Pottery Barn

 Happy Valentine's Day!

Pottery BarnBeach House Style

The departure point for Doubtful Sound excursions, Lake Manapouri is often described as the loveliest of all of New Zealand's lakes with its backdrop of the majestic Cathedral Mountain range, small islands, deserted sandy beaches and coves. Image courtesy of Destination Fiordland.

Fort Myers News-Press Grandeur Magazine, February 2012

By Wrenda Goodwyn

New Zealand’s mix of amazing landscapes, volcanic cones, ocean beaches, lush rainforests, sweeping coastlines, influence of the spiritual Maori culture and cosmopolitan cities, make this unique destination as magical as its famous Middle-earth film locations.  And if you pause and take in the powerful silence of the untouched wilderness, New Zealand is a country that will find you and take you on an unforgettable, life-changing journey. This is not a destination for watching.  It is a place where everyone participates.  And the welcoming, hospitable way in which New Zealanders make that possible is the best reason of all for visiting.

Auckland

To experience New Zealand, visitors must get out on the water and enjoy the passion for sailing that comes natural to its residents.  The largest city in the country, Auckland is home to a third of all New Zealanders and it is also known as the “City of Sails.” Many visitors begin their adventure in this cosmopolitan city that is perched on two harbors. A sailor’s playground, it offers easily accessible activities. Tourists are drawn to the vibrant Viaduct Basin to sign up for the once- in- a- lifetime chance to sail on an America’s Cup yacht where they become part of the crew and take on the thrill of sailing Auckland Harbor.

If you find yourself looking for space to carve out a home office or if your current one is looking a little dreary, it may be time to come up with a plan.

Pottery Barn.Whether you are converting a walk-in closet into a workspace, sharing a family room or transforming a guestroom to your new home office, it can be a fun adventure if you follow a few tips.

Put some light on the subject. By now we know about the negative impact that lack of light has on our productivity and mood. And the best light of all is natural light. It reduces eye fatigue and headaches. Make sure that you have as much natural light as possible coming into your office. In addition, allow for both overhead lighting and task lighting. And skip fluorescent lighting. It makes you tired. A good desk lamp is Pottery Barn's Cole task table lamp (www.potterybarn.com). It is designed to focus light precisely where it is needed, making it perfect for reading and desk work. It has two turnkeys that let you adjust its height and angle and it also comes in a floor lamp. In addition, purchase a shaded lamp for a surface in your space to give your office some warmth.

Wrenda Goodwyn of Spectacular Spaces (standing) checking out the new look in the Kravet showroom in Estero with Kravet staff Amanda Coar Liguori (left) and showroom manager, Amy Jimenez. Goodbye to the old and hello to a new look!

It is not just our homes that need a little sprucing up for a change of scenery. Even designer showrooms can use a little makeover every now and then.

That is why I was so excited today to see the "new" Kravet (trade only) showroom at the Miromar Design Center in Estero. In a word (well, two): Simply gorgeous.

All new furniture, hundreds of new fabrics, wallpaper, pillows, accessories, hardware, rugs...and more.

A favorite among area designers and certainly one of my favorite showrooms, I always find inspiration by being surrounded by all of the beautiful fabric and furnishings that put the finishing touches on a home.

Here is a peek at some of the new items. Be prepared to be inspired!

Realizing that it is only January 15, I woke up this morning to 35 degrees in southwest Florida and started to think about spring. It must have been a flashback to my Virginia Peninsula roots. This is the time of year that I always started to dream about summer days and wish they were not so far off.

Photos courtesy of Garnet Hill.Today is a glorious, sunny, blue sky day in Florida. But it is cold. We have about three days a year that are like this. So, while I was rummaging through the back of my closet for my Ugg boots, I was thinking cold. But when I saw this gorgeous photo from the Garnet Hill catalogue, aside from wanting this room with its great light, beautiful distressed, whitewashed flooring and the jewel-toned hooked rug, I started to think about spring. 

If you are looking around your home and thinking that it is a little drab after taking down the holiday decorations, now may be a good time to think about what changes you would like to make for the coming year.  Some ways to give it a fresher look for 2012.

If you are like most of us, New Year's resolutions last about as long as the last holiday leftovers. But if you put a short plan together of some decorating resolutions, you may be surprised at the results!

