You've Got (design) Style!

Wrenda Goodwyn • special to the Fort Myers News-Press/USA Today Network • Aug. 21, 2021

What’s your interior design style?

We all know that the interior of our homes impacts our mood, work, health and how we react to others. And nothing is more important than the style of your home and the way it makes you feel when you walk in the door.

This room styled by Pottery Barn has a mix of farmhouse, coastal and a little boho style. Pearce roll-up arm, upholstery, chase sectional; farmhouse end and coffee tables; a sprinkling of accessories and artwork. www.potterybarn.com

As a Fort Myers interior decorator, I tell my clients to select a design style that they can afford and one that suits their lifestyle. It’s often not quite as simple as it sounds. That’s why I want to share a few tips.

Before meeting with a new client, I have them answer a few questions. I give them a list of styles and ask them to pick the ones that describe their current decorating scheme. And I ask what style they would like to see in their home.

Some homeowners know their style and others only know what they don’t like (which is fine). Some tell me they have no style and they need help finding one (also fine).

Most of us hold on to our style and don’t change it over the years unless we are making a major change like downsizing or moving to a completely different part of the country. Even then we tend to take our style with us because it’s what gives us comfort in our homes. My own look in my home style is coastal with a lot of primitive pieces incorporated into the mix.

Why should you know your style?

Well, you don’t have to know your style but it will help keep you on track and eliminate expensive mistakes. It’s about making smart choices. And it’s a good guideline.

It takes time to curate your own style so have patience and have fun with the process.

I look at it like this: would you go into a clothing store and randomly begin to try on clothes without any thought whatsoever as to what would look best on your body type? Not likely.

And you would not begin putting a room together without giving some though as to what you like and what works with the layout of the home. Unless you want to end up with a hodgepodge of stuff. Not a good idea.

What do we mean by “design style?”

The short answer: features that define your home’s character and create harmony in a particular style that you love.

Hint: most homes have a combination of two styles. Which I find much more interesting than one style. And the best combination of all is the one that mixes old with new pieces.

First steps

Take a look at your furniture. See any patterns?

Notice what you really love and what can be eliminated.

Look for common characteristics: color, shape, materials.

Visit model homes. Here, designer’s follow a specific style throughout the home. Take notes.

Look at furniture showrooms. But don’t let the salesperson decide your style.

Create a vignette with magazine photos or digitally. Visualizing helps determine what you like.

If the various styles have you a bit confused, this is a very brief summary of a few. There are many more.

Transitional

This style is a “happy medium.” A mix of traditional and contemporary design. Here you have the freedom to mix and match styles for a cohesive style. It’s a no stress style.

Traditional

From 18th and 19th century England and France, you will see pieces that have stayed true to their period with little change. Velvet, lines, patterned fabrics, glamorous chandeliers, oil paintings, florals.

Modern

Time period is from the early to mid-20th century. Clean lines. Sleek. You won’t find extra embellishments and generally has a more neutral color palette with bold pops of color. No fuss. Clean lines, geometric form, clear spaces, function and storage. Love the 50’s and 60’s? This is your style.

Contemporary

Always changing and a bit hard to describe because it’s what is happening “now” in interior design. It borrows from current styles and trends without focusing on any one particular style.

Coastal

Reflects the natural environment and brings it indoors. Uses neutrals with blues and greens (jewel/sea glass tones). The indoors extends into the outdoors enlarging the living space. Minimal window treatments. Jute, wicker, indoor plants. Bright and breezy.

Eclectic

Eclectic rooms could be filled with iconic pieces from just about every style, and when done correctly, it can work together. Somewhat tricky to pull off but when it does, it is cozy, interesting and reflects the homeowner’s interests. Often combines traditional and modern.

Boho

This style is having its moment with a sudden gain in popularity. Maybe it’s reflective about how we are feeling these days. Free spirit meets different cultures for a look that can be spectacular and fun. Pieces from travels, different cultures, color, and patterns all combine for a totally unconventional and totally fun look. Exotic and layered with bright colors.

Modern Farmhouse

A modern twist on rustic. You know this style if you have watched the HGTV show Fixer Upper. It takes salvaged objects and puts them together in a modern way. Sleek lighting, wide plank flooring combine with blues, greens, lots of black are used to design a comfortable style. Think rustic yet refined with a little traditional.

