A home decor creator with three black cats named Camille Lenore from Los Angeles, found purrrmanent impression after visiting “the ultimate cat lady estate sale.” Although Lenore didn’t know the woman who lived in the home, she wished she could have been friends after seeing creative cat-themed decor from wall to wall. Even though the decor wasn’t necessarily her style, she admired the love that went into every detail.
“I think about this estate sale, quite literally, all the time,” said Lenore.
One of the murals painted at the Ultimate Cat Lady Estate sale in Fountain Valley, CA. Screenshot via YouTube/Camille Lenore
The Ultimate Cat Lady Estate Sale
The ultimate cat lady estate sale took place in Fountain Valley, California, in 2021. The home featured many hand-painted murals of cats. Looking around, every household item was officially cattified.
We hope the artist would have loved seeing her work here on Cole and Marmalade!
It must have taken a years to acquire the items, and Lenore sensed a lifetime of memories around her.
“This was a head-to-toe cat house. This woman loved cats so much, every single inch of her house was covered in them,” Lenore said.
One wonders how many cats lived in the home over time. Clearly, we know their mama loved them very much! The estate sale gave Lenore many emotions over how much the woman loved her kitties, like another recent estate sale in Tampa.
“Her entire interior dedicated to cats 😭❤️.”
Video by Camille Lenore:
How Cats Change Homes
Camille Lenore frequently shares vintage design inspirations with a few feline objects on display. She loves thrifting and finding well-loved and stylish items to display, including from cat lady estate sales. But her three sleek house panthers steal the show, posing like little fashion meowdels.
Adopting the cats has changed her life.
“As someone who grew up without pets— adding cats to my home has been completely life-changing,” Lenore shared. “Their happy little meows are the first thing I wake up to every morning and it is the best possible start to my day.”
She says she never thought she’d be a cat lady in her twenties, but now, her black cats, BeeGee, Ziggy Stardust, and Sinatra, are everything. The oldest, Sinatra, was a foster fail, finding a furever home with Lenore, followed by Ziggy, and then the newest family member, BeeGee or Bee. He’s a fluffy black tabby with stripes, or “Ghost Tabby.”
Video via Instagram/camillelenore
Form Follows Feline Function
In another video, Lenore explains how her designs amewsingly follow feline function. She joked there is a mirror over the fireplace opening so that she can watch her cats as they watch movies. (It was an unintended bonus!)
By watching BeeGee, she’s figured out which shows are his favorites, such as Japanese animation.
“The mirror has a function, believe it or not! 😏”
Here’s Your Sign to Volunteer
When she has free time and not visiting estate sales, Lenore volunteers with Los Angeles-based Kitten Rescue. After giving it a try, she encourages everyone to consider doing it and to “adopt, don’t shop.” It’s a message we are constantly trying to get out there, because there are millions of incredible and elegant cats looking for homes at any given moment. They do change your life in inspurrational ways, as we know very well.
“Volunteering weekly at Kitten Rescue LA is the best. Consider this your sign to start volunteering at your local rescue if you’ve been debating it,” she shared.
Video via Facebook/CamilleLenoreNichelini
You can see more of Lenore on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and YouTube and follow Kitten Rescue LA on Instagram and Facebook.