Here are my top resolutions for 2012:

Try something new!  Something bold for the New Year.  “Undrab” your home following the holidays with Pantone's color for 2012.  Tangerine Tango has everyone dancing about this color.  Is it the new red?  Likely.  According to pantone, the deep red-orange color is intended to give us all a “big energy boost; a refresh and a recharge.” What better way to start the year.   But be careful how you use it! Suggestions:  Pillows, bedding, accent walls, upholster a chair.  Include it in your wardrobe…a purse, nail polish, shoes.  It is coming.  Get ready and have fun! That is what decorating is all about.

Undecorate. This may sound strange coming from a decorator so I will explain! Most homes are plagued with with visual overload. Let's resolve to simply our decorating and put some space in our homes instead of more things. Eliminate overstuffed rooms. This includes table tops, walls, furniture. Give your rooms space in which to breath. The result: a more restful and peaceful home.

View of Auckland from Devonport.With four beaches, a charming downtown, Victorian houses, art galleries, spectacular views of Auckland City and its magnificent harbor, Devonport is steeped in maritime history. High on the Kiwi's must-do list, it is the 4th most visited destination in the region. It's natural beauty is only surpassed by the friendliness of it's residents. Helpful and welcoming.

I spent hours touring Devonport.  It's two twin volcanic cones (Mt. Victoria and North Head). The new Naval Museum at Torpedo Bay. Walked through tunnels and military barracks that go back to 1870. And of course, looking at every beautiful house and garden along the way. One of my guides, born and raised in Devonport and an avid sailor, said that no one ever leaves to live anywhere else.  Why would they?

Designer Kevin Steffanni offered lots of practical tips on entertaining with style and ease. Stress-free with a touch of glam that will make it look as though you have worked for days when in fact you haven't!  Bottom line: Make things special for yourself and share it with others. Use what you love and your guests will love it as well.  Create an experience whether it is for a few people or a huge gathering.

With a gorgeous china cabinet from Ralph Lauren at Webster and Company filled with everything that you need to do the job, the seminar offered these valuable tips that will have you planning a holiday gathering in no time:

• Send a written invitation (rather than a phone call or email). It is elegant and classy.
• Plan your table arrangement several days before the event.  Place sticky notes where things go and move them around until you are happy.
• Use greenery that is in season.  Go to a Christmas tree lot and ask for trimmings. Look in your backyard! Use nature as your backdrop.
• Make the grocery produce department your main source:  limes, lemons, cranberries, pineapple, oranges, pomegranates. 
• Prepare what you are most comfortable serving.  Do not try anything new!  Keep it simple.
• If you are nervous about preparing the food, hire a caterer.
• My favorite tip:  No red wine.  It does not come out!  Try a signature drink that is your trademark.
• Serve buffet style with a beautiful display.
• Make sure the presentation is not flat.  Use items of different heights:  hurricane lamps (place cranberries or coffee beans around the bottom...thank you Martha Stewart!), pineapple, fruits.
• Serve on cake platters of different heights (find these at tag sales, discount stores).  As someone said today, you can put anything on a cake platter and it looks good!
• Plates do not have to match.  It is fun to pick up odd dinner plates at flea markets.  Your guests will love it!  Blend old with new.  Expensive with inexpensive.

When adding throw pillows is not enough!

A Spectacular Spaces client in Bonita Bay was ready to part with the couch that came with her home when it was purchased several years ago. As part of redoing her family room, she wanted something that would work with her casual lifestyle, seasonal guests and a steady stream of golfers who visit. Because the room required a large couch that would work with the entertainment unit, we actually needed to incorporate several couches into one strategically placed unit to allow for spacious seating.
Out with the old sofa!

So we headed for the Kravet showroom in the Miromar Design Center in Estero, where the showroom manager and always helpful, Amy Jimenez, helped us design the perfect sofa to fit my client's specific size needs. For the fabric, we selected a heavy duty, stain repellant suede in a beautiful seafoam green that is perfect for the Southwest Florida lifestyle.

Then came the pillows and a fun search through Kravet Couture which allowed us to get creative with trims and welting. And yes, pillows can make the sofa, so be sure to include them when you are making the purchase. They are a worthwhile investment.

A sofa is a major purchase. It is one of the mostIn with the new sofa!  important and expensive purchases that you will make. And finding it is not easy! The following tips will help navigate through the (often stressful) experience. Whether you have your sofa designed or purchase from a store, keep these mind:

• A sofa and two matching chairs are what you should be looking to purchase for the ideal layout. In some cases, depending upon the room's configuration, a larger sofa may be needed. 
• Invest as much as you can afford.
• Quality is most important factor in selecting your sofa and if you are not sure what to purchase, it is a worthwhile investment to have a decorator shop New pillows make the couch!with you to keep from making a mistake!