WOW! What a great response to the giveaway. I had so much fun reading all of your comments and I wish I could give everyone a decorating book. So, without further adieu, the winner of the BHG Decorating book is:
Linda/Mom – who didn’t think she was eligible to win the book because she doesn’t have a blog, but that is not the case. Linda, I hope you see this, since I have no way to get in touch with you and there is no email listed. I’ll give you until Monday a.m. to claim the prize & if I don’t hear from you by then, it will go to the next winner on the list. If anyone has an idea who Linda is, please let her know.
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Click all pics to enlarge….my normal method of enlarging them isn’t working right now, but if you click they should all enlarge for you.
Of course, we had a great time at the beach. It was chilly a night, but the days were bright and sunny. What better way to spend a few days during October than on the beach, where it was totally uncrowded. We had it to ourselves. My friend here in Birmingham has an absolutely stunning beach house, which we stayed in and it was heavenly. I’ll give you a quick tour of the 4 bedroom beach cottage, which she graciously allowed me to share with all of you. I knew you’d want to see it! It’s a beautiful place. This was my first time in Gulf Shores, but probably won’t be the last. Growing up in GA, we always went to Destin or Panama City, but a lot of Alabama folks consider Gulf Shores the place to go to the beach.
Coming in the front door, there are stairs going up and down.
Master bath, those windows look out over the greatroom.
Master vanity
Master bedroom. Color used throughout the house is Restrained Gold, in case you are wondering. It all looks beautiful!
Master bedroom
Landing outside master bedroom.
Landing
Kitchen
Greatroom
Extra bedroom
Bath
Bedroom armoire
Another bedroom
Bedroom armoire
Twin beds in one room.
Oil painting on landing she commissioned an artist to paint of the beach house.
Dining area
Mudroom downstairs
Tile and stairs
View from balcony across to the ocean.
Front porch/balcony.
Their own pier in the bay out back of the beach house.
Back of the beach house.
Off the diningroom.
Looking out from the landing at the beach. 
Wow Rhoda,That is a beautiful beach house! Your friend is also a talented decorator with great taste! Nothing like having a friend with a house on the beach! LOL
Congratulations to Linda for winning your giveaway.
And you’re right…October is a wonderful time to get away…especially to the beach. The weather is usually beautiful!
Have a great day!
diane
I always feel renewed after a bit of time at the beach. I know you enjoyed it!
I can’t wait to see the pictures.
I Love Love Love the beach! I've never been to Gulf Shores, have been to Destin & Panama City Beach. Your friend has a very nice home! Very nicely decorated!
Congratulations to Linda/Mom on winning the book…and congratulations to you for having over 200 admiring readers wishing for it! 😉 Bo
Hi Rhoda, Glad you had a nice vacation & are now back at home….we missed you,
I didn't enter the giveaway because I already have that book. What a great friend you have to allow you to stay in that beautiful condo. Thanks for sharing, Take care, DebraK
Hi Rhoda
Gosh, it seems forever since I’ve had time to stop by. It’s taken me awhile, but I’ve enjoyed all your posts I’ve missed, especially the one of you and your family going on the “roots” trip together.
Happy Halloween!
Hugs!
Kat
Rhoda,
Glad you had fun at the beach; I envy you as it certainly is not beach weather here bya any stretch. I think Linda?Mom is RMS Mom of a German Shorthair. Some of your RMS friends probably know her e-mail.
Yeah, I have a brain that remembers odd/none of my business/strange facts!
Janet
Rhoda, what a beautiful beach house! Your friend was so kind to let you stay there. Sounds like you and your DH had some wonderful down time. It’s always so nice to be able to get away and relax.
Hope you have a great weekend! Happy Halloween!
Oh what a beautiful home! What great friends you have to allow you guys to stay there. We’ve been going to Gulf Shores every year for over 20 years and it is our favorite vacation place in the US. However, we’ve never been in the fall. Only a couple of more years until retirement and then maybe we can walk along the beach when it is less crowded.
WOW!!! WHat an amazing getaway!!
Happy Halloween!
How could you not relax in those surroundings? Beautiful. Sally
Hi Rhoda, I pop in to your blog from time to time but have never commented. That beach house looks great and quite inviting as the temps begin to drop in the Midwest. Gollum told me that Linda won your “giveaway”. I’ll let her know and she can pop over to claim it. She could use a little surprise right now. I’m sure that you know she was in an auto accident about 10 days ago. She continues to recover, but ever so slowly. Your giveaway might be just what she needs. Thanks, Carol
It looks wonderful!
