Secrets of a Rustic Decor Shop Owner

Recently I was chatting with a good customer of ours as she was about to buy yet another deer decor item. “Where are you going to put this?” I asked. “Well I really don’t have a place for it, but I like it” she said.
 We talked a little longer; she made her purchase and invited me to meet later at her house for wine.



“Hey! You can’t have too much deer décor!”

That evening when I entered her house, I was confronted by what looked like everything in our shop, plus lots of hunting decor. And as much as I liked her selections, it was, to be honest, overwhelming. There were rustic decor and wildlife decorations everywhere. Antlers poked out of lamps, hung from fixtures, surrounded mirrors and held up tabletops. No wall or surface was bare. Her timber home itself was just exquisite, but it was absolutely bursting at the seams with rustic decor. So when she asked me for a few tips, I shared some straightforward rustic decor “secrets”:

Simple Ways to Give your Rustic Great Room a Great Spring Makeover

Start by considering how you and your family have been actually using your great room. For example; do you use the great room for entertaining? Do you use the fireplace? Do you watch TV in the great room, or does your family tend to do that elsewhere? Do your pets stay in the room with you? Do you play board games in the room?




By spending a few minutes thinking about how you and your family have actually come to use the great room, you can then determine what to improve and what to remove. For example, if you never really use the fireplace during summer months, you might consider putting a decorative multi- candleholder inside the firebox and removing the bulky log holder on the hearth. If family members enjoy craft projects or playing board games, why not cover a round table with a decorative floor length tablecloth and define a well-lit space just for crafts or puzzles?

De-clutter your great room. How long have the same dated magazines been sitting in that tired wicker basket? Are the glasses you have sitting on that bar tray dusty and uninviting? Are your candles along the mantel place looking tired and spent? Is everyone sick of the same framed family photos? Consider the adage: “If something doesn’t add to the room, take it away” (or at least re-frame, “spring clean” or re-furbish it).

Give your great room a feeling of spring by enhancing the room’s color palette with bright accents. . A few well placed hooked pillows, lightweight throws, accent rugs and flowers can completely transform a great room, giving it a lighter feel and new look. Colors like pale yellow and crisp contrasting navy blues and bright whites are great choices to liven up a great room for spring.
Freshen up decorations, or store away ski themed decor to bring in the new season



My Enlightening Equestrian Experience

I love horses – always have. Ever since I was a youngster I’ve felt joyful in their presence. So, when my family and I relocated to a rural area and I was looking for an opportunity to volunteer, I chose “Horses Unlimited”.



Horses Unlimited is an organization in our county which provides therapeutic horseback riding services to children (and adults) with disabilities. This wonderful local organization is accredited by the North American Riding for the Handicapped Association (NARHA), which has over 600 other riding centers across the United States and Canada. (If you’re interested in an incredibly rewarding volunteer experience, don’t hesitate to look up your local chapter.)


I learned a lot of things from volunteering at Horses Unlimited. I had never dreamed that equine-assisted therapy could be so beneficial. While each participant involved in this therapy program has their own specific challenges, everyone seems to gain a sense of empowerment from the sessions. The physical benefits are equally impressive. The professional therapists present games and activities tailored to each participant’s physical goal plan. The young riders used their muscles and ability to balance without even realizing they were reaching therapy goals. They talk more, they listen to directions, they become confident to try new things; it’s just amazing.


But best of all, it was those moments of empowerment that seemed to transcend disabilities. Maybe it came from sitting up so high on their horses, heads above the spectators, or from feeling in control and directing a much larger being.


I’m not sure what it is about equine-assisted therapy that gets such results. But I do know that some very giving volunteers and gentle horses work their magic to bring countless smiles and confidence to many deserving children.


This enlightening equestrian experience is part of the reason I opted to carry western and horse decor accent pillows, western cowboy décor, decorative throws and horse wall decor for children in our rustic decor shop (blackbearrusticdecor.com). So many children love horses… I sure did…and still do.

About us:  Black Bear Rustic Decor is based in the Sierras in the historic mill town of Graeagle (pronounced “Gray Eagle”) about an hour north of Lake Tahoe. Our shop specializes in cabin accessories, cabin decor and unique one-of-a-kind furnishings handcrafted by local artists. The beauty and timeless appeal of Graeagle, which looks much like it did back in the 1850’s, is inspiration for our rustic furnishings. We love helping people, who love the great outdoors as much as we do, to capture its rustic beauty within their homes.

I Don’t Need a Dog

It was a very difficult time. My good friend’s dog was critically ill at the same time my own beloved golden retriever was in the last stages of his life.

My friend and I had many discussions about this very heartbreaking chapter in dog ownership and how to stay strong. And then one day, being particularly tired and emotional, she said to me “I can’t do this again…I’ll never have another dog, it’s just too hard.”


While I shared her sadness and felt just as exhausted by all night care giving, her comment made me smile. And this is why: my very compassionate friend is an absolute dog lover. Loving dogs is so much a part of who she is.

One of my favorite photos captures her grinning with three squirming dogs on her lap. She’s donated artwork and money to rescue groups, rescued more dogs than anyone can count, and cared for so many stray dogs in her life, that no one would believe the numbers, or the efforts she’s gone to save dogs.


Anyway, that’s why her comment made me smile.


So in my exhausted state, I wrote a rebuttal of sorts, a poem, which follows.


To Elvis’s mom and the world’s best dog owner




You don’t need a dogto bring you love every day
to keep you here, in the now, present, today

You don’t need a dog
to look at the world through your heart
to excitedly greet you when you’ve been apart

You don’t need a dog
always ready to walk at your pace
to nudge you when you’re blue and then burp in your fac

You don’t need a dog
to selectively hear your voice calling
and then come on a dime
at the sound of food falling


You don’t need a dog
to follow you room to room and get in your wayto make you drop what you’re doing
when HE wants to play


You don’t need a dog
with a soft furry head and ragged plush toy
to run through the meadows – a picture of joy


You don’t need a dog to ride in your car or kayak
to retrieve a stick, he may, or may not,
ever bring back

You don’t need a dog
to tear at your heart when he’s gone
to make you question your life and how you’ll go on


You don’t need a dog
(I doubt that that’s true)
but one thing’s for certain
I do.

My handsome golden lives in my heart now, ever faithful and near when I need him. Our lines of communication have changed, but he’s still with me.

And when customers comment on the dog decor in our shop, I smile and tell them that we all need reminders to "live in the moment".
You might not need a dog, but I do.




About us: Black Bear Rustic Decor is based in the Sierras in the historic mill town of Graeagle (pronounced “Gray Eagle”) about an hour north of Lake Tahoe. Our shop specializes in cabin accessories, cabin decor and unique one-of-a-kind furnishings handcrafted by local artists. The beauty and timeless appeal of Graeagle, which looks much like it did back in the 1850’s, is inspiration for our rustic furnishings. We love helping people, who love the great outdoors as much as we do, to capture its rustic beauty within their homes.