Spectacular Spaces Blog, "Home Inspirations"

Mirror, mirror on the wall: Tips for a makeover!

2013-05-18T13:39:13Z

If the mirrors in your bathroom have seen better days, it's time for a makeover and this one is very easy! And will have the most impact on the room for a few dollars.

Photo: Better Homes and GardensAs a Fort Myers-based interior decorator, I recommend this one change more than any for bathrooms that need refreshing.

And if your bathroom itself is looking a little outdated and tired but you are on a budget, replacing or redoing the mirror will make a huge impact in the entire room.

Face it, if your mirror is huge and goes from counter to ceiling it is time to update the look. Especially if it has watermarks along the bottom and sides.

Or maybe you have a medicine cabinet with a mirror that is looking worn, it is time to replace with a new one that has a more contemporary mirror.

And if you have a vintage-style bathroom, think about reframing your mirror with some of the easy and inexpensive frame kits that you can do yourself.

A few tips for small changes that make a big impact:

Purchase a kit from www.mirrormate.com. Select from more than 60 styles, frame any mirror, in any decor. This method is easy and affordable. Perfect for the do-it-yourselfer! Produces immediate results. This is especially good if your house is on the market and you want to make a few changes that will make the room shine for prospective buyers.

Mirror before

Mirror after

Replace a large mirror with two smaller mirrors. Favorites include reasonably priced framed mirrors from HomeGoods, Lowes or Pier 1 Imports. You can find a fresh look for any decor. Also check out the metropolitan mirror with a shelf from www.potterybarn.com

Pottery Barn's Metropolitan mirror with a shelf.

A favorite is the contemporary pivotal mirror that gives a bathroom a fresh, designer look. One over each sink or just one over a smaller vanity with one sink.

Pottery Barn's pivot mirror.

If you are planning to redo your bath, remember, the mirror is the focal point and you look at it every day! So, for a few dollars and some creativity you can enhance the room.

Want a home that makes you happy?

Call me. I can help!

Painted flooring: a fresh option for your home

2013-05-05T13:42:19Z

Painted flooring seems to be all the rage. On porches, bathrooms, entire homes. If you are thinking about taking on this project yourself or having it done professionally, you may be interested in my Home Inspirations column this weekend. If you are wondering if this is right for your home, call me. As a southwest Florida interior decorator, I have great sources and we can help you decide what works best for your home!

Wrenda Goodwyn • special to the Fort Myers News-Press• May 4, 2013

It's an age-old technique. And painted floors are beautiful. They conceal imperfections in a floor that has seen better days. Furnishings are highlighted on a painted floor. Geometric designs add drama. A white or whitewashed floor is perfect for a beach house or country-style home. Painted on wide planks and the floor takes on a Tuscan look. Neutral tones work with contemporary or traditional. And a high gloss black or chocolate brown floor is ever so chic!

Photo: Benjamin Moore.It's a fresh new look for a tired floor. It hides imperfections. It is a design element that you can create yourself and make it unique to your home.

Painted floors are low maintenance. Require little care. And painting a floor is far less expensive than putting in a new one. It takes “using what you have to a new level.”

Benjamin Moore’s Latex Self-Priming Floor and Patio Enamel offers a durable low-luster finish and no sealer required. For a more polished look, top it with a coat of water-based polyurethane. This makes it perfect for high-traffic areas since it adds a protective layer. There are many videos and tutorial available with detailed instructions on how to paint a floor yourself. One even describes it as “as easy as painting your nails.” While I don’t quite believe it is quite that simple, many do-it-yourselfers achieve beautiful results.

Photo: Benjamin Moore. Featuring Benjamin Moore's 2013 Color of the Year, Lemon Sorbet, combined with Peachy Keen, Dark Linen and Thundercloud Gray. No special tools are needed. It does take a few days to dry and some patience is required to complete the project. But it is fun and instantly rewarding. If you believe as I do that nothing changes a room as much as color, it goes double for painted flooring.

If doing it yourself is a little more than you want to commit to, the Wood Floor Company, serving all of southwest Florida, has a beautiful hand painted wood line that can be customized to a homeowner’s exact specifications of width thickness, lengths, choice of engineered or solid with multiple color specifications. You can create a unique floor all your own.

Wood Floor Company Owner Tricia Pallack says that painted flooring is used in rooms with a shabby chic look as well as in contemporary homes. She says some of her color choices include rich tangerine, flamingo pink, olde country white, robin egg blue.

