Blog of the Week ~ Classic Interior Solutions

This week, Gayle at Classic Interior Solutions is our Blog of the Week.




These panels from Jessitt Gold are in Gayle's post about window treatments for sliding glass doors ~ always a challenge.




Using the pattern in the chair above and the wallpaper below {from Thibaut}, Gayle talks about Stylistic Design in Trends in Home Decor here.



I love the colors in this wallpaper and drapes.

Gayle shares a wealth of information on her blog and it is well worth the read. I encourage you to stop by Gayle's blog and say "Hi!".

Loving It & Passing It On

Sarah at Thrifty Decor Chick wrote a post here, about these:

Sarah @ Thrifty Decor Chick blog

Which she got from Amanda at Imperfectly Beautiful. I just loved these and kept looking at them, until the light bulb went off, and I decided to visit Amanda's Etsy shop and get some for myself. I found these:

Since I couldn't decide between the two, I bought both sets and figured I could give one as a gift. Unfortunately, that won't be happening. I have decided to be totally selfish and keep them both for myself! I love the pink and green {predictably} set, but I also like the set with the red and green. You can never have too much "Joy", right?

Amanda has more "Believe" blocks, as well as "HoHoHo" and "Joy", plus some other items she makes. She provides excellent customer service, following up with me right after I placed the order, letting me know it shipped and getting the package within a matter of days. You can't ask for more than that ~ a great product AND great customer service. Thanks, Amanda!

Hooked on Checkerboard Floors

Today I'm participating in Julia's {Hooked on Houses} Hooked on Friday feature. I love checkerboard floors! I've been dying to do one in my own home, but have not been able to ~ yet. I'm adding this to my wish list for when we eventually move.

In the meantime, I have these pictures for inspiration and hope they will tide me over for now!


Lynne Rutter decorative painter

Rhoda @ Southern Hospitality {laundry room}

Kim @ Twice Remembered {studio}

Pure Style blog

Terry's Fabrics blog

La Dolce Vita blog

Canadian House & Home

BH&G

Belgian Pearl blog

atticmag

I think I found this on BH&G

5 Things You Didn't Know About . . . . .

Welcome to the second week of this new feature I'm trying called "5 Things You Didn't Know About . . . . ", where every Wednesday I will highlight a blogger who will answer 5 questions about themselves {nothing really personal}.

This week we find out 5 things about:

Laura Ingalls Gunn over at Decor to Adore!

1. Favorite music at the moment: To soothe the traffic beast my daughter made me a "mix cd" of Michael Jackson's greatest hits so I could channel my inner 80's girl, and I also love Lenka: Trouble is a Friend. But the song I am finding myself humming quite a bit is "Hero" by the Christian rock band Skillet. (I am totally rereading what I just wrote and laughing because it is all over the place. But I truly love all music~ much to the chagrin of my family and friends, as I sing all day long. A lot of 60's and show tunes.)

2. If you didn't live where you do, where would you live: My husband and I are at an age where we have begun to discuss where we will retire to. We have no idea. Since he was in the Air Force we were blessed to have lived and traveled all over the world and it is so hard to just pick one lovely place. However, it would involve a beach. He has however promised I will not be buried in Phoenix. I have come to appreciate the desert, but it is far from my favorite.

3. Favorite cocktail: I am a cheap date. When I do drink, which is very rare, I love Lambrusco wine by Reggiano and the Trader Joes peach champagne. But most of the time I just drink cola. Now who out there needs a designated driver?

4. Best advice you ever received: My all time favorite quote is by George Eliot: "It is never to late to be who you might have been." I keep this over my desk. As today is my first day of another semester sitting with 20 year olds, it helps.

5. Person you most admire: This is tough. Of course Jesus and Mother Teresa are way up there. But I am more apt to be touched by the everyday hero's like Mika Hill who is a wig maker. A custom wig normally runs 300-800 dollars and she just gives them away to alopecia and cancer patients. Just this morning I read about a local cab driver, Thomas Chappell, who is going to donate one of his kidneys to Rita Van Loenen, a regular customer he drives to dialysis. Wow. That makes me think "How can I bless someone today?"


So, there you have it ~ 5 Things You Didn't Know About Laura Ingalls Gunn of Decor to Adore. I knew I liked her! Here is a link to last week's post.

Be sure to check back next week when we find out 5 Things You Didn't Know About . . . {well, I can't tell you, you'll have to come back and find out!}.

Madoff's Montauk House

The Montauk house of Bernie and Ruth Madoff is up for sale by Federal authorities, along with its contents. I was surprised to see that the only really fabulous thing about this house is the view. Of course, it's not fully decorated and doesn't have a lived in look, but what do you think?


Madoff's Montauk House

Porch view

Porch view

Master Bathroom

Master Bedroom

Circular Dining Room

Living Room

Yours for about $8 million.

All photos courtesy of Associated Press