The Saturday List for May 7, 2022

The Saturday List 050722 Header

Hello! I hope you’ve had a great week. Mine has been pretty good and I’m exciting to be hosting a ladies tea party today with my two nieces and adorable grand-niece (who is 5-1/2). I’ve been baking and planning tea sandwiches and table settings all week. Meanwhile, in this week’s edition of The Saturday List, … Read more

The Saturday List – April 30, 2022

Hello and happy weekend! I’ve been busy with my Pinehills project client putting the final touches on the design for their bright and beautiful new home. There have been several fun tidbits in the news this week that I’m sharing below in this week’s edition of The Saturday List. (Please note this post contains affiliate … Read more

The Saturday List for April 2, 2022

Linda Merrill The Saturday List Interior design decorating travel real estate April 2, 2022 header

Hello and happy weekend! This week’s installment of The Saturday List includes Betty White’s Carmel CA house, newly on the market; an amazing Air BnB in Old Town that’s a gloriously decorated in red, white and blue – but in a modern and fun way.   Betty White’s Carmel, CA home, which she owned for … Read more

The Saturday List – Interior Design Weekly Highlights

The Saturday List header March 12, 2022

Good morning! This is my inaugural The Saturday List post which will highlight what has caught my eye each week in the world of interiors, design and decoration! It’ll be kind of a potpourri of events, design tips, travel destinations, movies and television with amazing sets. As I said, whatever I’ve seen that I may … Read more

Silver Screen Surroundings: The Great

The Great gilded hall

I just finished watching Season 1 of  The Great on Hulu. “Loosely” based (and I mean very loosely) on Catherine The Great of Russia, the series stars Elle Fanning as Catherine and Nicholas Hoult as Emperor Peter the not-so-great son of Peter the Great. The first season is 10 parts and episode titles include “And … Read more

Staycation Movies & TV That Feed Your Decorator’s Soul

So, how are you doing? I imagine, like me, you’re pretty stressed about this whole situation we find ourselves in. I am working on a series of blog posts offering suggestions and resources for entertainment, education and maybe even tuning out the world with some pretty. First up: Staycation Movies and Television shows for the … Read more

Outlander Big House on the Ridge

Starz Outlander The Ridge Big House cast Marsali Fergus Jamie Claire Roger Bree season 5

And so, after almost a year-and-a-half, Droughtlander has finally come to an end, and the Starz drama Outlander Season 5 “Fiery Cross” premier episode dropped last week. And I have opinions of the story and also the Outlander Big House on the Ridge. For a bit of recap, this series is based on the wildly … Read more

Downton Abbey Costumes Exhibition in Boston

Downton Abbey Exhibition sign

So, Friday was my birthday and my oldest friend (meaning longest term, NOT OLDest, lol) took me to the Downton Abbey Costumes Exhibition currently showing in Boston and then out to a lovely lunch. I was really looking forward to the exhibit as I loved the series and had blogged about it when it was … Read more

A Visual History of Sitcom Sofas

HomeAdvisor recently put together this compendium of Sitcom Sofas (and chairs) that I thought would be fun to share, as part of my long-standing Silver Screen Surroundings movie and television set design series. If you click here you can see a bigger version of this. Thanks again  HomeAdviser for the trip down upholstery lane! You … Read more

Outlander River Run’s Dark Design

Outlander River Run exterior river evening party

  So, Season 4 of Outlander on Starz , featuring Outlander River Run, debuted back in November and this is my first post for the season. This season is based on Diana Gabaldon’s fourth Outlander book Drums of Autumn which sees our heroes, Scottish Highlander Jamie Fraser and his twentieth century time-traveling wife Claire Beauchamp Randall … Read more

Silver Screen Surroundings: Ordeal By Innocence

Ardgowan Estate aerial

I watched the new BBC production of Agatha Christie’s Ordeal by Innocence last week, which is available on Amazon Prime Video. Set in the 1950’s, the story centers around a wealthy family, the Argyll’s. Matriarch Rachel Argyll is some kind of philanthropist who can’t have children, so adopts five children, plus one super hard-working housekeeper … Read more

Silver Screen Surroundings: Sharp Objects and deGournay

Sharp Objects movie poster

Silver Screen Surroundings: Sharp Objects Sharp Objects is a new series currently airing on HBO. It’s getting rave reviews all around for the acting (Amy Adams, Patricia Clarkson) and the production. I haven’t seen it yet (there’s been a lot going on which I’ll share at the end of this post) but plan to at … Read more

Silver Screen Surroundings: Grace and Frankie Costumes and Sets visual story telling

  I was late to the table watching the Netflix series Grace and Frankie starring Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin, in the respective title roles. I binged watched seasons 1-3 this fall and just fell in love with the show and it’s various set pieces. As some of you may know, I have a long … Read more

Murder on the Orient Express (2017)

  I’m pretty excited for the new movie Murder on the Orient Express. Firstly because I’ve had a long-standing crush on Kenneth Branagh and the rest of the cast is amazing as well. And coming in a close second is the amazing looking production design by Production Designer Jim Clay, Set Decorator Rebecca Alleway and … Read more