Sophisticated Lodge Living

We took a little family trip last week, to visit the Badlands and the Black Hills of South Dakota, a place whose magic I first encountered at the tender age of 11, on a school trip.  It is this kind of place:  for much of the time, I had the lyrics in my head that say "Oh give me a home where the Buffalo roam and the sky is not cloudy all day."

Gorgeous blue skies.  Literal roaming buffalo.  (Or bison, as our 3 year old companion informed me).  Incredible rock formations.  Still and silent lakes.  I generally don't share much in the way of family photos, but, I mean, come on:

In the Black Hills, we stayed in a cabin in Sylvan Lake in Custer National Park (last  two, above), perhaps one of the lovelier places I have been.  In a way, I appreciated the thought that went in to the decor, with ropes lining the open beams in the living room ceiling, sofas upholstered in western-look blankets, and distressed faux-leather bedskirts in the bedrooms.

But I would love to see my lake decor just a bit more sophisticated.

I was thinking something more like this.

I like how the shapes of the lighting and occasional chair sort of reference the use of antlers in design without actually going there.  The West Elm rug is a take on Navajo blankets, in totally current colors.  And I love a pair of gorgeous Native American portraits, so much better than some cheesy Western landscapes but still referencing the place in a meaningful way.

So.  Am I the only one mentally redecorating the lodgings when I travel?