COTE DE TEXAS: Readers Houses – Part Three

Readers Houses – Part Three

 

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Along with all the emails I get, some come with questions about decorating:  people write in needing an opinion about a paint color or furniture arrangement or slipcover advice.  Many emails come with photographs to illustrate the problem which always makes it much easier to give an intelligent response.  Sometimes I get emails that proudly show off the “afters” – what the reader did to her house to make it look just a little bit more stylish.   Sometimes I get emails from readers who send in pictures because one of their rooms reminds them of an interior I put up on the blog, or better yet, they have the famous white slipcover Ikea sofa.   I absolutely love all the pictures readers send me, it’s one of the more fun parts of being a blogger - looking at all your houses and seeing how you decorate them.   Today is the third installment of Readers Houses and I hope to continue to do this once a month.    I encourage all of you who want to share your house, or your favorite room, or your garden to send in pictures to my email address.   Here are the most recent Readers Houses I’ve gotten.  I hope you enjoy these, and I hope they give you some ideas to try out in your own house!!!

 

 

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The living room – newly installed stone floors and silk curtains dramatically dressed up this townhouse.

 

The first reader lived in this beautiful townhouse in west Houston.  Since she and her husband were restoring an older house in a very small town between Houston and Austin – the townhouse was up for sale.   The move was bittersweet because they had completely remodeled the townhouse and truly loved it, but life in a small town was calling them.    The townhouse recently sold and they are now getting settled into their newly restored house.   Hopefully, they will send in pictures of that house too!

 

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The traditionally styled dining room was painted a deep brown.  I love how the light stone floors contrast with the dark walls.

 

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 The homeowners added leaded glass doors between the dining room and kitchen.

 

 

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Here you can see the leaded doors – aren’t they gorgeous?  What a great idea to turn a typical doorway into something truly special.  The kitchen was updated with granite countertops, stone floors, and new appliances.

 

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Upstairs, antique furniture is dressed in all white linens  which makes the furniture seem less “serious.”  I love the plates on the wall.     I can’t wait to see their newly restored house!

 

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Before:  A typical rarely used dining room.

 

This reader lives in a west Houston suburb.   She had a large dining room which was mostly unused, something she was desperate to transform into “girl retreat” – a hideaway from her twin sons and sports loving husband (boy, can I relate to that husband!)    She first contacted me to ask how she might sell her dining room furniture, something I really couldn’t help her with except to mention Craig’s List – which seems to be the best thing going these days to unload unwanted furniture.  A few months after sending me the photos of the “before” dining room, the reader sent in these pictures of her newly created “girl retreat:”

 

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The reader changed the room from green to cream, sold her dining room furniture and bought three cabinets from Ikea’s Liatorp collection.  She added the lighting inside.   The white slipcovered chairs are from the famous Ektorp line at Ikea that I am always talking about.  The curtains (which she accidently shrunk, and is currently replacing)  come from Ikea too.

 

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A close up of her styling.   The lights really add a lot to these Ikea cabinets.

 

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The desk and chair are from Pottery Barn via Craig’s List, and the antique botanicals above it came from Urban Market (which is this Sunday in Houston, btw!)   The printer stand has not yet been painted.

 

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Curtains and shades, all white furniture, creamy paint, and 3 white cabinets from Ikea transformed a rarely used traditional dining room into a retreat for the homeowner.  Great job!

  

 

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When I showed pictures of a job I had just completed for a client – The  Tanglewood House – the ottoman/coffee table elicited a lot of comments.  This reader took it a step further:      

 

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This reader’s email pictures really thrilled me!  I love how she made her own table into an ottoman – just like I did in the Tanglewood House.

 

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A close up of the newly reconstructed table.  Isn’t it adorable?!!!  The ottoman started out as a wooden  butler’s tray table.   Now, it is a youthful looking and useful piece of furniture.

 

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I love all the elements in the rooms – the white linen furniture, the blue and white fabrics, the striped curtains, the seagrass.   And I love the standing lamps that set it all off.

 

 

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The reader used blue and cream striped fabric at the window and a great damask on the chairs.  I spied some very similar fabric at the local Calico Corners.   I love the clock too – a great placement.   All in all – a wonderful redo!!!

 

 

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This reader is actually the owner of the Tanglewood House.  The pictures are of her sister in law’s house in Austin, Texas.   She knew I would love it with all the seagrass and white slipcovered sofas.

 

 

image004MA24427833-0031I love the trio of clock faces above the front door.  What a cute idea!

 

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In the dining room, she used white slipcover chairs and fancier host chairs.   A large black and white cowhide is under the table.  

 

 

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The kitchen is really cute – especially with the painted on chalkboard that surrounds the pantry.  And I love the clock above the door.

