Thrift the Look: Cabin Decor

16 January
It's time for another "Thrift the Look" blog hop! These challenges are quickly becoming my favorite thing! This time around the theme is cabin decor.

If you are not familiar with the Thrift The Look challenges, they are the brainchild of Sarah of Sadie Seasongoods. We choose a professional photo to recreate using thrifted pieces and a little creative upcycling DIY.

The professional photo I chose to recreate is from Country Living from a Camp Christmas House Tour.

Thrift the Look: Cabin Decor

Thrift the Look: Cabin Decor
Source: Country Living
Now, the problem I had with cabin decor is... well... it's not my style at all! I mean, I love the look but it's just not how I decorate my home. I considered just doing something that I could take down and get rid of but that seemed like a waste of time and energy... but I reeeaalllyyy wanted to do this challenge!

Thrift the Look: Cabin Decor

Finally, I thought of Bertha, my vintage motorhome that I've been refurbishing!! She would be the perfect canvas for a cabin theme decor makeover! Sooo, I am recreating the look above in Bertha! You can read more about Bertha's makeover progress HERE.

This is the area where I chose to recreate this cozy cabin look.

Thrift the Look: Cabin Decor

You may remember (plus you can see in the photo above) that Bertha has avocado green counters and range hood so I chose to do the buffalo check wall in shades of green instead of red. 

This would be the biggest DIY for this project. I considered wallpapering but using wallpaper in a motorhome is sketchy (high heat and moisture) plus I thought there would be a lot leftover and it was kind of spendy.

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Supplies You'll Need:
  • Paint (you'll need two shades of whatever color you choose for your buffalo check plus the base color, mine is a white base and two shades of green)
  • Painter's Tape (I chose Frog Tape)
  • Measuring Tape and Pencil
  • Small Paint Roller and Tray

I chose Moss Point Green {#PPG1121-6} and Guacamole {#PPG1121-5} by PPG. TIP: with a very small wall like this you can get away with the sample pots of paint. I way overestimated the amount I would need and bought a quart of each color and barely made a dent in it.


I used Frog Tape for delicate surfaces since I knew there wouldn't be a lot of curing time between coats.

Thrift the Look: Cabin Decor

To create buffalo checks on your wall first, measure the width of your wall in inches and divide that by the number of stripes you want on the wall. That is how wide your stripes should be (for example, my wall is 42" wide and I wanted 14 stripes across so my stripes are 3" wide).

Use the ruler and make a little pencil mark every 3" (or whatever your measurement is) at several different spots at the top, middle, and bottom of the wall. Tape off each stripe. You'll tape on the outside edge of every other stripe and then fill in that stripe with tape.

It was at this point that my dad came out to see what I was doing and said "Oh! You're painting a circus tent!" 😂 Yes dad, my cabin is actually a circus tent!!

Thrift the Look: Cabin Decor

Paint each open stripe with the lighter of the two paint colors.

Thrift the Look: Cabin Decor

Here is how it should look when you remove the tape. It still kind of resembles a circus tent! Allow this to cure for at least a few hours.

Thrift the Look: Cabin Decor

Next, measure and tape off the same way you did before but going horizontally from top to bottom. Your stripes going this direction should be the same width as the vertical stripes. Now paint the horizontal stripes.

Thrift the Look: Cabin Decor

Remove the tape and allow that to cure for at least several hours. It looks kind of like a game board now, the next step will create the buffalo check look.

Thrift the Look: Cabin Decor

Retape the open vertical and horizontal stripes. You will now have a grid of squares.

Thrift the Look: Cabin Decor

Paint each open square with the second, darker paint color. Once you remove the tape you will have a beautiful, buffalo check wall!!

Thrift the Look: Cabin Decor

So, now that I had the buffalo check wall from the inspiration photo recreated (green instead of red), it was time to move on to the curtains.

I struggled with how to get the same look like the curtains in the inspiration photo. I think they are vintage fabric and they have a fishing theme. I could not find anything like this at the thrift store and I even checked the fabric store, my stash of fabric, and my mom's stash too... nothin'!

Finally, my mom suggested that maybe the old curtains that were in Bertha when we bought her might work. We had enough of those curtains to sew them together and create one larger curtain panel to divide the cab of the motorhome from the living quarters... the colors were right... the theme was good... yes, yes, I think that will work! Thanks, mom!

Thrift the Look: Cabin Decor

Ok! We are making progress here! Buffalo check wall... check! Cabin themed curtain... check!

Next, I needed the wall mounted coat rack on the wall. I just happened to have a really cool one in the shop! It was quite long so I just cut a piece of it to use. I love the old metal hooks and the chipping paint!

Thrift the Look: Cabin Decor

The inspiration photo had a vintage red lantern. I used one that was in the motorhome when I bought it. It was boring black so I painted it green!

Thrift the Look: Cabin Decor

I borrowed the picture from my mom. I'm still on the hunt for one to use here permanently.

Thrift the Look: Cabin Decor

To finish my cabin decor wall, I borrowed one of the flannel shirts and a funky hat from my dad and thrifted the other flannel shirt plus the duck boots!

Thrift the Look: Cabin Decor

Seriously, these boots were such a great thrift store score... and in my size too!

Thrift the Look: Cabin Decor

I'm really happy with my interpretation of the inspiration photo what do you think?!

Thrift the Look: Cabin Decor

Thrift the Look: Cabin Decor

I used a little piece of torn flannel to make a hanger for the lantern.

Thrift the Look: Cabin Decor

Thrift the Look: Cabin Decor

Thrift the Look: Cabin Decor

I love how this looks next to the Cedar Shingle Motorhome Accent Wall!! Very rustic don't you think?! 😊

Thrift the Look: Cabin Decor

Here is a side-by-side comparison of the professional inspiration photo and my interpretation!

Thrift the Look: Cabin Decor
Make sure you visit the other ladies who are creating their own versions of cabin decor! Just click on their blog names below to check out their ideas!


Cabin decor and lodge decor with upcycling ideas for items from the thrift store
Sadie Seasongoods        |        Audrey Would!
Thrift shopping for log cabin decor or rustic cabin decor
Sweet Pea         |         Home to Heather         |         Little Vintage Cottage
Lodge decor or modern rustic decor from thrifting and secondhand shopping
Lora B Create and Ponder         |         Itsy Bits and Pieces

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Thrift the Look: Cabin Decor

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