Bear rugs. Buffalo, cow, horsehides. Flukotis. But I ALSO see oriental style rugs... more in the "tribal" patterns.

I picture fabrics with interesting weaves... herringbone, tartans, or more coarsely woven fabrics in colors that reflect the intrinsic color variations found in "rugged" weaves.

Naturally, I'm thinking in terms of BIG, bold, LODGE style buildings. AND! I've never been to the Pacific NW to see with my OWN eyes the myriad and wonderful subtleties the regional style has to offer... . I'm sure my perceptions are every bit as gauche to "natives" as are those many of you hold about my native New England to me. ;)

It will be fun to see how my "feel" for your area differs from the reality that will be shared by those who actually live there and have a "feel" for the subtleties.

HI - I live up North....I would say you might see: large, primative wood furniture, antler chandeliers, nice faux fur throws, cowhide fur and/or leather upholstered chairs, a nice mix of carved/etched glass sculpture, thick pillows, many types of upholstered pieces [whether mix-maxed prints, chenille, microsuede, leather], beautiful glass cabinet doors, sleek stainless steeel, beautiful wood floors, stone.....and local artifacts and fine art.

I'm in Oregon and have been attempting to get a handle on this myself. The Pacific Northwest is very diverse. Chelone is correct with lodge - think about Timberline Lodge on Mt. Hood. But Seattle offers a unique view too - grunge! LOL - what the heck do you do with that? Actually - in terms of decorating that brought the Starbucks/coffee house look. There has always been an Asian influence too - think Zen. And then there is the outdoorsy/organic style, that I am trying to capture.

There is a book dedicated to it.

Here is a link that might be useful: The Northwest Style

In our area (outside Seattle) the exteriors are all variations of gray, green or brown. I think they're afraid of color.

As for interiors, when I was rug shopping here and described what I was looking for, I was usually told that that's an "east coast" type rug--whatever that meant. So I guess NW style does not include traditional pakistani or indian rugs. I don't care; I got what I wanted.

Get the movie Black Widow and see the house set up in Seattle. There's coastal Indian art, lodge type furnishings and a touch of Asian. Very nice.

I think of wool and things that resist moisture :-)

Hi Roguevalley, I am also in the Rogue Valley. In fact I was pretty much housebound today because of the snow. My husband took my 4 wheel drive to work, and there are some pretty steep streets around me.

As far as the northwest style interiors, the lodge look would be the image that people outside the area would have, though you rarely see it here in real life, except in well, lodges.

I guess it all depends on what part of the NW you're talking about. In the urban areas (Portland, Oregon, for example) you've got a lot of Craftsman/Mission styles. Also a heavy influence of Frank Lloyd Wright and mid-century modern.

In the Eastern portions of the NW, it's very desert, and rustic. Think Pendleton wools and lodge styles. SW portions are western. Also there is a heavy influence of Native American styles on the East side. I don't know so much that there is a big Asian influence, but that would be more likely on the Westside.

Coastal areas tend to be light and airy, lots of windows for winter storm and whale watching. Blonde wood tones and a more contemporary feel.

Exteriors in the NW are generally wood (or Hardiplank) siding. Cedar is prevalent. You can count on no Spanish style or Miami-tropics.

Most people think of the NW as constantly raining, not so...in Oregon there are definitely seasons, and it gets VERRRY hot and dry in Southern and Eastern Oregon. Only Washington state, and the NW portion of that, is the most drenched part.

pesky has pretty much summed it up :) We saw a beautiful Rummer yesterday (the Eichler-wannabes in Portland) but when *I* think of PNW, the first thing that comes to mind for me is "PNW Contemporary", which is really more modern than "contemporary"...I think of a more organic, more wood-and-textile-representing modern than California modern, for instance. VG fir in there somewhere.

Not all these have interiors, but they sure do capture a recognizable style--I googled "PNW architect" trying to come up Pietro Belluschi...

Oh, and there's a book at Amazon called "PNW Style" that illustrates the diversity that pesky was talking about:
http://www.amazon.com/Northwest-Style-Interior-Architecture-Pacific/dp/0811825361

Here is a link that might be useful: hope those are reclaimed beams...

terriks - hi neighbor. I'm in central point and we were pretty homebound til late morning too.

True - there is not much lodge in our Southwestern part of the state. In the last few years we have a lot of Tuscan being built in our hillsides which I don't quite understand, except that our climate mimics the Mediterranean.

Frank Lloyd Wright was very influenced by Asian art. Anyone interested in his architecture may find the description and reviews of this book interesting (see link):

Here is a link that might be useful: Frank Lloyd Wright and Japanese Art

Hahahaha! This thread reminds me of my late gentleman friend who travelled a lot for Boeing telling me that people in other areas of the country really do think that we in the PNW live in circled covered wagons. I didn't believe him at the time. But now I'm wondering.

A typical PNW home has slab construction with cedar siding. Most are two-story. There are a very few stucco Spanish styles, but it rains here too much for that to be practical.

Interiors are all over the board, pretty much the same as anywhere else, depending on what folks personally like. You find mod, traditional, Victorian, transitional, cottage, shabby chic, stainless and granite, the whole shebang.