Minimalist

This one is last for a reason. I rarely see it. For all the talk about minimalism, most homeowners are reluctant to part with their “stuff” to create an uncomplicated, clean and simple design. And I must admit, it takes a lot to pull it off for everyday living. Japanese-inspired, empty spaces with attention to hidden storage and neutral accents.

Wrenda Goodwyn is a Southwest Florida interior decorator, A.S.I.D. associate and gold member of the Interior Redecorators Network. She helps homeowners throughout Southwest Florida with timeless, affordable ways to create beautiful spaces and solves decorating problems. Her articles appear the first Saturday of each month. For more information visit her website at spectacularspaces.com. Call her at 239-850-5800 or e-mail wrenda@spectacularspaces.com. For more decorating tips, articles and photos, visit spectacularspaces.com/blog

Inspiration for creating a beautiful home

It’s summertime in Southwest Florida and if you are running a little low on inspiration for your home, a vision board with some of your favorite things is a good place to start. Photos, paint color, textures, samples of wall coverings and fabric samples and anything else that you love, help when deciding how you want your home to feel when you walk in the door. Photo and inspiration board are from one of my favorite places to go to go for inspiration, Kravet. Check out this to- the-trade source at Karvet.com. Photo: Kravet.

Wrenda Goodwyn • special to the Fort Myers News-Press/USA Today Network • July 3, 2021

A couple of months ago a client asked me to walk through her home and give her tips on how she could “make it look like something out of a magazine.”

Before I booked a designer for a day consultation, I talked with her at length on the phone about her home and what I could do to help her. She told me that she no idea what she wanted. Had no strong likes or dislikes. Her home was not really any particular style. Did not have any color preferences. Was clear that she had no design style. She just knew that she wanted it to look great. And she thought she would know what she wanted when she saw it.

As a Fort Myers interior decorator, I can tell you this is not all that rare. I’ve found that many homeowners, especially post COVID, want to change their homes but are lacking clear ideas about what they want. Not a problem!

This is where inspiration comes in. And maybe we are all feeling a little uninspired and disconnected after the past year.

Making changes

One solution is to call a decorator or designer. We are full of ideas. But before you make that phone call, it’s really important to gather some thoughts about what makes you happy and how you would like for your home to feel when you walk in the door. After all, it’s your home.

Maybe you’re making a fresh start in a new home. Downsizing to a smaller space. Looking for a new look after a life-changing event. Feeling the need to restore balance to your home and life. Or maybe you are just plain bored and want something different.

Set the stage

Decide how you want your home to feel when you walk in the door. Everything you do will relate to this feeling. I always tell my clients I don’t need to know details about how they want it to look. That comes later. But tell me the feeling that you want your home to reflect and I will help get you there.

I have some thoughts that I share with my clients on finding your inspiration and you may find them helpful.

Home inspiration and where to find it

Design books

Magazines

Pinterest

Instagram

Design blogs

Hotels

Restaurants

Nature

Travel

Fabric

Fashion

Antique markets

Art

Furniture showrooms

Model homes

If you love to travel or just enjoy dreaming about faraway places, be inspired with this World Traveler wallpaper from Ballard Designs. With whimsical maps of favorite cities, it’s perfect for a powder room or office. www.ballarddesigns.com. Photo: Ballard Designs.

Transform your home like a professional

• Make it your own. Ideas from magazines and Instagram are great inspiration starters but it’s your home and should reflect you.

• Order samples of paint, wallpaper, fabric, tile.

• Make your own vision board. There are free programs online or you can create one on Pinterest.

• When working on a room, I like to lay everything out on a white tray: fabric sample, paint swatches, tiles, bits of inspiration like shells and other objects found in nature, photos, etc.

• Keep it simple and remember: trends are fun but they come and go. Look for classic style that is never outdated.

• Remember to have fun and don’t overthink things.

This month:

• Review your hurricane plan and stock up non-perishable supplies. www.leegov.com/publicsafety/emergencymanagement/plan

• With 175 days until Christmas, it’s time to think about holiday decorations. Put a plan together and order what you need. This is also a good month to review what you have and eliminate old decorations that you no longer use. Donate them to a charity. Now you can forget about the holidays until November!

