Rachel Ashwell’s Bed & Breakfast

Of course you know that Rachel Ashwell, creator of Shabby Chic has a new B&B in Round Top Texas. You didn’t know?

Well, let’s have a bit of a tour to whet your appetite. There is a main public lodge and four cottages to choose from for my, er, your stay.

Main entrance to the Ranger station.

Yes please.

Bluebonnet Cottage

Random glamour shots of the other three cottages. Would it matter which one you stayed in?

I love them all but I really might have to stay in The Cornflower.

Because I can just imagine soaking in this gorgeous tub. Yes I can.

To find out more, check out the website. I’m not compensated in any way by Rachel Ashwell but I’ve been one of her cheerleaders “marketers- at- large” for many years. From what I can tell, she has kept integrity even during difficulties and restructuring of her company. Unfortunately, that’s becoming more of a rarity.

Well, this is another one for the bucket list.

Tanya

A Place in the Country

Have you ever wished for a place to spend a weekend just relaxing and unwinding from the hectic day to day life? Then join me and tour an eclectic, mountain getaway built by one family on their country property in the Ozark mountains. It all began by building a large barn with a living space on top. An apartment with two bedrooms, one bathroom and sweeping views in every direction. The barn was sited to face the river on a gently rolling, open area.

Up the stairs to the massive porch on the apartment. This is the view. Although somewhat monchromatic in the winter, the sense of space and open air is enough to clear the cobwebs of your mind!

Massive logs and woodwork frame the porch where a hammock waits only a few steps away.

A touch of Craftsmen style details on the porch adds to the handcrafted ambience of the apartment.

Fun is a serious pastime at the farm!

Reclaimed wood floors stand up to many of the rambunctious activities of family, friends, and pets. The living room and kitchen are decorated in soothing neutrals so that the interior doesn't compete with the views outside. The kitchen cabinets were custom made out of barn wood from an antique barn which was located on the property. Simple chicken wire fronts keep all of the essentials in view but neatly tucked away.

Refrigerator alcove, in case you're as hungry as a bear!

The front of the dishwasher blends in like a drawer front.

Any naturalist would be thrilled to find room for their treasures on the open shelving in the kitchen.

The Master bedroom is simple and peaceful, yet roomy enough for a king sized bed. This bedroom has a private deck with a beautiful view of one of the hills on the property.

The girls' bedroom is decidedly brighter and more feminine. Repurposed furnishing from the primary residence come together perfectly for a unique space. The only bathroom in the apartment has been lavished with natural materials for a luxury spa feel but with a nod to the rustic surroundings. A massive slab of granite forms the back of the walk-in shower. The use of wood and oil rubbed bronze fixtures add to the rich feel. There's plenty of visual texture in this easy to care for tile floor. Again the color palette reflects the outdoors. Small touches such as this pitchfork towel rack serve as a reminder that this was once a homestead farm.

A peek into the large barn below shows that there is plenty of room for storage, barn dances, and fourth of July parties!

I hope you enjoyed our tour. Did the stress start to melt away? Maybe we need to take a walk down to the river, or sit by the bonfire, or nap on the porch, or watch for the Bald Eagle and it's young, or.........

Dreaming of Gardens

I've been a very bad Holiday blogger. My New Year's resolution is to keep up with this blog or forget it completely! Although I must say that all of you wonderful bloggers that posted your Christmas decorations and happenings kept me in the creative mood when I was overwhelmed. Thank you so much! So now we're back to school and my mind is wandering to garden and landscape plans for the spring. The front of our house still needs a lot of work in the greenery department! I am also planning a very productive Organic garden. I haven't had one since we moved into this house (4+) years ago. The soil here is ROCK, so we'll have to be putting in some raised beds and amending the soil A LOT. We did some advance planning(rare around here) and started a compost pile last summer, so we'll have some rich compost to add to the mix. Of course adding in the garden structures is where things get tricky (pricey). So we're trying to make a plan and count the cost at this point. I still have a master bathroom with concrete floors and not the pretty kind. I don't want to go overboard with garden expenses. I would love for you to share your budget garden tips with me! We toured a historic Bed and Breakfast before Christmas and I got a few shots of the garden area, which was truthfully my favorite part. Maybe the pictures will inspire you also. Happy New Year!