An Interview with Rachel Ashwell

Rachel Ashwell at The Prairie.

“I have always looked forward to my twice a year flea market visits to Texas,“ said Rachel.

A few weeks ago, I had the pleasure of staying at The Meadow Manor at The Prairie, Rachel Ashwell‘s new bed and breakfast in Round Top, Texas.  Though my stay was short, it was enough to completely inspire me and left me with many questions for Rachel.  The home where I stayed was a lovely restored 1800s manor with all original wood floors and ceilings.  The Meadow Manor was updated and decorated with fabrics, vintage pieces, and furniture from Rachel Ashwell’s Shabby Chic line and updated with Farrow and Ball wall covering and paints.  I was intrigued by nearly every aspect of the bed and breakfast and thus, was beyond ecstatic when Rachel agreed to answer a few questions about the design process of The Prairie for Nonsense & Sensibility!

So, has Rachel always wanted to open a bed and breakfast, or did she simply decide to begin the adventure when the opportunity presented itself? “Decorating a hotel has been a lifelong dream of mine,” she said, “My lifestyle places me in hotels of all levels all around the world.  The formula I am looking for, but that is usually hard to find, is luxury combined with elements of the local culture.  Often I find hotels offer generic corporate luxury without authenticity. Or, they offer the local culture, but are then lacking in comfort.”  And, it’s true, she has seemingly found the perfect balance with The Prairie. Rachel’s bed and breakfast offers a relaxed Texas vibe mixed with luxurious Shabby Chic bedding and Molton Brown toiletries.  And, why did she choose Round Top for her first venture into hospitality?  “The people make the town so great,” said Rachel, “For years, I have always looked forward to my twice a year flea market visits to Texas.  I love the music, the land, and I take in the local culture.  The town of Round Top is tiny, but filled with so many artists and interesting people- it is a pleasure to escape from the hustle and bustle of New York, Los Angeles, and London.”

The Meadow Manor at The Prairie

Meadow Manor

The Front Living Room

Chandelier in the Meadow Manor

Rachel took ownership of the previous bed and breakfast in December of 2010 and reopened in March of this year, updating all of the bathrooms, wallpapering, and repainting and furnishing all of the units paying special attention to every detail.  However, she says The Prairie is certainly not complete.  “I think this type of project is always a work in progress,” she said, “We are already refurbishing a house we just bought and moved on the property and plan to open a Rachel Ashwell Shabby Chic store in October.  As we are booked up during certain times of the year, we are also discussing creating more rooms.”  She said that the team is learning as they go and making adjustments along the way.  “Being a designer of product and places gives us the indulgence to always be perfect, imperfectly,” said Rachel.  She said she also plans to conduct her own seminar for creativity and inspiration and to host other workshops at The Prairie.  “Over time, we will move other buildings onto the property so we can have more sleeping space and offer services like high tea, lunches, and wine dinners.  We will be conducting weddings and other events and in time offer props from our archives,” she added.

Living Room

“The Prairie is 46 acres of peaceful and spiritual land where the warm wind blows and time stands still,” Rachel shared.

How did she begin to find inspiration for The Prairie?  “Life inspires me,” she said, “I felt there was a need in this community (Round Top) for an authentic Texas prairie experience within the world of Rachel Ashwell Shabby Chic Couture.” Rachel said that the inspiration behind the bed and breakfast is a combination of a number of films, stories, and travel destinations around the world. “I wanted to create a visual poem.  The design of The Prairie was drawn from movies including Out of Africa, Marie Antoinette, Little House on the Prairie, The Grapes of Wrath, and The Coal Miner’s Daughter. These were titles that gave me inspiration to pull from- some emotional, some theatrical, some for accurate research, and the end result is stepping into a complete romantic fantasy,” she said.  In fact, she lists her greatest accomplishment throughout the venture is simply the fact that they pulled it off. “While the vision was easy to dream about, to be able to execute it was truly the magical part,” said Rachel, “As we unpacked the containers and placed everything from overstuffed sofas, to vintage china, all the way down to little precious pieces of fabrics for curtains and the pastel flake wooden horse – that’s where the real story began to unfold.  It was exciting to see how the Rachel Ashwell Shabby Chic aesthetic was able to sit authentically to that of Texas.”

The Kitchen

The Second Bedroom

The Bathroom

Rachel said that although this is a surprising union, she was set on making it work.  “As an artist, it is important to honor our truth and not to satisfy everyone,” she said, “But, I wanted these two styles to sit next to each other.  I wanted my sappy songs to go home.  It is also valuable to my brand and my stores in Los Angeles, New York, and London – to have roots where so much of the core of our aesthetic comes from.  It gives us credibility that this is a true ingredient to our story.” According to Rachel, the decor was certainly not the most challenging aspect of her new business venture.  “It’s actually been the technical aspect of trying to navigate through reservations with such a demand for rooms at times and choosing the shampoos and soaps, making sure all of the hair dryers are where they should be, ” she said, “In fact, one night I personally had to deliver one when it had been misplaced!”  However, one certainly wouldn’t seem to miss a hairdryer when enveloped in such a breathtaking setting.  “The Prairie is 46 acres of peaceful and spiritual land where the warm wind blows and time stands still,” Rachel shared.  Currently, the bed and breakfast is comprised of six diverse and eclectic structures, luxuriously furnished while embracing the experience of a timeless classic Texas culture.

Love the mix of floral patterns!

Bedroom Two

Does she see The Prairie as an evolution in the Shabby Chic brand?  Has the style of the company changed? “There are fundamentals of Shabby Chic that are timeless,” she said, “Beauty, comfort, and function are the key values and white, cream, and pastel palette is our core.”  She shared that classic, modern, and bohemian elements are all present in the Rachel Ashwell Shabby Chic style. “However, evolving is how we have stayed fresh over twenty-two years,” said Rachel. “In the past few years, we have continued our signature white and light furniture, but also layered in raw and darker woods. We still use our pastel palettes and soft florals, but also blended in a smokey palette of teals and dusty pinks.  And, adding the Texas aesthetic to our repertoire is a perfect example of how Rachel Ashwell Shabby Chic has evolved, but stayed true to our core.”

With its detailed rooms, views, and the simple divine mix of luxurious lodging, what is Rachel’s favorite part of the new bed and breakfast?  “I love the long driveway with the three flags (British, American, and Texas),” she said, “And, I cannot pick just one room because I love them all for different reasons.  I love the Ranger’s Lounge and the idea that people will gather there for breakfast and other times.”  And, what are her own visits to The Prairie and Round Top like? “I just returned from a visit a week ago, where I attended the opening of The Institute at Festival Hill.  It was an amazing concert and they have events throughout the year.  There are many art galleries and great restaurants like Royer’s and The Stone Cellar.  Mostly, I like to relax and meet the locals – all so friendly and welcoming!” With weddings and events planned in the coming months and already standing as a new popular destination for Round Top, The Prairie has certainly experienced an inspiring beginning. “I hope The Prairie can be a base to experience all that Round Top has to offer,” said Rachel, “It can be an experience in itself- to absorb and rejuvenate or, to Rachel Ashwell Shabby Chic couture fans, it can be a total experience of all the brand encompasses.” With such innovative plans for the future and already an incredible start, we can’t wait to see all that’s to come from The Prairie and the world of Rachel Ashwell’s Shabby Chic.