 

 

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This reader sent in pictures of her house when she had a few questions about redoing her study.  But judging by these pictures, I’m not sure she really needs my help at all!  The entry hall’s staircase is a classic with the chandelier and iron balustrades.   I really like the art work here.

 

imageThe kitchen is unique because the island is painted a different color than the other cabinets – but the same color as the walls and ceiling.   I love the beadboard effect on her cabinet doors and the backsplash.  Very pretty.

 

 

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The chinoiserie inspired powder room is great with its beautiful coral wallpaper.  I love the pedestal sink too.   But I really love lamps in bathrooms and kitchens – it helps cozy up the area.

 

 

 

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My favorite room in the house is the guest room with the darling check and chintz fabrics.  I’m a sucker for a checked fabric.  I love the red monogramming that picks up the red checked fabric.  Too cute.

 

 

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This reader from California changes her decor with the seasons.   In the summer she uses blue and white plates in her green and white striped breakfast room.   The wallpaper is so fresh and crisp and looks so great against the blue and white.

 

 

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The kitchen cabinets get changed out with the seasons too – here are her summer blue and white dishes.  Love the chandelier!

 

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In the fall – she uses white tablecloths and an assortment of gourds to decorate, along with seasonal dishes. Notice how she placed mirrors besides the window to expand the unit – the matching lamps and pedestals add necessary weight. 

 

 

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Her fall plates.

 

 

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This last Thanksgiving she used the black and white transferware plates along with a vegetable laden centerpiece.

 

 

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The spring plates – red and white.

 

 

 

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The all white look.

 

 

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The reader lives by the coast in California – so she wanted a beachy feel in her master suite.  

 

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A peek into her master bathroom.

 

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The vanity area – I love the mosaic tiles and the wall hung faucets.   So beautiful!

 

I hope you have enjoyed this latest installment of Readers Houses!    I plan to continue to show your homes once a month – if you send them in.  Don’t be shy!

68 comments :

  1. Joni,
    Thanks for sharing this with us!

    Greet

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  2. What fun to see how other people live. Your readers did a wonderful job styling their homes.

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  3. Imagine having red & white, blue and white, black and white sets of transferware to change the look with the seasons! And the room to store it all! A great post (but then they all are). I love the picture of the green cabinet lit up with the majolica plates showing and the lamp on the counter - so inviting!

    suzanne on st. simons

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  4. Imagine having red & white, blue and white, black and white sets of transferware to change the look with the seasons! And the room to store it all! A great post (but then they all are). I love the picture of the green cabinet lit up with the majolica plates showing and the lamp on the counter - so inviting!

    suzanne on st. simons

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  5. Thanks Joni!
    Graet to see what the readers take away from the posts and their creativity!
    Leslie

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  6. This was a great collection! Love those tiles... Fabulous styling. I also loved the basket filled with paper towels I spied on top of the fridge- we are forever running out and heading to the basement- how convenient to have them right there!!

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  7. Gorgeous homes - the owners should certainly be proud!

    You CANNOT beat the IKEA white slips - I have the sofa/chair/ottoman set in khaki, but am thinking of ordering the white slips to change up my look - I can get covers for all three pieces for less than a hundred bucks - crazy!

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  8. Great sharing those photos, Joni!
    It is so wonderful how inspiration and imagination help us to achive beautiful results.
    You are such a role model!
    You inspire me too!
    xx
    Victoria

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  9. Great sharing those photos, Joni!
    It is so wonderful how inspiration and imagination help us to achive beautiful results.
    You are such a role model!
    You inspire me too!
    xx
    Victoria

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  10. Seriously dude, I LOVE your blog. NO, REALLY.
    Priscilla

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  11. Almost as good as an "in person" house tour. This is such a great idea and such fun to peek inside other people's homes. Joni, I am so happy you have become a star player in Blogville.

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  12. Joni, this was a real treat! Thanks to all the owners and to your for sharing these lovely homes with us.

    XO,

    Sheila :-)

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  13. Your blog is a joy to read in the morning! You have wonderful style and are an amazing wealth of information BUT you are still sweet and helpful for those of us who are not experts. Thank for all of your time spent on the blog! I look forward to it every day!

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  14. What a fun post! I love seeing what "real people" do in their homes. You have some talented readers! Thanks for sharing. Now, as I am so,so far behind in my blog reading and posting, I am turning on The Skirted Roundtable while I load the dishwasher!

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  15. Hi Dear Joni! Oh, this was such a great idea showcasing your readers homes! Love it. Those leaded glass doors look a lot like my front doors. Such lovely room. I just adore the kitchen with the green cabinets and glass doors. How creative to place mirrors in the back! Oh, so nice.
    Hope you're doing well and enjoying our cooler weather! :)
    Be a sweetie,
    Shelia ;)

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  16. Oh my gosh that little oval shaped table turned ottoman is to die for!
    And I love the burlap pillows in that shot too.
    There were SO many great ideas in this post- thank you for putting it all together Joni!