Color selections from The Wood Floor Company in Naples. Or create your own custom color.
“We use engineered or solid oak as a base and add a polyurethane finish. Cleaning is easy and we recommend an organic, all natural approach: one part vinegar to 10 parts water. Add essential oils in a squirt bottle. This works great for spot cleaning. Otherwise, just vacuum it lightly.”

And the best news: when you are tired of the color or look, the forgiving surface floors allows for the flooring to be sanded and refinished in a golden oak or another color.

Tip: If you are hesitant about jumping into this unique treatment, whether doing this yourself or having it done professionally, try it in a smaller room like a bathroom or laundry room.

Painted flooring is a great way to simplify your home decorating. It’s beautiful, long lasting and affordable. Give it a try.

Wrenda Goodwyn is a Southwest Florida interior decorator. Her column, Home Inspirations appears the first Saturday of each month. Visit her website at spectacularspaces.com. Call her at 949-1808 or e-mail wrenda@spectacularspaces.com. For more decorating tips and photos, visit spectacularspaces.com/blog

Sources:
Benjamin Moore
www.benjaminmoore.com
855-724-6802

The Wood Floor Company
www.thewoodfloorcompany.com
239-992-9300

Want a home that makes you happy?

Call me. I can help!

When paint color is just not enough: wall coverings make bold design statement

2013-05-04T00:00:55Z

Wrenda Goodwyn • special to the Fort Myers News-Press• April 27, 2013

If you are like most homeowners, when you hear the term "wallpaper," you immediately think about scraping sheets of flowery pastels of the wall and then repairing the wall. Or you remember your grandmother's kitchen. In other words, a thing of the past.

They began centuries ago as a way to protect walls and only the aristocracy could afford them. Wall papers meant that you had made it. Then for the past few years the allure faded.

Photo: Cole and Son and Lee Jofa.Today the term is "wall coverings" and many are not paper at all. They have come a long way, have been totally reinvented and done correctly, wall coverings can be a powerful design element in a home. Murals that take you away, metals, crystals, grass cloths, hand painted papers, silver threads and anything you can imagine. There are even companies that allow you to design your own paper.

We now see them in design magazines and in model homes. Wall coverings are no longer backdrops. They are focal points and should be treated as such. Pair the right combination of color and wall covering design and turn a blah room into a spectacular space.

With Pixers City Never Sleeps collection of mural (pixersize.com/wallmurals/city-never-sleeps) we see a tribute to the great metropolises that for ages have inspired not only artists, but also most importantly, ordinary people. Pixers says: "The cities that are a continuous dazzle of lights and cacophony of noises, but still attract like a magnet."

Photo: Pixercise.You can have a view of Paris from your living room or have your office in a cafe. A jazz band in your TV room or wake up in Paris. The sketches are bold and sexy. And best of all, you can specify the size of the mural to fit your space.

You may want to give wall coverings another look if bold paint colors just aren't enough. If you want to do something that reflects your decorating style and personality in a big way.

Wall covering tips:

• Make an entrance. Select a bold color for the front foyer and add a paper that accentuates the color.
• Powder room. Designers love wall coverings in powder rooms. We/you can do something totally outrageous in this room. Bling it up and make a statement.
Photo: Cole and Son and Lee Jofa• Laundry room. Use your imagination and try a whimsical pattern.
• For the kiddies. Forget pastels. Select a wall covering that will grow with the child. Neutral backgrounds with playful patterns.
• Complement your furnishings. A modern print works well in a space with a natural and casual style. With neutrals sofas and wood accent pieces, try a graphic pattern in a combination of colors.
• Maximum impact. Select a wall with no windows and doors for wallpaper and paint the rest of the room background color of the paper.
• Nursery. Cover one wall with a modern animal print and paint the remaining walls in a gender neutral shade.
• Love the look but concerned about budget? Select the room's focal point to highlight with an eye-catching print. Then paint the walls in the background color of the paper. The best of both decorating elements!
• Afraid of wall covering commitment? Pick a design that speaks to you and cover an accent wall. Minimal investment until you decide how much you love it!

Photo: Ralph Lauren HomeAccording to Shauna Dennison, creative director of Cole & Son, (available to the trade through the Kravet showroom in Estero) popular designs continue to include traditional and classic patterns. However she is seeing a move towards "larger scale, bolder wallpapers."

"This rise in murals and panel designs has in part been driven by huge advances in digital printing technology.

"We are seeing the rise of creativity in wall coverings... wallpaper has become a feature to build interior schemes around, rather than a background element. Large scale, whimsical designs are the conversational piece within a design scheme. The new Fornasetti II collection leads this trend with a series of striking theatrical designs that have been produced on wide widths giving the pattern repeats far greater space, creating a mural like quality."

