Linda {Calling it Home} 1/10/14 Linda {Calling it Home} 1/10/14

Coastal Tropical Chinoiserie Chic

There is one Blogger that makes me laugh more than anyone else. Fact. She is high maintenance, high style, and highly opinionated. And it works for her. I think Beth, from Chinoiserie Chic, and I are distantly related because we definitely laugh and fight like family.

The truth is, she will always give me her honest opinion. As you will see in her guest post below, she held nothing back. Any woman that has the moxie to write this post about a National Company, will always have a seat by me. I once asked her to write a post about Nantucket Chinoiserie, and to this day....people still love that post.

Please see what my on again/off again/Sister-Friend has to say about Tropical Coastal Chinoiserie:

Linda and her family will be relocating from New Jersey to Florida sometime this summer. With her upcoming move, Linda has announced that her new look and style is going to be "Coastal Tropical."

Linda's current home is what I would call Nantucket style, but she is excited about her blog and her new home having a more tropical and Floridian vibe. Will her blog, formerly known as "My Crafty Home Life," now named "Calling It Home," soon become "Calling It My Crafty Coastal Tropical Home?" We will have to wait and see.

As we know, Linda loves Chinoiserie, so she has turned to me for guidance on infusing her new lifestyle with Coastal Tropical Chinoiserie.

First, I think a new wardrobe is in order. This Greg Norman collection is called "Coastal Tropic" - what could be more perfect? These mix and match pieces will allow Linda to look like a complete dork whether she is playing golf, blogging, running errands, hanging with her kids, or wielding a circular saw - with safety goggles on, of course. Perfect for that casual, coastal, nerdy look, right?

Doesn't Linda look great in one of her new outfits from the Greg Norman Coastal Tropic Collection?

Now on to decorating her home. Linda loves driftwood furniture, but never felt it was quite right in her Northeast Nantucket style home. Not so in Florida - she can go completely adrift! And if she ever gets sick of her decor, she is one bonfire on the beach away from a fresh start.

Here are some rooms with driftwood that Linda posted about that she loves. She said that the first one below stopped her in her tracks.

Well Linda, I have found more driftwood for every room of your new home -

And Linda's Florida home at the holidays could look like this -

Oh my my my. I have the feeling I need to stage an intervention immediately or Linda's new home might become Restoration Hardware at the Beach also known as Coastal Dumpster Chic. I think we might be seeing this driftwood decor in the next Restoration Hardware catalog. Call me Gary and we can chat.

Or the next One Room Challenge could become the semi-annual One Hundred Rooms With Driftwood Challenge. Linda, just say no to driftwood. That's why I'm here. Friends don't let friends decorate with driftwood.

Now we will look at the correct way to do Coastal Tropical interior design. Did Linda call someone opinionated? I envision less of the navy and white preppy of Nantucket and less of the bright colors of Palm Beach. Instead -

*Tropical print wallpaper and fabrics like banana leaf, especially Martinique and Brazilliance.
*Rattan and unpainted wicker furniture
*Faux and real bamboo
*Potted palms
*Palm fronds in blue and white Chinese porcelain vases
*Oversized blue and white Chinese ginger jars
*The good news is that you can keep your brown wood furniture
*Ebonized wood is also perfect
*The color palette is that of nature - lots of greens and browns and blues
*Think British Colonial

I love this style myself and I can't wait to see what Linda does with her new home in Florida.

The Pink Pagoda created these graphic botanicals for Linda's One Room Challenge family room and they will be perfect!

Thanks so much Beth, can you email me a link to those clothes?

I wonder how she really feels?

Linda {Calling it Home} 12/1/13 Linda {Calling it Home} 12/1/13

Blue and White Gifts

How was everyone's Thanksgiving? I just can't believe that it is December. Since Hanukkah is almost over, half of 'my people' on my list are done! One day we can all chat about how weird it was to have Hanukkah during Thanksgiving. Since those Holiday's won't overlap again until 2070...we won't stress about it now.

Here are some of the things I am considering for the other half of my Holiday Shopping List....and I may need to buy a few of these things for myself, too.