I can see weddings on the back of the house. I love the way the stairs come down and then the rope is around the sides on the bottom.
Happy Halloween!
Thanks for the heads up on Linda! I got a couple of notes on her identity & just got her email address. So I should be able to get the book to her soon.
*** Good morning, "Richly Rested, Relaxed n' Ravishing Rhoda"!*** Your gf's "gift" of staying at their SUPER beach house is/was so thoughtful ~ what a DELIGHTFUL & GENEROUS way to say "I love you, friend!".(DH & I were born n' raised in So Cal, in the beach areas, & altho we are now in the complete "opposite"(the DESERT!), we ALWAYS look forward to going "home" to see "our ocean" ~ and families!)! ~~~~~~ When DH was gone during the Gulf War (he was a Brigade Commander w/ the 1st Armored Division), my BFF's childhood friend lent us HER beach house in SC, so we could just "get away n' chill" from our responsibilities (to others) as Army wives~~~ We had SUCH a WONDERFUL time being "totally selfish"! We started each glorious day on that wonderful deck, w/ a cuppa in hand ~~~ sometimes just "chatting it up" about "everything n' nothing", & not even getting out of our nightgowns til noon (!). We HAPPILY practiced & "danced" to "Shop til you drop, Spend to the end and Buy til you die" & walked on the beach collecting shells(sometimes losing track of "time" & ending up VERRRRRY far from the house ~Where's a "beach taxi" when you really NEEEED one?~ Lots of laughter, silliness, great shopping n' even greater purchases, MORE laughter & memory-making fun, along w/ "DEEP", "let's talk about solving-the-world's-problems" talks til dawn (often accompanied by nice wines & simple seafoods) are now-cherished memories that will ALWAYS bring a smile to my face! **** AND NOW, how SUPER FUN n'THRILLING to not only "win something" (I mean, WHO EVER can say they actually HAVE, right?!?!) BUT to win the BOOK is REEEEALLY exciting! I tend to go crazy at Barnes n' Noble (On Sundays if DH is gone on a business trip)browsing (yep, then usually buying!) decorating books, and this is one I DO NOT HAVE (y-e-t!)~~~~ Sooooo, THANK YOU sooooo very much, in advance, for the thrilling & unsuspected "happy news"! Can't wait to receive it (will E you my mailing address, or better yet, why not just "hop on a plane" & come here for a visit AND bring to the book, too, ok?). Blessings & my SINCERE appreciation for you "MAKING MY DAY"! (And to think I might not have DISCOVERED your great blog if I could have been able to SLEEP that one night! LUCKY ME!). Warm hugs, friend!!! Linda/ "Mom…" (Yes, RMS's "Mom of a German Shorthair" ~ Smiles!)
Your friend’s house is great! I noticed she has a coffee maker on the counter in the bathroom – that definitely made me smile, cause I need my morning caffeine, too!
I also love all of the beds – especially the headboards. So glad you had a fun, relaxing time. 🙂
That house is just gorgeous! I fell in love with the dining room set.
I didn’t enter your giveaway b/c I already had the book. It’s one of my favorite too. 🙂
*** Note: I was just "back-reading" here, n' saw my dear, DEAR friend CAROL'S message~ she IS the world's greatest friend, & she "hit the nail on the head" re the "upper" this is right now ~~~ I A-M back to being more "laid up" w/ "leg complications" from the accident~~~ and a great, new deco book is JUST the "ticket" I need right now, "for sure"!!! (And if THAT can't cheer me up, nothing will! Sooooo, I THANK Y-O-U AGAIN RHODA, A-N-D, Cute n' Caring Carol too!!!)~~~ XOXO Linda
Oh, what a lovely beach cottage! Its so nice to get away and just go shell hunting. I have a friend that has one along the beach, but we been there, then hubby is too close to Destin and off we go! We did go to Ocean Springs, other friends had a cottage 10 foot from the beach. It was so wonderful, with no one in site, and Ocean Springs little town, has a lot to see, I love Walter Anderson, we rode out to Horn Island. We sit on the screen porch and watch the shrimp boats come in. Those days are gone, Katrina claimed it all, nothing was left.Congrats to Linda for winning, and hurry home safely!