Design inspiration abounds in Texas. Photo credits: Furniture: Hooker Furniture; Scenic: Cynthia Sutton, Nutmeg’s; Steve Rawls, Fredericksburg Convention & Visitors Bureau.
The Hill Country Story- Part 1 of a 3-Part Series
As a Texan for most of my life, I can truly say there’s no place like home in the Lone Star State–a land big in size, spirit and can-do attitude.
Here we can travel across prairies, hilly countrysides, forests and seaside ports without ever crossing the state line. Legends loom sky-high from Davy Crockett’s last stand at the Alamo to J.R. Ewing’s mythical oil baron reign at Southfork. This is where big dreams come true as evidenced by multi-cultural influences (from Spain, France, Mexico, Germany and Italy) that have enriched our heritage throughout the years. They’ve also served as the foundation for a design point-of-view with universal appeal because it’s reflective of the American spirit as a whole.
The Bandara dining table, inspired by the bigger-than-life Hill Country of Texas, is crafted of flat-cut rustic white oak veneer for an authentic, refined rustic look. Hooker Furniture
The Hill Country writing desk can play many roles: desk, sofa table, buffet. Photo: Hooker Furniture
Hooker Furniture’s new casual American Hill Country Furniture Collection taps into this trend with designs that reflect the varied landscape and European influences found in an iconic region of our state.
And because Hill Country is infused with authentic American character, it’s a look that takes a deep dive into the artistry, antiques, culture and natural terrain of not only the hill country of Texas, but also the refined estates of Napa Valley and the natural beauty of the bluegrass regions of Kentucky.
The Hill Country Blanco Table adjusts in height so it can be used for multiple purposes: foyer table, dining table or bistro table. Hooker Furniture + Julia Ermlich, Fredericksburg Visitor Center & Bureau; Cynthia Sutton.
With its striking architectural pedestal and time-worn, saddle brown finish, the Blanco foyer/dining table provides an easy-on-the-eyes transition from scenic outdoor settings such as this grassy field overlooking the Pedernales River and a wooded enclave with spotted deer.
The Blanco Table easily adjusts to bistro-table height, left; or dining table height, along with foyer table height. Hooker Furniture
Inspired by hand-wrought ironworks that Hooker designers found during a trip to Texas Hill Country, this cocktail table is trimmed out with rustic metal straps and decorative nail heads. Photo: Hooker Furniture and Cynthia Sutton, Nutmeg’s.
The Pinta Trail Strong Box Cocktail Table looks as Old West as cattle roaming on a ranch. But look inside. It’s designed for modern living with sliding tops, removable trays, storage galore (including a nine-cell wine rack) and casters for easy moving.
Inside, the Pinta Trail Strong Box Cocktail Table offers ample storage with sliding tops, removable trays and even a 9-cell wine rack. Hooker Furniture
At this 86-inch dining table, you can host a herd because it comes with two 18-inch leaves. Fredericksburg Visitor & Convention Bureau, Hooker Furniture.
Crafted of flat-cut rustic white oak veneer finished to appear seasoned over time, the Bandera Dining Table is a refined rustic like the native Texas Hill Country limestone used to build the Pioneer Museum in Fredericksburg.
The Driskill Hotel, located in downtown Austin, is a legendary Texas landmark that inspired several pieces of the Hill Country Collection. Photo: The Driskill.
Built in 1886 as the showplace of cattle baron Jesse Driskill, The Driskill Hotel is designed with turn-of-the-century elegance in mind and served as inspiration for several pieces of Hooker’s Hill Country Collection.
The finish of this huntboard and accent chest was inspired by native Sandstone quarried in Texas Hill Country for centuries, and seen on this antique desk (lower right) in the Driskill Hotel lobby. Photos: Hooker Furniture
For example, the ornate French carvings on the Bexar Leg Huntboard and Floresville Bachelor Chest are patterned after carvings on an antique desk spotted by Hooker Furniture designers when they walked through the Driskill lobby.
Like Texas Hill Country, this statuesque bed is a blend of design influences. Photos: Hooker Furniture; Julia Ermlich, Fredericksburg Visitor & Convention Bureau; The Driskill
The Woodcreek King Mansion Bed has strong, clean lines (like the stain glass dome in the Driskill Hotel) that are accentuated by a warm nature-derived palette with lots of depth, similar to the Enchanted Rock Natural Granite Formation in Fredericksburg.
The Ozark bed bench adds additional seating without taking up much space. Photos: Hooker Furniture, Blake Mistich, Steve Rawls, Fredericksburg Visitor and Convention Bureau.
With rustic fiddlehead legs and a wood slat top, the Ozark bed bench conjures images of ranch life where cattle roam free and boots are both wardrobe essentials and fashion statements.
In an open floorplan space, this desk can double as a desk/sofa table. Julia Ermlich, Steve Rawls, Fredericksburg Visitor & Convention Bureau; Hooker Furniture
The soft curves and turns of the Lytle Writing Desk were inspired by the rolling hills and fields of bluebonnets that dot the landscape of Texas Hill Country.
This Hill Country accent table adds architectural interest with its corkscrew silhouette perched atop a fanciful carved base. Photos: Hooker Furniture; Steve Rawls, Fredericksburg Convention & Visitor Center.
The Poteet Accent Martini Table provides a perfect perch for a cool drink when relaxing after a long day. For us Texans, that means sipping iced tea while taking in a gorgeous sunset and pondering what lies down the road the next day in the Lone Star State.
Whether you’re in the city, ‘burbs or somewhere in between, furniture like Hill Country delivers distinct American style. Ours is a big country. Time to bring it home.
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