Wrenda Goodwyn is a Southwest Florida interior decorator, A.S.I.D. associate and gold member of the Interior Redecorators Network. She helps homeowners throughout Southwest Florida with timeless, affordable ways to create beautiful spaces and solves decorating problems. Her articles appear the first Saturday of each month. For more information visit her website at spectacularspaces.com. Call her at 239-850-5800 or e-mail wrenda@spectacularspaces.com. For more decorating tips, articles and photos, visit spectacularspaces.com/blog

How to add sparkle to your home with accessories

Wrenda Goodwyn • special to the Fort Myers News-Press/USA Today Network • June 5, 2021

Accessories.

Without them, a room is just a box of furniture. They add the sizzle to our homes. Give the room its personality. Tell us about the person who lives there. Accessories are the frosting on the cake. The jewelry in a room. The sparkle. They make the home complete. They bring us joy.

Done well, they make us happy. Done badly, they can look like a hodgepodge of clutter. And there are some ways to make them work for you without a lot of expense and stress. There is a bit of an art to the process which you may find helpful.

Whether you’re a minimalist or a maximalist, have contemporary, coastal, eclectic or traditional décor, there are elements that accessorizing any home all have in common.

As a Fort Myers interior decorator, I go into a lot of homes. Within a few minutes, I usually know a lot about the people who live there. And it’s because of the accessories. Those rare times that I have been into a home and just haven’t been able to get a feel for the people who live there, it’s because they have just moved in and are sorting out their things or they have not yet accessorized.

The use of accessories give this room a light and easy look with tone and textures: plants, baskets, artwork, rug and light fixture. Shown: Summit slipcovered sectional and Anguilla rattan coffee table from Serena and Lily. Photo: Serena and Lilly. www.serenaandlily.com

If you came into my home you will immediately know a lot about me. I love nature, the water, contemporary mixed with vintage, the beach, driftwood, plants, traveling, antique market finds, animals and that I have a lovingly restored, old boat that is the focal point of my lanai. These all bring me joy.

What would your home tell me about you?

What are accessories?

Plants and flowers. Window treatments. Lamps and other lighting. Artwork. Rugs. Baskets, pottery. Mirrors. Collections. Books. Candles. Shells. Pillows. Flea market finds. Antiques. Statement pieces. Objects from your travels. Backsplash. Bath towels. Fixtures. Anything that brings to mind a happy memory.

Where do you accessorize?

Coffee table. Dining table. Walls. Shelves. Bookcases. Fireplace mantle. Desk. On a tray. Outdoor spaces. Even the welcome mat at your front door is an accessory because it says something about you.

Do this first.

Take a walk through your home. Say goodbye to anything that you don’t love. If it’s old and without charm, ugly or something that you don’t like, get rid of it.

Accessories shouldn’t be complicated. The Captiva console in light dune from Serena and Lily makes you want to stay a while with accessories that include a pretty plant, bowl of citrus fruit, pretty barware and a shell. Photo: Serena and Lily. www.serenaandlily.com

Plan to update outdated fixtures such as knobs, handles, drawer pulls. Replace old switch plates.

If budget allows, plan to add crown molding. It makes any room pretty.

Accessorizing tips.

Think quality rather than quantity. Have too many things that you love? Rotate them. Seasonally is a good plan.

Chances are that your best accessories are pieces that you already own.

Use three items. Designers love odd numbers. You can use more than three: five, seven. But you only need three. Example: On a coffee table: a tray, a small plant, and a book or two or three. Add a few shells or glass beads.

Set a pretty table. Put a runner down the middle of your dining table. Add a plant or two, some glass vases. Pretty dishes. Candles. Twigs. Glass beads. Pick three. Or five.

Tablescapes are a great way to accessorize with items that you already have on hand. Shown: Pottery Barn’s Mendocino dinnerware collection, faux Hydrangea, Carolina paisley table runner and rattan placemats. Photo: www.Potterybarn.com

Group like objects together rather than scattering them around the house. They will have more visual impact.

Use large pieces of artwork, especially in Southwest Florida’s open spaces.

Consider colors in the room and add pops of it to your accessories.

Decorating with books? Perfect. Add a few accessories to the shelves.

My favorite accessory tip:

Accessories are the final step in refreshing a room. Be mindful about what you use. Invest the time to curate your own personal collection of accessories. It’s usually not the item that is most important but how you display it. Most important: have fun!

