Escape From Everyday

Knotty pine, forged iron, weathered planks, and similar rustic materials hardly seem to be the makings of home furnishings that appeal to today's consumer — except, perhaps, to outfit the family vacation cabin. But the casual appeal of the lodge look strikes a chord among many people, and furniture and decorative accessory manufacturers have tapped into that market with sophisticated treatments that are as comfortable in a Montana ranch house as in a SoHo loft.

"Many of us spend so much of our time in front of a computer, on the phone, or in an office environment that we don't have time to relax and enjoy the world around us," notes Andrea Smith, public relations manager at Bob Timberlake Inc., the artist's licensing company. "The home is our sanctuary. We want it to be comfortable and to bring us peace of mind."

One way that people are meeting the need for sanctuary is by creating a relaxed atmosphere in their homes; turning living space into a place to unwind after a long day at the office or tending to the kids' needs. The idea that one can go home and feel sheltered from the bustle of everyday life is the main appeal of the lodge look.

"Research tells us that lodge gives the consumer a chance to 'go back to nature' and create a more 'aspirational' area in more conservative homes," notes Julian Billinghurst, product strategist at Midwest of Cannon Falls. "Lodge has been a popular theme and shows no sign of decreasing."

Unlike many other home decor designs, the lodge look is a style that appeals to both men and women. The customer that buys lodge-style accessories is someone who loves nature and the outdoors, regardless of gender. The typical lodge consumer is educated, a homeowner — possibly also a second-home owner — and is over the age of 30. Andrea Smith notes that professionals who work full-time in stuffy offices, and who also enjoy vigorous activities like hiking and camping in their free time, are the kinds of people that shop for lodge product.

In describing the target audience for the Hemingway Collection, Marla Metzner, president of Fashion Licensing of America, says, "We go by the personality. A person who has a sense of individualism. Someone who's passionate about what they do. People who want to look like they've traveled the world to decorate their home." Metzner's firm is the exclusive licensor of the Hemingway Collection.

In recent years, lodge has made the big leap from being a niche category to across-the-board application. Many customers have embraced the design motif, citing its comfort factor and the appeal of bringing a little piece of nature into their homes.

While most agree that the lodge look is perfect for a mountain or lakeside retreat, it can also blend in to urban dwellings with relative ease. With the right products, the lodge style can be incorporated into a traditional first home.

The Windemere line from the Ernest Hemingway Collection, introduced at High Point last October, hearkens back to the summers the author spent at his parents' lakeside retreat in northern Michigan. "There are elements of Windemere that can go in any setting, including a loft in New York City," says Marla Metzner. "This is a way to bring a woodsy feel to the home. It has to do with people wanting to slow down and get back to nature."

Mai Wyn Schantz, art director at Shady Lady, the Grafton, Wisconsin-based manufacturer of lamps, tables, and accessories, agrees that the lodge look has its place in an urban dwelling, if used in the right way. There is no rule that says you have to live on a lake to enjoy Shady Lady's Lakescape lamp, for example. "Lodge is rooted in the Midwest, the mountains, and areas that have remained 'wild,' but it is a nationwide trend. The best part is that lodge can be rustic and casual, fun and vintage, and even elegant like the mountain home of Hemingway."

Sharon Beasley, director of design at Bob Timberlake Inc., says that lodge can be combined with antiques or a rustic theme, but for the most part it will mix best with casual comfort decor. "The World of Bob Timberlake — the original collection — even though it's considered very 18th century, is very casual. The lodge look of today mixes well with that line," she says.

"Lodge also works really well with a western look, because they are both very natural in their grounding. They are both rustic, but in different ways. Lodge also works with weather-beaten and worn-looking Americana product," offers Julian Billinghurst.

Shady Lady's Mai Wyn Schantz says, "I love to mix lodge with other styles. It's great with American country collectibles, southwest items like Navajo rugs, Spanish crosses, and sun-bleached cow skulls, and especially 1950s retro and other nostalgic Americana pieces.

From pillows and throws to furniture and lamps, lodge merchandise is now available in a wide range of price points and designs. There are rustic pieces that are suitable for a complete lodge look, as well as more refined, upscale pieces that can be incorporated into a traditional home.

Added Julian Billinghurst, "Jumping on the lodge bandwagon is pretty easy, because we're seeing a proliferation of great lodge items which are both reasonably priced and cross many different formats. Lodge home decor pieces are plentiful. They give the retailer a chance to do a complete room set and sell the dream to a customer."

Says Andrea Smith of Bob Timberlake: "There's a lot to choose from. Many price points that a retailer can carry in their shop."

In these times of renewed interest in American Style, the lodge look will win many new converts. "It embodies all that is American," says Mai Win Schantz. "It is the one style that was born from this landscape, and our shared past."