Good ol Fred

I've been coming through Fredericksburg for as long as I can remember, on the way down to and from camp in the summers; usually just a stop for lunch, maybe a little shopping, but a even a little time in Fredericksburg is good for the soul.

Over the past ten years or so, dear old Fred has really transformed from a charming, sleepy hill country town to a bit of a not-so-well kept secret on the antiques and design scene. The emergence of the store Red is a prime example of this, and oh my sweet jesus did I go crazy in this place.

I'm a bit of a design junkie on all fronts - textile, interiors, paper; they will all probably find their way here from time to time. I was told before this trip (/Miller was warned) I would love this place, and that was perhaps a bit of an understatement. I could have stayed here all day, and then asked to sleep in one of their sumptuous bedding displays. The airy space is a mix of understated modern and vintage furnishings and deliciously colorful graphic textiles, with carefully curated knick-knacks and accessories sprinkled throughout. I was seriously smitten with every inch and found it difficult to take it all in.

I've been in "browse don't buy" mode for a few years now, since I'm not allowed make any major purchases for our house until we settle into "The House" - the one we actually own. Until then, it's living with the hand-me-downs and furniture we already had, which has been a fun challenge in its own right (resulting in some makeovers here and there to keep things fresh). But I've never been so tempted and on the spot inspired, and the only way he got me out of the store only $100 lighter was by promising I could return with a more substantial budget when The House is in the picture. A tour of my favorite things:



When I spotted the Sophie Digard scarf, I felt like they'd crawled up into my brain and pulled out all its favorite contents. She's a Parisian textile designer whose crochet work I've admired for years, but I've never seen one up close. I'm not sure I would ever even wear one of these (very expensive) scarves, but I absolutely admire her talent and use of color.

Other things you might discover on a stroll through Fredericksburg:


Pretty rooms of antiques, organized by color


Old Broncos, young cowboys


Local jam, jam samples. More jam. Closed Sundays.


Hidden patios

There were a few boutiques down toward the end of our long day of strolling that were pretty tempting too, but luckily I had my trusty kryptonite shield in tow. He keeps me rational while perusing adorable but pricey baby clothes ($50 for a lightweight summer bubble, I understand now, is a little unreasonable; in the moment however, it's a tougher call). At the end of the day, we stuck to our budget and came away with a pretty necklace (thank you husband!) & zipper bag from Red, jams and salsas, and a few little gifts for the peanut:


Baby Luckenbach t-shirt, the Suzette fox by blabla who I have been coveting for some time now, and a bit of yarn for a baby blanket, now in progress.