Wrenda Goodwyn is a Southwest Florida interior decorator, A.S.I.D. associate and gold member of the Interior Redecorators Network. She helps homeowners throughout Southwest Florida with timeless, affordable ways to create beautiful spaces and solves decorating problems. Her articles appear the first Saturday of each month. For more information visit her website at spectacularspaces.com. Call her at 239-850-5800 or e-mail wrenda@spectacularspaces.com. For more decorating tips, articles and photos, visit spectacularspaces.com/blog

Beyond beige: color changes everything in a home

There is so much to consider when deciding on a color palette. When thinking about color in any given room, we have to consider the flooring, cabinets, countertops, fixtures, window treatments, walls. It’s no wonder it becomes a bit overwhelming for homeowners. Photo: Cambria

Wrenda Goodwyn • special to the Fort Myers News-Press/USA Today Network • May 1, 2021

Color. It’s at the heart of good design. And understanding how to use color in our homes changes everything. Get the colors right and the decor flows. Make a mistake and well, we’ve all been there.

When thinking about color in any given room, we have to consider the flooring, cabinets, countertops, fixtures, window treatments, walls. It’s no wonder it becomes a bit overwhelming.

From the time I was given my first box of crayons, I’ve loved color. It’s my passion. A fan deck is always within arm’s reach because I never know when I’ll find a new palette and need to match the colors. It can happen anywhere. On a bike ride. At the farmer’s market. The beach. A park. Swimming in a pool. At the Kravet showroom in Naples. In my car. Daydreaming at my desk.

Photo: Thibaut Design

And like most passions, it’s as Claude Monet said, “color is my day-long obsession, joy and torment.”

 Sometimes color cries out to you. It can stop you in your tracks. A sofa, a purse, a dress, a piece of fabric. A sunset. When you find your color, you know it. And you want to carry that feeling home. Because it gives you joy. And joy is what we want to feel in our homes.

 As a Fort Myers interior decorator, I spend a lot of time helping my clients discover their color and how to create the flow of color from room to room so it will make them happy when they walk in the door.

 Think beyond brown sofas and beige walls

Let’s be realistic: there is nothing wrong with a brown sofa, which I see in almost every home. Especially in the yummy cognac leather that is trending now. And there’s nothing wrong with beige as a neutral. But here is the truth: beige is easy and doesn’t require a lot of stress. But there are so many other colors to select from. Be fearless. You know there are colors that you want to try. Like a sofa in your favorite color.

Coming out of a year at home, there are lots of color trends. Mustard yellow, orange brown tones, corals and cognac. This beautiful cognac leather sofa warms up a white room with artwork. From Pottery Barn’s Chesterfield Collection. Photo: Pottery Barn

Trends

Coming out of a year at home, there are lots of color trends. Mustard yellow, orange brown tones, corals and cognac which is especial nice to warm up white walls. Plenty of earth tones with forest greens and blues. Floral wall coverings and painted ceilings. Green kitchen cabinets are a big trend now.

 Color palette categories

·       Exotics that say “take me away.” Inspired by someplace you have visited or want to visit.

·       Fearless colors that you have always wanted to try.

·       Nostalgic colors that evoke emotions.

·       Classic colors that are still current.

·       Timeless colors that never get old.

·       Water hues for baths and powder rooms.

·       Neutrals that are versatile when layered with texture and patterns.

·       Earth and nature tones. You can never go wrong with these.

·       Dazzling colors that say “wow” when you walk in the door.

 Color is not just for the walls

Paint color is important but remember that a color you love can also be used in other places throughout your home. If it’s a little overwhelming, try it on the ceiling. I did this recently for a client who loves purple. Instead of an entire room, we did the coffered ceiling in the master bedroom and carried the color into the master bath with towels, rugs and accessories.

 Other ways to put color into your home:

Flooring/rugs

Artwork

Wallcoverings

Sofa, dining chairs, barstools

Bedding/linens

Lamps/pendants/Chandeliers

Fabric/window treatments/pillows

Accessories

Plants/flowers

 My best color advice:

Make a plan for the room (or house) before you look at color. You have to start somewhere when designing an empty room and that should not be with the paint color. Select furnishings, fabric, counter tops and other finishes and even a few accessories and THEN look at color. I have clients who call and ask me to have an entire new home painted by next week before they select furniture. You may love that pretty coral paint but what happens when you fall in love with a sofa that doesn't relate to the color? Answer: you have to repaint. We want to avoid that costly mistake! 