Most homes have wall-to-wall carpeting although hardwood floors are popular too, as well as vinyl. You don't tend to see much tile or stone in living rooms because it's wet and cool here 9 months of the year, but maybe in kitchens or baths, and entries. Orange peel wall texture is used a lot. Wealthier people have fancier homes -- some in gated communities up on hills with spectacular views or on the water, and poorer people have less fancy ones, just like everywhere else. Some folks live in high rises downtown, but most live in the suburbs. There are old beautiful Victorians, and there is new construction, and everything in between. Funny, but with all this rain nobody seems to have anything called a "mud room" so to speak, and you seldom see an umbrella, but jackets often have hoods.

The usual folks, bankers, real estate salespeople and so on dress up for work, but the Microsofties and the Boeing folks don't unless they have to go to some big-deal meeting. No sense wading through mud puddles in your best nylons and pumps unless you're going to the opera or out to a fancy dinner. Many folks with lots of money don't dress up for work, including Bill Gates unless he's going to be on TV.

There are a few log cabins, as I've driven past some (mostly very expensive and upscale), but I've never personally known anyone who owned one.

In the last few years we have a lot of Tuscan being built in our hillsides which I don't quite understand, except that our climate mimics the Mediterranean.

Yes, I live amongst what have been called the "plaster palaces". My house however, has Hardiplank siding and it not quite so grand.

If you want a feel of the interior design for higher end homes in the Portland area, checkout the link below.

Here is a link that might be useful: Design

Waving to all the PNW'ers! Everyone enjoy their snow day yesterday?

I just wanted to say that oceanna hit the nail right on the head with her post. She described the feel here perfectly!

I don't particularily see much in the way of a lodge decor in my house or any of my friends.

I do see lots of cedar siding but cultured stone is everywhere now. Almost every new home built seems to have some of it. Mine included! ;c) And many areas like Lake Oswego are European influenced in my opinion. French Country is the phrase of the year amongst real estate ads.

Cheers!
Lindy from Portland

I too live in the PNW (SW WA) and Oceanna is spot on. But if I had to pick one style that I see the most it would be craftsman, at least in my area. And Oceanna, I rarely dress up and never use an umbrella, hooded coats are easier!

*waving to all the southern northwesterners* hahaha. Up in the FAR north west (Alaska) we have a LOT of log homes, but quite a few cedar siding, and even plain old vinyl siding. Lately they've been putting up a lot of pre-fab type homes, but I worry that they were engineered more for the lower 48 and not for our artic conditions. Amazingly enough, we also have tons of houses that still have no running water, outhouses are common, some that have water have holding tanks, although wells and septic systems are probably the most common set up. In my area, homes are more about energy efficiency and keeping warm than a lot of fashion. Our temps range from 90 in the summer to -60ish in the winter. We have 22 1/2 hours in between sunrise and sunset in the summer, so heavy drapes and lightblocking shades are TOTALLY in :). However, we also have 2 1/2 hours between sunrise and sunset in the winter, so we also tend to place the drapes where the whole window can be exposed in the winter for those few hours. Here, there is a lot of lodge decor, heavy wood, leather, animal skins/furs.

We're in the process of buying our first home here, so I haven't even begun to decorate yet, but it is fun to dream. The home we're buying is an older log home with homemade wooden doors, exposed logs, rough plank ceilings, TONS of charm, total custom (and I would be surprised if there is even one perfectly square wall in the house, LOL).

Veronica

Here is a link to one design store that does work in the Southern Oregon area. You can look at residential pics here for ideas. Some of the photography is too artsy - not focusing on the room enough. My personal favorite is the Sullivan Residence.

Here is a link that might be useful: Terra Firma

Wow I had no idea how many people where in Oregon on here!

I enjoyed our litle snow day! lol

Up around Portland and the out skirts of little towns you see a lot of ART. around town a lot of craftsman, old Victorians,(cultured stone is everywhere! My hubby sells it!) and everything in between, your see huge houses with little houses, old and new, most things in my town are being redone at a crazy rate, but I'm sure that will slow down, we had a huge jump when the houses where really selling and the market was very hot!

You seen really fancy, but small redone homes with homes that have not been touched or repainted in forever a lot!

Jobs are hard to come by and people with money come up from California and think they are getting huge back yards when they buy in town, it's a odd mix, older people from all over in my town with the poor. sadly drugs seem to be a income choice for a lot of the people who are not in the medical feild looking after all the older peeps.

I really think everyone just does what they want, I'm surprised that people who have never been here really do think we live in circled covered wagons!

When I first moved up here my aunt asked where do we get our food from, I told her once a month a gypsy cart cames into town and we got our dry goods from him. I really had her going for a while until my uncle ruined it as he had been out here :P

Homes from Portland are always on T.V and in magazines, even smaller houses owned by poor folk as they did something Different like paint it purple or other crazy thing.

I see Asian, cottage, craftsman mix in a lot of gardens, a lot have a Tuscan feel, it's crazy I love it! oh and the coast towns have that cute coast feel, not really high end.
there a bit cheesy but I love them anyway lol

Every one who lives here did a great job telling other how it is :)

The Pacific Northwest is very VERY diverse in it's style and it's people, if you notice most of the really out there laws started out here from, medical marijuana to Oregon's right to die, we are always making the news for being different.

Are you talking ski lodge or residence?