10 Questions

By Kate Riley July 23, 2015

I remember when I first started blogging in 2009 I’d get tagged in a series of posts and there would be buttons we’d embed and the posts would circulate around the blogosphere. That’s when the number of home bloggers were fewer and we were all growing, getting to know each other, and forming a community. A few weeks ago I was tagged in Cristin’s post and asked some questions, and it reminded me of the good ol’ days, so today I’m playing along with the answers to her 10 Questions.

1. Winter or Summer?

Summer. Always and forever. Winter makes me gloomy. I admit I do enjoy the occasional rainy day under a cozy blanket drinking something hot but other than that I tolerate the cold months until spring shows up and everything starts blooming again. Summer is all about a slower pace, carefree days, and trips to the beach!

girls on the beach

 

 2. What’s your favorite wallpaper pattern?

There are so many but at this moment, Twig in Navy by Stroheim. I’d love to use this in a bathroom above a wainscot wall treatment paired with a statement mirror and brass sconces.

twig navy

 

 3. What’s the best vacation you’ve taken?

If the criteria is fondness of memories and sights seen, it’s a three way tie between these destinations: Kauai, Québec City, and Salzburg, Austria where I lived one summer in my twenties.

kauai covered lanai

 

street performer quebec city (2)

 

4. If you could have lunch with anyone in the world, who would it be?

If it was a famous person it would be Tina Fey for laughs, but in real life it would be a group of sisters (my sister and sisters-in-law) all together at a table with no kids and no time limit. We’re scattered across the country and I don’t get to see them as often as I want to. I’d love to sit and chat and visit and laugh with them for hours.  

5. Name one thing on your bucket list.

To ride on the back of a motorcycle out to the Bodega coast and back.

bodega coastline

 

6. What’s your favorite room in your house?

My living room. It’s the first room you see when you come downstairs in the morning or enter our home, it’s where both meaningful and pretty things are on display, I find it the most relaxing. Our cat agrees.

console table and art

blue orchid pot chain link mirror

 

7. If you could pick any designer, living or dead, to decorate your house, who would it be?

Katie Rosenfeld, for her design aesthetic and use of bold color in unique ways.

katie rosenfeld office

via

8. What’s on your nightstand?

A stack of books, a bowl from Anthro where I keep my rings, my gratitude journal, and a new lamp from Target.

cg nightstand

 

9. Backyard BBQ or formal dinner?

No question, a backyard barbeque with friends where we would end the night in the courtyard under the globe lights drinking a lot of red wine.

cg courtyard

 

10. If you could rewind twenty years and give yourself one piece of advice, what would it be?

Don’t pass up any opportunity to travel, even when you’re working or when kids come along. Remember it’s travel that feeds your soul and opens your eyes to new ideas, inspiration, and people. 

paris kate 20s

 

I’m passing on the following questions to the bloggers named below:

1. Share something you’ve pinned (or bookmarked) and why you love it.

2. What’s your favorite color and where have you used it or seen it used in a beautiful way?

3. If money was no object, what’s something you’d buy right now.

4. Share something that scares you, something that comforts you, or both.

5. The perfect meal? Name it.

6. What’s one decorating piece of advice you swear by.

7. What’s your guilty pleasure?

8. Tell a joke, the cornier the better, or share a meme or show that makes you laugh.

9. Congratulations, you just won an all expenses paid trip to           !  Fill in the blank.

10. What advice would you give your twenty something self? 

 

Melissa from The Inspired Room / Maria from Colour Me Happy / Jen from Rambling Renovators / Layla from The Lettered Cottage / Julie from Julie Blanner / Sarah from Thrifty Decor Chick / Megan of Honey We’re Home / Stefanie from Brooklyn Limestone / Dusty from All Things G&D  / Amy from Mom’s Notebook  

Soooooo… what about you dear readers? Got a burning answer to any of these questions? Is there a designer you wish would come decorate your home? Are you crushing on a particular wallpaper? What’s your best advice for your younger self?

22 comments

  1. Love to read these type of questions and learn about others. I didn’t answer all, but here are mine:
    2 – Fav color – Peacock Blue
    3 – If money was no object… – will be doing a kitchen remodel, so I say complete redesign and custom cabinetry with all of the bells and whistles!
    5 – Perfect meal – I am of Spanish and Puerto Rican descent. I love Puerto Rican cuisine. Rice and gandule beans (pigeon peas) with platanos (plantains) and pasteles (kind of like a tamale, but different, ha!) is my fav.
    6 – Decorating advice I swear by – The rule of three.
    7 – Guilty pleasure – brownie, vanilla ice cream and peanut butter sauce sundae. Yum!
    9 – All expense paid trip – Bora Bora
    10 – Advice to my twenty something self – Trust in God, not people.

  2. I love these types of posts! I am crushing on all wallpapers at the moment but if I had to choose one I would put Party Animals (available via Anthro) up in my hallway.

    One piece of decorating advice I swear by – every room looks better with a live plant!

  3. Love that you did this! I don’t have a blog but have been reading them that long and I do remember these circulating around the blogsosphere. I’ve been wanting to start one since 2009 and haven’t pulled the trigger yet.

  4. HAH I would tell my younger self to not spend SO MUCH MONEY on BOYFRIENDS. I would get these elaborate gifts, find rare or whatever presents…. not with any of those boyfriends now. I got one boyfriend season tickets to the Minnesota Wild (his fav) for his birthday!! We broke up 6-8 months later. I tend to want to buy presents for people all the time, and i need to rein it in and SHOULD have kept it in control.

  5. I hands down agree with you on 10. I am in my 20s and try so very hard to travel at every possible opportunity. Travel, to me, is one of the most fulfilling and enriching life experiences. My husband and I just returned from a trip to Nepal and India; I have to say every time I visit a new country I am a completely different person and have a different outlook on life. I did a couple post on our experiences as well, blogging is a nice way to document an amazing trip!

  6. I have been following your blog and I live in Québec City, I’m French Canadian, and I am soooo happy that you enjoyed your trip here. I really love living here (except during the cold winter months), we have a very vibrant city with great food. Thank you so much for including us in your top three cities.

    • I LOVED my three day visit to your city Annie, the Old Town is so enchanting and the people were so wonderful, I heard the Winter Carnival is a wonderful time to come especially for the ice sculptures!

  7. Thanks so very much for the sweet words; what an enormous compliment to have you say you would have me design your home if you could pick anyone! Wow!
    Hugs,
    Katie

    • Yep you win Katie, thanks for stopping by and I love your work!!
      Kate

  8. Loved reading this Kate! I can definitely see similarities with your and Katie Rosenfeld’s style. And how chic were you in your 20’s. Love the cap! I remember the days of blog awards. Good times. I’m in!

  9. I agree with Annie – so happy to see you include a piece of our country, Canada! I plan to see Carnaval very soon and can’t wait!

  10. Lovely post. Quebec is definitely a beautiful place to visit and especially Montreal which is where I am from originally. Also, great decor ideas!

    • Agreed Edwige, we stopped in Montreal for two days on our tour, lovely city!!

  11. I would let Candice Olsen decorate my entire house. And then ask her to be my bff.

    • Sylvie, Candice Olsen ditto and ditto!

      Advice to young self: Don’t get married & have children until well into your 30’s! Spoil YOURSELF, not others, for a long time & have a lot more fun.

  12. Great getting to know you better Kate! I’m happy to play along! I’ll post my answers next week on my blog! :) I’m also looking forward to seeing your new blog design. Hope it’s going smoothly on the back end.

Leave a comment!

Keep the conversation going! Your email address will not be published.*

*

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Lately on Instagram (@centsationalstyle)