  

Wrenda Goodwyn is a Southwest Florida interior decorator, A.S.I.D. associate and gold member of the Interior Redecorators Network. She helps homeowners throughout Southwest Florida with timeless, affordable ways to create beautiful spaces and solves decorating problems. Her articles appear the first Saturday of each month. For more information visit her website at spectacularspaces.com. Call her at 239-850-5800 or e-mail wrenda@spectacularspaces.com. For more decorating tips, articles and photos, visit spectacularspaces.com/blog

How to correct home decorating mistakes

Wrenda Goodwyn • special to the Fort Myers News-Press/USA Today Network • April 3, 2021

When designing a room, keep in mind that our eyes love pairs. In this room above from Ballard Designs, notice the beautiful double Bourdonnais bookshelves, pair of drapery panels, two matching Jaxon chairs, a Riley ottoman in Mira Spice fabric and a Carli hand-tufted rug to anchor the room. Photo: Ballard Designs

When you think about all of the little details that go into decorating a home, it’s a wonder that we are ever pleased with the way it turns out. So much can go wrong.

There’s the arrangement of the room, selecting furniture, paint color, flooring, window treatments, fabric, adding the perfect accessories and so much more. It enough to make your head spin and it’s no wonder homeowners become overwhelmed.

And we all want it to be done in such a way as to reflect a calm space that appears to require very little effort. And it must be beautiful.

When I started my Southwest Florida interior decorating business years ago, I was sure of a few things:

• You don’t have to be rich to have a beautiful home.

• You need a plan before you dive in and make purchases.

• It’s important to correct common decorating mistakes that may be making you unhappy with your space.

If you have worked really hard to create a beautiful space but something is still a little off, check out these 10 common decorating mistakes. We have all made them and chances are, you can make a few changes by the end of this article.

10 common decorating mistakes

• Lack of a focal point. Usually TV, fireplace, view, a fantastic piece of furniture, styled bookcase or art.

• Awkward conversation area. The U shape works best with sofa and two chairs on each side. There are many configurations for this shape but keep the U for the best result.

• Where are the pairs? Our eyes love pairs. They anchor the room. Think: chairs, lamps, stools, bookcases.

• Incorrect use of lighting. Most rooms do not have enough light. We all need ambient, accent and task lighting. We also need dimmer switches and extra outlets.

• Color confusion. The 60-30-10 rule: It states that 60% of the room should be a dominant color, 30% should be the secondary color or texture and the last 10% should be an accent.

• Lack of a plan and budget. Enough said.

• Room is off balance. If possible, pull the furniture away from the walls (this is not always possible). Always avoid too much furniture on one side of the room.

• Bad traffic pattern. You need space to walk and move. This is usually the result of too much furniture or incorrectly arranged.

• Using too many accessories. In a small space? Eliminate tchotchkes. Otherwise, group collections together and avoid spreading them all over the home.

• Poorly displayed artwork. Most of us hang it too high. A good rule is to hang art so that its midpoint is between 57 and 60 inches from the floor. Lay out your arrangement on brown wrapping paper and get it just right before nailing into the wall. And leave a wall empty so your eyes have a place to rest.

Worth remembering for your home decor:

• Your home should tell a story about you and what you love.

So many details go into designing a space. And we all want it to reflect a calm that appears to require very little effort. And it must be beautiful. Accents make all the difference in an indoor or outdoor space. They also give our home its personality. This Cypress Daybed from Ballard Designs works in either and is just the piece to add character into a home. Photo: Ballard Designs.

• Do it once and do it well.

• Vintage pieces breathe soul into a room.

• A home with character takes time. Don’t rush it.

• Redoing a room? Select fabric (drapes, rugs, upholstery) first. Then select paint.

• Rules are made to be broken!

A few things to avoid in your home:

• Pull out beds. Sorry.

• Go easy on themes.

• Don’t design a room like you see it in a magazine.

• Patterned sofas. We aren’t living in the sixties.

• Constantly rearranging clutter. Ditch it.

• Backless barstools.

Wrenda Goodwyn is a Southwest Florida interior decorator, A.S.I.D. associate and gold member of the Interior Redecorators Network. She helps homeowners throughout Southwest Florida with timeless, affordable ways to create beautiful spaces and solves decorating problems. Her articles appear the first Saturday of each month. For more information visit her website at spectacularspaces.com. Call her at 239-850-5800 or e-mail wrenda@spectacularspaces.com. For more decorating tips, articles and photos, visit spectacularspaces.com/blog

For your home: spring dos and don’ts

Wrenda Goodwyn • special to the Fort Myers News-Press/USA Today Network • March 6, 2021

Spring is my favorite season. Windows are open. New scents, flowers and plants throughout the house and yard. Hanging baskets on the lanai. A thorough “spring” cleaning to make everything feel fresh.