    Layla

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  17. * Joni, this was thoroughly DELIGHTFUL!... SO glad you shared these photos with us! THANK YOU!
    Hugs,
    LInda in AZ *

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  18. Loved the mirrors in the back of the kitchen cabinets.

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  19. Thank you so much for sharing these pictures! Can I ask a few questions about items we are seeing in the pictures? In the beautiful beachy master suite, where did the homeowner find the beautiful mirrors above the side tables? Also, could they share the name of the tile used in their Master Bath? Would love to know more about the mirror in the Master Bath as well! Thanks!

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  20. So many beautiful spaces. Thanks so much for posting them.

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  21. I just love it when you post about readers houses! I would love to send you photos of our big renovation of our entire house, but can't seem to find your email address. I have scrolled up and down your blog, but I must be blind! haha. Hope to hear from you:)

    xo,
    grace
    nameisgrace.blogspot.com
    nameisgrace@yahoo.com

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  23. Love this house and especially the master bedroom and ensuite with the glass mosaic tiles!

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  24. Thank you for sharing all these beautiful rooms! My faves are the townhouse and the "beachy" master suite... I love those glass mosaic tiles in that bathroom!! SWWOOONN!

    Have a Great Day! Oh...I listened to The Skirted Roundtable last eve. with Margaret Russell... FABULOUS interview...she is such a warm, real person! so inspiring! If any of you have not listened..click on Margaret's pic above on the right..and be amazed!

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  25. Your readers are very talented, Joni! Love all these pics & I recognized the CA lady, Kathysue's work, she is very talented.

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  26. Joni, What a wonderful surprise it was for me to come to your blog and see my home posted with these other lovely homes.Thank you so much, it is truly an honor to be a post on your wonderful blog. You are the best!! Kathysue

    PS for Jen S. the mirrors were purchased at Homegoods of all places, they are painted to look like Capiz shells. The mosaic tile is Sicis in the color Fern#3,hope this helps you. KS

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  27. What a great post Joni you have the best style!!!! I also love Kathy Sue's home! She is such a sweetheart!
    Eddie

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  28. Joni, Thanks for posting readers' homes---so much fun to see.

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  29. Love seeing "real people" homes! Especially the dining rooms you show here as I'm having my own dining issues right now. And that chinoiserie-papered bathroom... so pretty!

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  30. Joni, what a treat, great post !!

    I just adore wallpaper in a bathroom and I am with you can't have enough little lamps !!!

    Have a nice week-end,
    Kathy :)

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  31. ps does KathySue have her own blog ???

    Love her style !!

    Kathy :)

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  32. love getting a peek into your readers homes, such beautiful spaces.

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  33. i love the "girls retreat"! so pretty. thanks for sharing these, joni. pam

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  34. I so enjoy reading your blog every day. What a treat for you to share these homes with us. Love, love, love the little upholstered table. Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, right? Keep it coming, I love it!

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  35. Wow, they are all beautiful. Especially loved the last master bedroom and glass mosaic tile in the bathroom!

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  36. These were so much fun to see. It's inspiring to see what readers can do after having your "online training".

    Could you find the name of the coral wallpaper in the guest bath? It looks like it might work in a room next to my BM Coral Gables mudroom.

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  37. Fun to see all the readers houses. Love the idea of the mirror and lamps on pedestals in front. Pretty! And who's house is the first photo with the spectacular garden?

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  38. Everything looks gorgeous. The first picturs are all just stunning, however the last home is my favorite. I love this house. I have seen pictures of it before and I love the way everything coordinates so well and how she is able to change things out so beautifully. Such a beautiful home. Hugs, Marty

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  39. oh, I love that bathroom! It is so much fun to see other people's houses!

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  40. Since I'm a true house tour nut this new feature in your blog is right up my alley. Thanks for sharing them and thanks too, to the homeowners. Terrific rooms.

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  41. they've all done such beautiful jobs!!!

    i have to say i'm totally crazy over the green & white striped dining room!!!! WOW love it!!

    loev this series too!~

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  42. Love the tall narrow leaded doors separating dining room / kitchen! Very elegant and classy! Thanks to all the homeowners for sharing their wonderful homes and ideas. Joni, you have become a superstar in the blog world!

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  43. Are those people designers??? I am stunned...many images are much better than the last issue of Elle Decor, which I found bizarre.
    If they are not designers (as I believe) they did learn a lot from your blog!

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  44. WOW - what a fun night on your blog! Great post - loved all of it.
    Thanks for the hard work getting it all together.