At Ralph Lauren Home, the Textures Collection is filled with embroidery, damask and woven designs, natural seagrass, cork and scroll. These blend well against the blue-green shades that are the backdrop for southwest Florida homes. For details, visit the showroom in Miromar Design Center.

Wrenda Goodwyn is a Southwest Florida interior decorator. Visit her website at spectacularspaces.com. Call her at 949-1808 or e-mail wrenda@spectacularspaces.com. For more decorating tips and photos, visit spectacularspaces.com/blog

Sources:Photo: Ralph Lauren Home.
Kravet (To the Trade)
Miromar Design Center
10800 Corkscrew Road
Suite 398
Estero, FL 33928
239-948-4422
www.leejofa.com

Pixers
www.Pixercise.com

Webster & Company
Miromar Design Center
10800 Corkscrew Road
Suite 348
Estero, FL 33928
239-498-9074
www.RalphLaurenHome.com

Lessons learned from the flying trapeze

2013-04-24T12:28:00Z

A couple of weeks ago, on a beautiful, sunny afternoon, I flew on a trapeze.

I won’t say that it was completely done with “the greatest of ease,” but it was a lot of fun and I learned a lot.

Along with three colleagues, I was invited by Trapeze Federation to try out their newest location on International Drive in Orlando. It’s difficult to describe. It's a total body workout (they teach you what to do on the ground before you head up the ladder).

You may remember Carrie Bradshaw in a Sex in the City episode, “The Catch.”She tries out the trapeze and gets to the last part and misses the catch. It is a hilarious episode.

I’ve always believed that every now and then I need a challenge of learning something new that's totally out of my comfort zone. This did it for me.

Practicing on the ground. I am going to reach how far to catch the bar?There are four parts and the great staff make sure that you have some degree of confidence before going to each new step.

The first step is just climbing up the ladder (30 feet). As trainer Efe Ilkay says, “It looks a lot higher when you are up on the platform.”

Platform?

If climbing the ladder (step two) doesn't make you cry, you (harnessed) step outReady or not! on the platform and reach out (way out), grab the bar and swing! Yes. swing. Just like when you were a kid.

Step three, you repeat the swing and this time, hang by your knees. Step four, you repeat and this time let go and complete the catch with a strong trainer who makes it all look easy. And did I mention the net? The best part, falling into the net. Seriously.

Shedding light on illuminating a home

2013-04-06T15:36:31Z

Need some help sorting out your lighting needs and how it all fits into your decor? Check out these tips in my Home Inspirations column in the Fort Myers News-Press.

Wrenda Goodwyn • special to the Fort Myers News-Press• April 6, 2013

"How to" books have been written about the proper way to light a home.

And yet, if you are like most homeowners, you have rooms filled with lamps, sconces, ceiling lights and chandeliers. Still, it doesn't seem to be quite right.

Addie pendants from Ballard Designs

The generously sized shade of this mouth-blown glass pedant light was inspired by a vintage jar. Hang it above an island, breakfast bar or work area for casual style.

Lighting is much more than functional. It has become a major design element in our homes. It can add the pop that you need to accent a room or it can fade into the background. Done well, lighting can totally change a room. Either way, some basic tips will help to select the type of lighting that is needed and to make it part of your decorating plan.

What every room needs:

A new twist on a classic: Brunschwig & Fils

2013-04-02T00:41:50Z

Whenever Michelle Snyder from Kravet pops into the Estero showroom at Miromar Design Center, I know she will have something new that I will want to share with my southwest Florida clients.

And on this visit she delivered again.

This time it was the Le Jardin Chinois Collection from Brunschwig & Fils. Some of the older designs were included and many have been refreshed to reflect a newer version. The enduring style of this collection reflects the inspiration and historical references for many of the patterns that bring life to this new collection.

The result: beautiful.

From grand rooms in the White House and the Palace of Versailles to romantic country retreats in cottages and seaside homes, Brunschwig & Fils fabrics, wall coverings and furnishings have appeared for more than a century in the world’s most beautiful and iconic interiors.

And the tradition continues with bamboo trelis patterns, fresh colors and a new twist on old classics.

Photos courtesy of Brunschwig & Fils.

Want a home that makes you happy?

Call me. I can help!

Selecting the right white

2013-04-01T23:22:50Z

It seems simple enough. Selecting a beautiful white for a kitchen or bathroom. Until you are standing in front of a zillion white swatches in the paint store.

Believe it or not, white can be the most difficult color to select. As a Fort Myers interior decorator, I promise that if you are not careful you will end up with pink, blue or yellow undertones. Not a pretty look if you are hoping for a true white. Or if you are looking for soft and creamy. Or crisp and sharp. Or cool white. Or soft white. Oh, my!

