From the mountains to the prairies, the American West looms large in our collective consciousness. Its material signifiers—desert-brown suede, hand-forged iron, sun-bleached adobe—are more than mere aesthetic touchstones; they’re tactile reminders of our enduring desire to explore, to build, to live not just on but with the land. Our favorite western-inspired furnishings, fashions, and more evoke that spirit in style.
Decorate
With echoes of utilitarian mattress ticking, saddle blankets, and homespun bedding, these Western-inflected fabrics and wallcoverings meld durable wovens with hand-embroidered accents, slubbed textures, and all manner of stripes in an earthy palette that makes them easy partners for patterns and solids.
TOP ROW: Kin Sisal Embroidery wallcovering by A Rum Fellow for Schumacher and Zuni Stripe fabric by Schumacher, schumacher.com. FABRICS, SECOND ROW: Japura by Christopher Farr Cloth, christopherfarrcloth.com. Marak by Namay Samay, johnrosselli.com. FABRICS, THIRD ROW: Aiko by Kettlewell Collection, wellsabbott.com. Ipala Hand Woven Stripe and Ribbon II, both by A Rum Fellow for Schumacher. FABRICS, BOTTOM ROW: Stanhope by Guy Goodfellow, johnrosselli.com. Carleigh Embroidered Ticking by Ralph Lauren, designersguild.com. Faso by Rose Tarlow, rosetarlow.com. Eivissa by Patterson Flynn for Schumacher. BACKGROUND: Franc Linen by Schumacher.
KEVIN KERRIlluminate
Drawing on prairie staples from kerosene lanterns and candles to stoneware jugs and horseshoes, lighting in rustic materials such as iron, wood, parchment, and leather have a primitive beauty reminiscent of the campfire’s glow.
See
For more than a century, the West’s wild terrain and seemingly endless sense of possibility has drawn an intrepid array of modern artists and architects to build structures that simultaneously pay homage to and draw stark contrast with their unspoiled surroundings. From Frank Lloyd Wright’s desert landmarks to James Turrell’s monumental installations, these creations capture the region’s pioneering spirit.
Architect Antoine Predock’s Spencer Theater for the Performing Arts in Alto, New Mexico, completed in 1997, appears almost superimposed on the stark surrounding landscape.
CORBIS/CORBIS VIA GETTY IMAGES
Situated high atop the red rocks of Sedona, Arizona, the Chapel of the Holy Cross was first conceived in the 1930s by local rancher and sculptor Marguerite Brunswig Staude; two decades later, Anshen & Allen Architects succeeded in bringing the monolithic structure to life.
RICK SCIBELLI JR
The Denver Art Museum’s North Building, commissioned by the museum in 1965, remains Gio Ponti’s only project on American soil.
JAMES FLORIO
Now the headquarters of the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation, Taliesin West in Scottsdale, Arizona, was the architect’s winter residence and studio from 1937 until his death in 1959.
ANDREW PIELAGEFurnish
At its most sophisticated, contemporary furniture that subtly evokes the American West combines the region’s natural materials, emphasis on humble utility, and rich melting pot of cultural influences to create designs that are streamlined yet unquestionably rugged.
Wear
Designers headed back to the ranch for Spring 2025 with refined takes on all-American Western-wear staples like denim, fringe, and cowboy boots. Tailored cuts and a distinctly bohemian spirit keep the look feeling of-the-moment—and prevent it from veering into costume territory.
Embroidered Dress ($5,990), Cowboy Boots ($1,290), and Cast Concho Belt ($1,990) by Ralph Lauren Collection, ralphlauren.com.
Courtesy of Ralph Lauren Collection
Vegan Suede Field Jacket ($2,400), Mixed Vegan Suede Jeans ($1,150), Elsa Vegan Leather Heels ($1,090), Vegan Leather Woven Buckle Belt ($495) by Stella McCartney, stellamccartney.com.
Courtesy of Stella McCartney
Suede Jacket ($4,300), Jeans ($1,195), Suede Boots ($1,590), and Necklace ($550) by Versace, versace.com.
Courtesy of Versace
Fringe Dress by Louis Vuitton, price upon request, louisvuitton.com.
Courtesy of Louis Vuitton
Jemme Coat ($14,900) and Wilber Pants ($8,000) by Gabriela Hearst, gabrielahearst.com.
Courtesy of Gabriela Hearst
Abilene Western Shirt ($720) and Abilene Trousers ($850) by Bode, bode.com.
Courtesy of BodeSet the Table
The most memorable meals conjure the ancestral comfort of gathering around the fire to share supper. The same durable, heavy-duty materials that endured on the ranch—denim, leather, wool, and wood—still grace tables today in a timeless, natural palette.
Stay
Enter your own frontier era with a visit to Ranchlands’ Paintrock Canyon Ranch, an 80,000-acre retreat nestled at the western base of the Bighorn Mountains in Wyoming. Live out your ranch-hand fantasies with horseback rides among cattle herds and canyons or engage in a bit of personal enrichment with workshops led by artists and writers, then retire to base camp where 14 fully furnished tents and a private chef await you for an evening
of fireside rest and relaxation.
All-inclusive packages at Paintrock Canyon Ranch start at $620 per night per person.
TONY MODUGNOTHIS ARTICLE ORIGINALLY APPEARED IN VOLUME 16 OF FREDERIC MAGAZINE. CLICK HERE TO SUBSCRIBE!