Way before spring officially arrives on March 20, I start planning. A new set of sheets, new bathroom rugs, new throw pillows. A few tweaks to the guest room because company will be here eventually. I am also thinking about a new rug for my Florida room to replace the sisal rug that my Corgi puppy assumed was grass and ate. Seriously. It’s not pretty.

Spring is a season of hope. And inspiration.

Bring peace and calm to your space with tranquil touches and fresh scents. www.potterybarn.com/shop/new/moments-of-mindfulness Photo: Pottery Barn

As a Southwest Florida interior decorator, I’ve been helping my clients find their inspiration as we slowly and safely resurface from the past year. And what I find is that you may not necessarily need to buy anything new. You may just need to rearrange some things and eliminate what accumulated over the past year that no longer serves you.

Before you put a spring refresh plan together, take a look at a few of my” dos” and “don’ts.” And next month we’ll talk about what you can do to correct some common decorating mistakes. All before you buy anything.

Don’t throw money away on these:

• Patterned sofas. It’s more aesthetically pleasing to the eye if you go solid and save the patterns for chairs, window treatments and pillows.

• Mass-produced artwork just to fill a space on a wall. Unless you love the piece and in that case, buy it. Otherwise, wait until you find something that you really love.

Coastal shades of blue and woven textures bring a relaxed and refreshed look to you home. Get the look at www.potterybarn.com/shop/shop-by-room/living-rooms/canyon-folsom-living-room Photo: Pottery Barn

• Trends. Let’s face it, trends are fun and we love to find some version of a new trend for our clients. But there is a reason that white cabinets are a timeless, classic choice. Before you go too far off the deep end with a trend, ask yourself: “Will I still love it in five years?”

• Tile countertops. The time has passed for these and who wants to clean grout every day?

• Cheap paint. You don’t need to buy the most expensive on the market but something in a middle range will go on better, clean easier. Worth a few extra dollars.

Want your home to have an updated look?

Say goodbye to these. Some you can do right now. Others will require a bit of work. It will be worth it.

• Vertical blinds. These never looked good and there are options.

• Doilies. What can I say?

• Don’t cover every wall with family photos. This really dates a home and makes it look old. Pick a few and frame them in identical frames and display them on a table, desk, piano or on one wall for your family gallery.

Spring is a season of hope and inspiration. What inspires you for your home this spring? Maybe some ideas from this coastal-look Landmark collection from Thibaut Designs. Malibu Chair in Piper woven fabric in kelly green; Keller ottoman in Sadie woven fabric in aqua; Madison

• Shag carpet. Yes, it still lives. Okay, let’s talk about this. A couple of years ago, I saw shag area rugs at High Point Market that were really cool to look at. But how do you clean them? And think about a red wine spill. This is a trend that needs to be left in the 70s.

• Chickens and roosters. These pop up in hallways and over kitchen cabinets. Leave them on the farm (unless you really love them).

• Old fixtures and drawer pulls. Things change and updating these will give your space a new look.

• Gold frames on anything. Unless you live in a museum.

• Popcorn ceilings. Whatever you have to do to remove these, it’s worth it.

• Old wallpaper. Old as in more than five years old. I know, you paid a lot but it’s dated and needs to come down. Try a beautiful paint color for an option.

• Wood paneling. Paint it.

• Matchy, matchy anything. Don’t buy an entire room of furniture that matches. Unless it’s for a rental property. Otherwise, use some imagination and find some pieces that you love. Matchy matchy says, I just don’t care. And I know you do.

• Honey-stained oak cabinets. These were the rage but now, nothing dates a home more than this look. If they are in good shape, have them painted. It’s worth the investment.

• Fake plants. Just don’t.

Wrenda Goodwyn is a Southwest Florida interior decorator, A.S.I.D. associate and gold member of the Interior Redecorators Network. She helps homeowners throughout Southwest Florida with timeless, affordable ways to create beautiful spaces and solves decorating problems. Her articles appear the first Saturday of each month. For more information visit her website at spectacularspaces.com. Call her at 239-850-5800 or e-mail wrenda@spectacularspaces.com. For more decorating tips, articles and photos, visit spectacularspaces.com/blog