On weekends she would have Barbara and her two sisters help her rearrange furniture, paint the walls or do something to spruce up the house. Barbara recalls how her mother was known for her incredible design sense and wonderfully kept-home. “My mother had one of the only Santa Fe-style homes in the Midland Texas area I grew up in,” says Barbara. “A lot of the décor in our home revolved around the Native American art my mother collected and the cowboy art my father collected.”
Barbara’s designer roots did not wither with time; she actually made interior design her profession. In time, Barbara opened her own interior design studio in Albuquerque. After owning her studio in Albuquerque for almost 10 years, Barbara decided to relocate to Ruidoso, a place she frequented for many years on vacation. “I absolutely love this place,” says Barbara. Shortly after the move, Barbara opened her current location, High Horse Interiors, which has been open now for almost four years.
High Horse Interiors has one of the neatest locations for a business. It sits right off the banks of the Rio Ruidoso, a quiet little river just outside downtown Ruidoso. Aside from having a wonderful location, the interior of High Horse Interiors boasts a number of fine home furnishings perfect for turning any house into a home. It’s filled with great home accessories, art pieces, one-of-a-kind fixtures, area rugs and so much more. As you enter the shop, on the wall directly before you, is a rock fireplace fully decorated with silk plants, unique picture fames and other small accessories. To the right, there is a beautiful hand-crafted wooden dining table with stamped leather seats and hand-painted details. Atop the table is a vibrant floral arrangement and dark coral red candleholders topped by large yellow-hued candles.
Barbara also has the largest collection in town of silk flowers, plants and trees. Customers can go in and make their own arrangements, or Barbara can create arrangements for them. “Creating flower arrangements is my passion,” says Barbara. “It is how I first got started in the business.” The shop also acts as a hub for Barbara and the other designers to work from, since much of their time is spent on location creating or implementing design plans for their clients.
“We basically do a little bit of everything,” says Barbara about the services they provide. “We have helped design new construction, remodels and everything in between. We’re also really good at what I call ‘rearranging,’ designing with items our clients already have.” Barbara and her staff have also worked with a variety of styles, everything from Tuscan and country to vintage and contemporary. “A lot of people are doing a western / Tuscan mix that works well,” says Barbara about current trends in the Ruidoso area. “Many people in this area also want to include equestrian art and décor into their designs since so many of them own and love horses.”
“The most important part of our designs is that they fit the needs of our clients,” says Barbara. And just like her mother, Barbara is a true designer by nature.
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