December 09, 2012

Tips for decorating like a pro this holiday season

December 09, 2012/ Wrenda

Velvet monogramed stockings from West Elm add traditional fun to holiday decor. Photo: West Elm.

Wrenda Goodwyn • special to the Fort Myers News-Press• Dec. 8, 2012

If you are waiting for inspiration to motivate you to start (or finish) your holiday decorating, this may be a good weekend to spring into action! The good news: there are lots of ideas this season for easy and beautiful designs that will have you decorating your home like a pro!

Photo of jewel tone ornaments from Pottery Barn Add some bling to your holiday with Pottery barn's jewel tone eclectic ornaments. Photo: Pottery Barn.If you are thinking about changing or updating your look this year, consider adding some of the popular metallics, bling, jewel tones, feathers and fresh, shiny colors to your home. Think moderation and be selective!

If you’re in a time crunch, and who isn’t, Frontgate lets you create your own signature style with a choice of three beautiful design options. Select one and you will receive everything that you need for the tree from ornaments, enhancers to ribbon and trim. It also includes coordinating garland and a decorated wreath. It couldn’t be easier. Almost like Christmas in a box. www.frontgate.com.

Use your traditional favorites but don’t be afraid to try something new. Some of our favorite decorating tips are listed below. Use them and tell your friends that you hired a designer to help this year!

Tips for holiday decorating like a pro

Make an entrance! Start at the front door and take your door from drab to fab with a fresh pop of color! Think greens, reds, turquoise (if you are bold). Remember, it is only paint, so don’t be afraid! And don’t stop there! Take last year’s wreath and give it a makeover to complement the door. Beautiful shells, branches, colorful ribbons will help you create a new wreath in no time. A huge impact with minimum expense and effort.

Use what you have! Don’t put everything away and transform your home into a winter wonderland. Use what you have in your home as your stage. If you have a piece of artwork that you love over a mantle or table, start there and add holiday decorations that compliment it. And don’t forget: what comes from nature works best!

April 07, 2012

Spring forward with these tips to refresh your home

April 07, 2012/ Wrenda

Wrenda Goodwyn • special to the Fort Myers News-Press• April 7, 2012

Since this is a close to spring as we get in Southwest Florida, most of us are looking for ways to give our homes a little freshening up! Some decluttering. And maybe a couple of home projects that we have been thinking about since the holidays. Something about spring, wherever we live, always gives us a nudge to shake things up a little. And even if budgets are tight, you can still do a little decorating to make an impact.

Add spring color with vintage glass pickling jars from Pottery Barn.10 tips for putting a little spring into your home:

• Say goodbye to clutter. Spring is the perfect time to get rid of anything that you don’t love. Go room by room and drawer by drawer. Closet by closet. I find that tackling one room at a time works best. Don’t aim for perfection. Just try to make a dent. And don’t forget to dump all of the piles of magazines that you have not read in the past two years. Too many collectibles? Put some away and rotate them back in the fall.

• Don’t try to redo the entire house but pick one room and give it a makeover. Maybe the family room or the bedroom. Make changes that you have been thinking about. Spend some time and plan it out like a decorator. Find photos in magazines or on the internet. Make a vision board. Establish a budget. Set some priorities. Have fun.

• Add some color for the biggest change. Try some pops of that Tangerine Tango that you have heard so much about. Pantone’s Color of the Year is cheerful and bright. Try new throw pillows, a throw, picture frames. It goes with almost anything when used as an accent and is a very happy color!

• Give the kitchen a facelift. Not a remodel but some small changes that will make you love your kitchen again. Take all appliances off the counters (you will have room in your cabinets or pantry that you have decluttered). Okay, leave the coffee maker. But seriously, remove everything else. Now you have room for a vase of beautiful spring flowers. Now…replace the drawer pulls and any other outdated hardware. Then add a fresh coat of paint.

January 31, 2012

When you live where you work

January 31, 2012/ Wrenda

Wrenda Goodwyn • special to the Fort Myers News-Press• January 28, 2012

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.

January 15, 2012

Decorating focus: Spring

January 15, 2012/ Wrenda

Photo of colorful rugs

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.

January 08, 2012

Decorating Resolutions for a Happy New Year!

January 08, 2012/ Wrenda

Wrenda Goodwyn • special to the Fort Myers News-Press• January 7, 2012

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.

December 05, 2011

Freshen up your home heading into the holidays!

December 05, 2011/ Wrenda

Wrenda Goodwyn • special to the Fort Myers News-Press• December 3, 2011

It always happens just as we are heading into the holidays.

I receive calls from clients who want to do a mini home makeover before the out-of-town guests and friends arrive. Everyone wants their home to look its best but we are all surprised that the holidays came upon us so fast and before we have time to redo our home into absolute perfection!

Wait. Stop. Take a breath!

We can’t do it all so I have come up with a short list that will refresh your home before you begin your holiday decorating. Not a total makeover but some easy and painless tips:

This stylish table from Pottery Barn is perfect for bringing organization to busy family spaces. With a compact profile and simple silhouette it is perfect for smaller entry areas.• Start at the front door. Literally with the door! Transform the entry to your home with a new paint color. This is inexpensive and fun. It will be a nice change for a boring front door that has been the same color for far too long. The color depends upon your exterior color but if it is a neutral tone, try a red, turquoise, blue or orange shade.

• Add some new plants to the front porch and clear out any that have seen better days!

• Before you bring out your décor items, give your home a quick decluttering. Take 15 minutes and put items away that are taking up extra space on surfaces that you will need for your holiday treasures.

• If new bedding is on your list, now is a good time. Nothing transforms a master bedroom and guest bedroom like new linens and comforters. And when the holiday stress sets in, a beautifully made bed to sink into is pure bliss!

• As much as you would like, you probably do not Photo of a blue door This beautiful blue door and surrounding plants say “welcome” to your guests during the holidays or any day! have time for new window treatments but you do have time to order a beautiful cornice for a window or two. Pick out some beautiful fabric find an upholsterer and they can help you with a cornice that will change the room. Or do it yourself with some easy step-by-step directions that are readily available online.

• Open the windows and light scented candles, add potpourri and seasonal aromatherapy.

• Since we all have guests over the holidays, make sure that you have a place in your entry near the front door where visitors can put their bags and purses. A chair or a bench or a wide table. Takes away that awkward “what do I do with my bag” moment when guests arrive. And make this a permanent part of your entry.

• This is a good time of year to add some new pillows and throws to your couches. Try out a new color that pops and compliments your wall color (no, you do not have time to repaint!).

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