Not Exactly Roughing It: Fancy Camping

I can't lie - I'm not much of a camper. As much as I love being outside and adore sitting around late-night bonfires, making smores and telling stories, I just don't like sleeping in a tent. They're cramped and damp and uncomfortable.

At least that's what I thought, until I picked up a French magazine called Maisons Cote Sud. My French isn't all that great, so most of the text was lost on me, but the photos - start to finish - were fantastic. Especially one feature, called, "Chic, le camping!" Even my rusty high school francais caught the gist of that.

The title didn't lie, either. The photos were taken of real tents and lean-tos, but they really were chic. If camping and glamour can coexist, maybe I should reconsider the hobby. Or, at the very least, maybe I could incorporate some of the cooler aspects of camping chic into something in my own backyard.

Here are some of the photos from the spread, along with some additional images that capture the same vibe:

Kit Pollard

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This tent on San Juan Island looks like an amazing vacation spot - lots of places to sit and hang out and watch the trees and animals.

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This yurt, part of the Mille Etoiles luxury camping resort in southern France, is all about creating a glamorous oasis that works in nature.

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I like the way this tent (from Dwell on Design 2009) mixes traditional (the trunk and bed linens) with modern (the rug and streamlined headboard).

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Walls that open to a rough beach and amazing view blur the barrier between inside and out. This guest house offers an experience that's rustic, but it's still a great place to ride out a storm.

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Open the doors and a garage becomes a fantastic indoor-outdoor space - much like a permanent tent. I love the white tables and simple seats (and am trying to figure out how to hide the tools in my garage so I can do the same thing!)

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Camping is all about spending time outside, not in, right? So it makes great sense to glam up the patio of a tent-like cabin with hardy but attractive furniture.

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A chandelier could dress up the dingiest tent. Check out salvage stores, antique shops and eBay for old, but elaborate, light fixtures - even if they don't work, they add glamour.

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This is the view from the "bedroom" above - simple furniture, muted colors and (of course) a pretty chandelier.

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Camping that involves gorgeous screens, pretty linens and "real" beds is definitely my style. I love the way the mosquito nets serve as a room barrier, too. Maybe not perfectly functional, but awfully pretty.