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  45. Okay, I used to wonder if I should leave comments on our blog, because it seemed that the majority of readers were professional designers. So...when you said you were going to post readers' homes, I thought this was going to be my chance to feel more comfortable about leaving a comment on your blog. But wow! Even your readers' homes look like they are professional designers. (I recognized KathySue's beautiful home, which I've always admired.) The only hope for me is that your readers got all of their knowledge by reading your blog, and maybe, eventually, some of it will sink in with me. Thanks to you and your readers for sharing these incredible homes.

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  46. Loved this post, Joni. I especially loved the beautiful doors in the first house and their beautiful kitchen. I guess along with others, the California home is so cute! Thanks for taking us on the tour!

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  47. Such pretty rooms in all these homes and a beautiful garden in the first photo! It's so great that people want to share their homes with you and your readers. Thanks for taking us along on the tours! Deborah

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  48. Great idea, love to see what others are doing. I've sent you some pictures of my home. Hope I sent to the right e-mail address. The kitchen with the stained glass doors is AMAZING!

    Ruthie

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  49. Love this post!! I love driving by homes at night and peeking into their lit up windows.....now I can peek without the fear of being discovered! (that sounds scary, but I'm really harmless!)

    Hooray!

    Carolyn

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  50. Joni, so many beautiful details! I love the Thanksgiving table, all of the images It is really neat to what others are creating in their homes!!

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  51. Joni,
    Thank you for the peek into your readers beautiful homes. It gives us amateurs hope and inspiration! I love the green cabinet changed out
    seasonally! What a fantastic collection she has! This article was just the motivation I needed to put the finishing touches on my long, drawn out remodel. I had run out of steam (and ideas) but I think I can do it now!!

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  52. Lovely homes :) I think it's just so great that you show homes like this. Someday, girl, someday I might just have something to share. Here's hoping!!!

    Jacci

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  53. What I love best about the post is that these are everyday homes folks actually live in! Great inspiration!

    Ellen

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  54. I loved glancing through your readers beautiful homes. Each of them has left an indelible imprint of their personal style which is so important in creating inviting and interesting spaces.

    I also should mention that many of your readers have created very lovely and unique rooms seemingly without "breaking the bank". That is the hallmark of a creative mind and should be what great interior design is all about! Fabulous jobs, ladies.

    P.S. - The "girl's retreat" should consider changing the sheving to glass which would allow her lighting to flood the entire cabinet and not just the top shelves.

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  55. Joni-

    Thanks for sharing your blog readers home with us. Its lovely. You always have something interesting to show us!

    take care!

    Michelle

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  56. Fun post! I love those IKEA bookshelves, what a great find...add lighting, a little lacquer and a gorgeous know, that's a lot of look and storage for next to nothing. Definitely placing that in the memory bank;) I was also interested in the fretwork hutch on the chest in the first dining room featured. Thanks!

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  57. Love this place, wonderful ideas, great being able to communicate with these talented people. Thanks, still in my jammies, CJ

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  58. This is so much fun being able to see what people do in their own homes. Thanks for sharing all this with your readers.
    marcie

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  59. Those leaded doors are a wonderful idea. It makes me think of the idea my neighbor gave me that I thought was great and maybe it'll appeal to someone else: we replaced the standard solid door to our finished basement with a glass-paned door. It brings light into the stairway and now feels much more like the rest of the house.
    Ann

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  60. This is such a fun post. I love seeing how your readers decorate their homes.

    xo,
    cristin @ simplified bee

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  61. What fun to see how your readers are decorating their homes. This is so inspiring. Thanks for sharing.

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  62. Joni, what a fun post. I've enjoyed seeing some of the reader's homes and their styles. I immediately knew one of the homes when I saw it.. Kathy Sue your home is truly a remarkable work of art. I've enjoyed seeing it again through Joni's blog. I felt at home this time as I did each and every time I visited on Rate My Space. Thanks for opening your doors to us once again and allowing us another look. Joni thank you for hosting these beautiful homes... hugs ~lynne~

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  63. Way to go, bloggers! What great pictures and homes so thanks for sharing.
    www.rivieraboardwalk.blogspot.com

    nancy

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  64. I'm wiping the drool off the floor from looking at all these absolutely BEAUTIFUL homes!! Oh such style and grace!! I'm glad to see Kathy Sue's kitchen...and old friend from Rate My Space! :-) Thank you for featuring such fabulous spaces! Laura

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  65. Love the home tour, Joni...so many beautiful homes in this post! Thanks for sharing...and thanks to your readers who sent in the great pics!
    Susan

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  66. Just saw the KathySue home on BNOTP!Doublu delicious!!!!
    ~Nancy

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