Stone Necklace / Ginger Jar / Chinoiserie Box / Beaker Vase / Kate Spade Reading Glasses

Navy Peacoat / Nautical Ginger Jar / Dip Dye Scarf / Blue Moccasins

Yoga Bag & Mat / L"Occitane Hand Creams / Regal Brush Collection / Plush Robe

Personalized Wine Tote / Personalized Pet Pillow / Block-Print Napkins

Do you ever shop for gifts by color?

I'll be sharing this at The Pink Pagoda Blue and White Bash.

Hope to see you in the blue and white link up.

Linda {Calling it Home} 11/6/13 Linda {Calling it Home} 11/6/13

One Room Challenge - My Family Room

Thank you so much for coming here today. This is the final post for the One Room Challenge where I gave my family room a much needed makeover. If you are new to my blog, or want to start at the beginning, you can start here.

I know today is all about the pictures, but before I get to them I just want to thank you for coming by each and every week. Your visits and comments motivated me to finish my room.

I also want to thank these amazing bloggers for pushing themselves and raising the bar.

I have learned so much from their weekly posts and will definitely be borrowing a lot of their design ideas, too.

Tomorrow is the final link up day for even more design inspiration. I have visited every person linking up and continue to be amazed by all the talented bloggers joining in. Believe me, it is worth your time visiting them.

Welcome to my Nantucket/Florida family room located in New Jersey.

The chandelier from my stairwell.

This Beaker Vase is the perfect addition to my mantle. The stand came late last week.

Pillows by Leslie

I am more than a little obsessed with the Rejuvenation Brass Magnifying Glass. It has a hand wrapped leather handle. I think I am going to order a few more for Holiday gifts.

I purchased this sweet mini brass tray from My Darling House.

New hardware that you can read about here.

Custom prints form The Pink Pagoda

I owe you a tutorial on the drapes. Look for one next week.

Sources:

Cabinet Hardware by Rejuvenation - here and here.

Blue and white porcelain via The Pink Pagoda

Pillows by Leslie at Pillow Love

Prints by The Pink Pagoda

Dash & Albert rug via Maddie G. Designs

Thibaut fabric via Sherry Hart

Graphic fabric by Andrea at Domesticate

And now the moment that I have been waiting for, let's go see all the other rooms.

The Green Room Interiors

Linda {Calling it Home} 8/26/13 Linda {Calling it Home} 8/26/13

A Shingle Style Home

This beautiful home is located in Boston. I love the barrel portico over the door. It's no surprise that I found it on an architectural firm's site. Notice the double pillars flanking the windows in the center. I can really appreciate when homeowners take the extra step and expense to add those extra touches.

I really love this powder room.

Notice that small niche for the chandelier.

That outdoor fireplace is amazing.

All Photos Courtesy of Jan Gleysteen Architects

I don't know which I love more.....studying beautiful homes or beautiful gardens?

Which would you rather look at?

Linda {Calling it Home} 8/19/13 Linda {Calling it Home} 8/19/13

A New England Home in the West

I just love this Dutch Colonial home....and was surprised to find out that it is located in Washington. I enjoy seeing regional home styles embraced by other parts of the country. It also helps that this is my favorite style ;-).

Let's go take a peak inside.

I just love how this home glows at dusk.

The tile and marble in this master bathroom are making me swoon.

Since it doesn't snow (much) and there are heaters in the ceiling....I would spend four seasons on this patio.

All Images Courtesy of Paul Moon Design

I'm just not ready for summer to end. Did you have a favorite room?

Linda {Calling it Home} 8/14/13 Linda {Calling it Home} 8/14/13

A Hamptons Cottage

Thank you for your lovely comments on my CL finds. I would like everyone to know that I will not be painting the Chinoiserie wood chandelier. I'm crazy, not certifiable.

As for the sofas....I never know what is more interesting...the CL finds or the CL stories. The short story is that the sofas were delivered to my home by two lovely gentlemen. We all met at the apartment, I paid the seller and then paid the movers upon delivery. The long story is that it took weeks in the making and a lot of emailing to make all of this happen. Everyone worked together, including the seller who lowered her price to help cover the moving costs ;-)

And now I want to obsess with all of you over this charming Hamptons Cottage. I think it is perfect...let's go stalk it.