover the wide closet that didn't have a door.



I need to start searching Goodwill again for frames for these 1958 lithographs of famous western artist Charles M. Russell.



I think they'd be perfect lined up vertically between Sequoyah and the Pottery Barn silver mirror the kids gave me for my birthday one year. I thought RH's room needed a little sparkle and swapped mine for his old oval wood framed mirror that seemed to disappear into the knotty pine.



I hope you've enjoyed seeing RH's Western bedroom.



Since I've shown you the listing photos in every other room in our new home, here's what this room looked like when it was for sale.



It seems like Western never goes out of style, it just keeps getting reinvented. Maybe it's because Western is intrinsically an honest-to-goodness American look. How could we do without it?



While we both love the old cowgirl boots in RH's room, and I have used them many times on a Western table as a vase for his birthday dinner, I think that someday I'm going to surprise my Texan with a pair from the King Ranch 
collection.

Or should a Texan pick out his own boots?

23 comments:

  1. What a fun post, Dewena! I enjoyed learning about R.H.'s heritage; what a beautiful family he stems from!

    I love the title of your post - spot on! All the Western decorative details, from his mama's cowboy boots to the baking pan evoke true, Texan charm. I especially like the china cowboy hat and the wooden(?)Cherokee bust; I guess texture touches me.;)

    What an amazing transformation from the realtor shots. Why, it's a 'whole 'nother thang, ain't it'? Your hubby must do a fair bit of hibernating in his stylish, Texan bedroom. After all, it's a cozy and comfortable retreat, a place where R.H. can grab some well deserved R & R when he's all 'tuckered out' from a long day's work, surrounded by all his treasured, sweet mementos.

    Happy weekend to you both!
    Hugs,
    Poppy

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  2. Dewena, those are delightful cowboy boots, and how special that they were custom made. I didn't realize RH has Texas roots and Cherokee. I love that statue. I've never seen the china cowboy hats, so cute. You have done a really nice job decorating RH's bedroom in the western look. You're right, it seems to never go out of style. When my dad passed away, I got an old western buckle of his. I sure wish you lived close to me so I could give it to you. That cozy little space with the chair is charming, and just right for him to read and relax, and the old knotty pine paneling is perfect for this room.

    Happy Memorial Day weekend, Dewena.

    love, ~Sheri

    ps belated birthday wishes to you from one May girl to
    another. : )

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  3. I love it that this bedroom reflect your husband's personality. It has treasures in it that remind him of his heritage. The cowboy boots are a hoot! This paneled room is perfect for him.

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  4. This was fun, Dewena, I enjoyed peeking into the cowboy room. I can't decide which item is my favorite -- the boots, the hat mug, the painting from your daughter, the Texas cake pan. . . . I like them all! I love it when bedrooms reflect the person they belong to.

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  5. I think r.h. would enjoy fisherman's man cave. Lots of western themed items including vintage lassos, saddles, hats and too many other things to mention. But I can't forget 'Buck ', our singing deer head.

    Don't ask.

    xxx

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  6. Oh Dewena ~ what a delightful post! I think the Western look goes wonderful with the knotty pine. I'm sure R.H. enjoys his room.

    Have a great weekend ~ FlowerLady

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  7. Love this Dewena. RH has a great bedroom. Loved learning about his family.
    Love the cowgirl boots too. Have a great weekend.
    Hugs,
    Kris

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  8. The cowgirl boots really add the final touch to the Western theme in RH's bedroom. And I like the juxtaposition of the floral curtains - your term 'faded elegance' is a perfect description!

    Happy weekend.

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  9. The room looks great! Your decor fits the cottage perfectly, like it was made for a western theme. We have those same walls in our 1929 cottage. The original owner painted the living rooms walls many years ago, but they are untouched in their full glory in our basement family room. I am a total history buff and the old photos really caught my attention. Great curtain finds and enjoy that room!! :)

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  10. This post would make a great article in a magazine! Really beautiful design. You have a gift. I'm so impressed.

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  11. What a bounty of treasures in that room! From pictures I've seen of your hubby, I see evidence of Cherokee on his face.
    Custom made cowgirl boots! Wow!!

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  12. There's an old saying here that you can take the man out of Texas, but you can't take Texas out of the man. ;) I LOVE your Western bedroom and the curtains are perfect!! But, my favorite is the pair of boots and their history! blessings ~ tanna
    ps I've bought my man boots... but, he always likes the ones he chooses best! LOL!

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  13. Good Morning Dewena,
    Lovely, interesting and a beautiful journey through the History and heritage of RH's retreat. Having a tad of Shoshone as my heritage and growing up in the West I love this and of course I have been in Texas forever now. I would love to sit in this welcoming room with those beautiful windows, curtains and warm tones and read. I just imagine this a great spot in your cottage home to reflect.

    Jemma

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  14. Dewena - What a great tour of a outstanding room! You have found so many neat things for his room. I am of Cherokee descent and love the Sequoyah piece. Also, note of interest, my Mom dated Bob Wills in her youth. Great collection.

    Judy

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  15. I love how you have decorated your husband's room just for him! It looks masculine but yet has a touch of that old world elegance. I bet he loves it. The cowgirl boots are beautiful.

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  16. I really enjoyed looking at and reading this post.
    RH has a great looking bedroom, love how it's decorated.
    It was interesting too learning about his family.
    ... love the cowgirl boots.

    Many thanks for sharing this here.
    My good wishes

    All the best Jan

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  17. What a great western room...So nice to have so many pieces of memory to decorate with. The curtains were perfect and did give the old world fee which really compliments the room. Love those girls cowboys...Your hubs must love his bedroom!

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  18. Oh what a fun post with the boots, photos, decor and history behind it all ! The room is just awesome!
    How do you get him to come out and do any Honey-Do stuff now...it's far too cozy!

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  19. I do like your western room and all the neat memorabilia. I visited the Virginia Historical society a few months ago when they had old toys on display from the 50's and the western room had hide blankets on the sofa along with paint by number horse paintings. Old toy guns hanging . Cowboy ashtray was even on the barrel end table . So neat looking with wood paneling. Oh yes, the boot lamp also.
    betsy

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  20. Dewena, I adore RH's bedroom. It's fabulous! The curtains look great with everything else. Great find, great choice! xo

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  21. Hi Dewena,
    I am a huge fan of Charlie M Russel. When we visited Montana we toured his studio and went thru his art gallery. I fell in love with him. A very fascinating artist. And the talent! His love for the American West is a unique story.
    I do like RH's bedroom. Thank you for sharing.
    Carla

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  22. I love it. It's museum quality.

    As for cowboy boots, I have a couple of pairs and they are the most comfortable shoe/boot I've ever put on.

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  23. A great tour, Dewena. So many interesting things. It is so nice that your husband is proud of his heritage and that you celebrate it like this.
    Amalia
    xo

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