style

For more than 25 years, Carroll Britton has been a makeup artist for the Twin Cities glitterati -- as well as the rest of us. We caught up with the high-spirited cosmetics queen at her Edina home.

Q Describe your decorating style.

A Early Menopause.

Q What's your most unusual housecleaning tool?

A When you come to my house, I'll show you 101 things you can do with a leaf blower.

Q Do you have a favorite household purchase?

A I bought a wall unit at an estate sale. I paid $100 and I swear it's worth $6,000. There's not a thing in my house that I bought at a store. Everything is OPS -- other people's stuff.

Q Why do you shop estate sales?

A It's voyeuristic. You can go to a department store any day of the week and know what you're going to get, but when you go to a sale, you get history, you get people's lives.

Q Do you have a weakness when it comes to housewares?

A Dishes. I have 19 sets of china.

Q Which ones do you save for good?