Pottery Barn

White is one of the most essential paint colors in any decorator’s palette of go-to colors. And while white can be incorrectly considered boring or plain, this color is anything but with its vast nuances and subtle tints. Done correctly, white gives a look that is soothing, sophisticated, and classic.

Photo: Benjamin Moore.Favorite Benjamin Moore whites:
• True white: Decorator’s White, Super White, Snow White
• Ivory white: Atrium White, Navajo White
• Grey white: Dune White
• Grey-Green: White Wisp

Follow these tips to make sure you select the right white for the room:
• When you are selecting swatches, hold them against a sheet of white printer paper to help see undertones.
• Before painting: test on a board.
• Move the board around the room at different times of day to see how it changes in the light.
• Live with the color for a few days before making a final decision.

Want a home that makes you happy?

Call me. I can help!

These houses are for the birds!

2013-03-03T23:39:00Z

Long before I was an interior decorator I loved houses.

It was always so interesting to me to see how they were decorated, how the furniture was arranged and how the owner lived. I have collected small houses for years and have them displayed on a antique post office where I can study them with all of their little details.

And I have been collecting birdhouses for the past few years. I find them to be very sweet and the perfect accessory for almost any style home or outdoor space. I find them at flea markets and I even journeyed to North Carolina where I found a birdhouse builder with acres and acres of these miniature homes. I returned home with a car full.

But as a believer in using what you have whenever possible, and in repurposing when it makes sense, I especially love birdhouses that use local materials that mean something. And as a southwest Florida interior decorator, I am surrounded by beautiful driftwood, shells, treasures that wash up on the beaches and more.

Downsize and live well with less

2013-03-02T20:49:00Z

If you are thinking about downsizing or just want to live a simplier life, check out these tips in today's Home Inspirations column.

Wrenda Goodwyn • Home Inspirations • Fort Myers News-Press • March 2, 2013

Downsizing.

Whether it is to your dream vacation home, a condo, an apartment or maybe staying in your current home but living with less, many homeowners are freeing themselves of huge homes and possessions to live a life with less. Many find it liberating. Goodbye McMansions. There will be time to travel. Relax and not have to think about maintenance issues. Less for some, means more. But it can be overwhelming and emotional.

Unless you plan ahead.

Seagrass five-piece sectional is from Pottery Barn's small spaces line.

Transform smaller spaces with a thoughtful plan

So you have decided to sell your home and have found a smaller space and want to turn it into a jewel box with everything you have always desired but could not afford in a large home.

Don't show up at your new and smaller home with all of your furniture and other possessions from your large home assuming that you can squeeze them into the smaller space. It will not work and you will be very unhappy!

It takes a lot of thoughtful consideration way before moving day.

Always in Style: Stickley furniture offers history lessons

2013-02-25T01:00:00Z

Wrenda Goodwyn • special to the Fort Myers News-Press• Feb. 23. 2013

For many, it is an acquired taste.

But homeowners who love Stickley furniture are addicted to its style, design and quality. Collectors search in earnest for antiques — early Stickley pieces are recognized as gems of the American Arts & Crafts movement — and can add new pieces because the furniture is still made today, in the company’s factory in Manlius, N.Y.

Mission Dining Collection.“The quality of construction is amazing. Each piece is built when it is ordered ... the name of the customer is on the piece and remains on it as it progresses down the assembly line,” said Larry Norris, founder and president of Norris Home Furnishings, Southwest Florida’s exclusive Stickley dealer.

“And Stickley is delivered on its own truck. When you purchase a piece of Stickley, you are buying a collectible of tomorrow.”

Stickley furniture is known for its hand-finished, solid wood furniture in styles including Mission, Traditional and Metropolitan. Founded in Fayettesville, N.Y., in 1900 by Gustav Stickley — considered to be one of the country’s most legendary furniture makers — Stickley is seen in museums from the Metropolitan to the Museum of Fine Arts.

Today, Stickley has more than 1,600 employees and produces furniture collections ranging from the company’s early Mission Oak and Cherry to Classics, Modern, John Widdicomb, St. Croix and more.

Willow Bed: From the modern collection, the willow bed is part of the Edinburgh line. This beautiful bed was inspired by the Willow Tea Room in Sauchehall Street in Glasgow.

The company burst into international prominence in the early 20th century with its Craftsman/Mission Oak designs. These were based on the notion that furniture should be “honest” — a reaction against the fake joinery, unnecessary gaudiness and shoddy workmanship of many of the pieces created in the early days of industrial furniture making.