La Fonda del Sol Giveaway

When life gets hard and I need an escape I run away to a place where life is good. It’s a delightfully quiet place full of sunshine and cacti. Where lizards zip around in the noon sun and warmer blooded animals seek out a shady spot for a nap. Sophisticated ladies in linen dresses and wide brimmed hats pour limeonade into heavy hand-blown glasses and sit on the veranda chatting while their good natured and silent children dip their toes in the tiled pool. Occasionally, muted laughter drifts into the house where the men are sprawled on the spotless chrome and white leather sofas discussing the morning’s game and how tricky the dogleg on hole 17 is.

In my fantasy life everything is perfect. There is no dust, no laundry, white walls are fingerprint free, and the colors are always coordinated. It’s a mid-century modern paradise straight from the pages of the 1960’s Sunset magazine collection that my aunt kept in her family room. And occasionally I have to spend a few days pretending I’m there… so I don’t scream my head off. However, like a good 1960’s Mommy, when I return, (with my valium smile, wobbling slightly in my pumps, but looking altogether much less insane) I always bring gifts.



So, my dearies (oops... that’s kind of Wizard of Oz, not the tone I’m looking for here.) So… Dahlings… I have a surprise for you! The delightfully modern, yet oh. so. chic. company FLOR has offered me the opportunity to give one of you a really cool gift.
But first... a little design history. Alexander Girard was one of the greats of mid 20th Century textile and furniture design. His use of bold patterns and bright colors in textiles started a revolution that changed the design world.

“The simple geometric patterns and brilliant primary color ranges came to be because of my own urgent need for them on current projects. As you will remember, primary colors were frowned upon in those days; so were geometric patterns. I had the notion then, and still do, that any form of representational pattern, when used on folded or draped fabric, became disturbingly distorted, and that, therefore, a geometric pattern was more appropriate for a draped fabric. Also, I was against the concept that certain fabrics were ‘suited’ to certain uses – like pink for girls or blue for boys!”
Alexander Girard: Quoted in an essay by Jack Lenor Larson. 1975 Design Quarterly # 98/99

FLOR and Maximo designs have teamed up to offer one of Girard’s classic designs “La Fonda del Sol” in FLOR’s unique modular carpet tiles. The product is really pretty cool. It’s an eco-friendly (see... I’m still green), anti-microbial, high quality carpet that comes in squares that you can arrange any way you like. You can read a lot more about it here.

FLOR has given me one 3’x5’ La Fonda del Sol Mandarina area rug to give away.


I thought long and hard about what I should require in order for one of you to win this (Because I wouldn’t mind keeping it myself… but that’s against the rules. Darn!) and finally decided that you don’t have to do anything! I’m just that nice… and I hate making decisions. So, in order to enter the contest all you have to do is write a comment here telling how you would use this rug (or just say you want it.) I will assign a number to each person who leaves a comment and, when we have over 100 entrants, I will have a random number generator pick the winner. FLOR's media relations person will ship the rug directly to the winner (so I can't snag it) within 2 weeks. I’m going to rely on you guys to pass the word along so that we can get to the 100 minimum quickly. Ok?

Unfortunately, there is one catch... FLOR is unable to ship internationally so only readers who have addresses in the U. S. and Canada are eligible. Also, members of my family are not eligible. Sorry guys... I’ll do another chocolate give away soon and everyone can enter.