The beautiful weather here in Portland has had me pining for a proper outdoor lounge area, so when I saw this beauty, I knew I had to investigate. This deck is only the tip of the iceberg for this gorgeous remodel of a 1970's kit home in Southampton, New York - check out even more beautiful photos and a killer interior stairway here. Enjoy more interesting tidbits to explore….

1. A rundown of the 26 best design blogs by Domino magazine. This list was a great place to find new sites of inspiration and resource. There are a ton of creative sites out there, each one so different and filling a unique design niche - watch out for hours of procrastination or "research" ahead of you!

2. Inspired herringbone floors!!

3. A terrific interview with lighting designer Bec Brittain about her process and office essentials @ SightUnseen.

4. Pattern designer Jessica Swift just returned from Morocco and has some amazing photos to share. I can't wait to see how this trip and experience influence her colorful art and patterns.

5. The September 11 Memorial Museum has certainly been on my mind this week, I'm sure the images can't relay the power of the space and the recovered artifacts. The idea of creating a space to evoke a memory, or celebrate a memory, seems very evocative to me. Such a challenge to be an exhibition designer for something like this, I would be very interested to understand that process of design.