Lunch on the Prairie. . .

 Yesterday I headed out to “The Prairie” for a bloggers luncheon.

THREE of my favorite flags hang at the entrance.  . .

The Prairie welcomes you right away. . .

The open rusty fence

The Vintage Prairie truck

  Parking spaces labeled Dale Evens, Roy Rogers, Tom Mix ( and other western heros) beckon you arrival.

 The Laundry lines are full of linens

Rachel Ashwell’s Shabby Chic Couture in Round Top is officially open for you to visit!

So get your calendar ready, I see a weekend trip in your future!

  We headed to the Rangers Lounge for lunch   Our gracious and fabulous hosts:

Kelley, Bud and Rachel

 

 Bud Royer provided a wonderful lunch

His famous Shrimp BLT and my personal Fav the grilled chicken house salad with the cilantro ranch- that ranch is HEAVEN!

and of course no Royer meal is complete without pie, especially the chocolate chip pie AND with Amy’s ice cream OF course!

  After lunch and in between chatting, we ooo’d and ahhh’d at the Ranger Lounge and all the details.

 The Wedding Cake on the left has been used at many weddings including J.LO and Pamela Anderson ( just to name drop a couple)

Sketches by Rachel and her sister

 Then Rachel sat down and shared a bit of her vision and what brought her down to Texas.

“The Prairie is part aesthetic inspiration from Marie Antoinette, part authentic detail from Coal Miner’s Daughter, and part passion from Gone with the Wind. The Prairie is my Tara. And my deep rooted love of country music now has a home.”

Rachel has been coming to Round Top to shop  Antique Week for years always staying at this property ( a former bed and breakfast) and last year she became the new owner and her “. . .long held dream of having a small, perfect hotel became real”.

The main homestead (seen below) was built in the early 1800′s and the other buildings on the property have been moved / added over time.

I love how Rachel talks about cherishing every restored element on the property and plans to continue adding to this property making it a creative space for her future furnishings and fabulous fabrics.

As we walked the property she told us her inspiration for each building.

Now remember it IS antique week so she was full with guest. But she and her staff graciously welcomed us into their haven in the “liliput lodge”.

  She said she wanted to show more than lilacs and lace

So throughout The Prairie you will find a Wagon Wheel chandelier, deer, Antlers and horse shoe decor.

Things you will probably not find in her LA, NY or London hubs.

She wanted the Prairie to be a blend of her Style. . .

“In the same way I have brought the shabby into chic for two decades, at The Prairie I am embracing the diversity of my aesthetics, while still keeping my common threads.”

Love this drape, with that blue wood wall. LOVE.

Rachel collects watercolor paintings, loves to paint herself and is welcoming that inspiration at The Prairie. She

“. . . .realized that having art in our soul gives us all a forever safe place in minds.”

We then went thru the horseshoe gate to the new shop. . .

A cozy porch swing and sweet Pearl ( the Prairie dog) set the mood. . .

Relax!

They even have their own scent out on the Prairie.

I definitely grabbed one of these to burn when I am feeling homesick in Nashville.

It smells AHmazing!

Obsessed with these pillows. . .

Union Jack and The Lone Star flags

Ahhhh! How does one choose which one??

After leaving the store Rachel had pointed out her “finds” from the antique week (so far!):

Vintage Christmas wares. . .

A collection of Florentine – which might I add I have been picking up lil pieces of Florentine for the last few months on my “estate salin” journeys! Glad to know I am not alone in this Florentine hunt!

And all her fun pieces awaiting paint, repairs and shabby rehabs. . .

We headed back to the Lounge. . .

I loved getting to chat with so many sweet ladies!

One of her inspiration boards hangs in the office:

Her inspiration board inspired me for my inspiration board that needs inspiration ( oh the irony)

“. . . . It’s an ongoing process of adding and deleting elements. Scraps of fabrics, sketches and personal bits and bobs…The end result is what I consider authentic art.”

I SO wish my sister Kelsey had been there too! Looks like another trip to the Prairie is needed!! Thanks Again Bud and Rachel

( and Kelley & Dwell with Dignity too)

It was a memorable and inspiring day!

And I am already looking forward to YOU visiting The Prairie SOON!

For Reservation info check out her site Here!