A crocodile, inspiration and coastal vibes at Kips Bay decorator showhouse

Wrenda Goodwyn • special to the Fort Myers News-Press/USA Today Network • March 18, 2023

This year’s Kip’s Bay Decorator Showhouse in West Palm Beach is filled with design inspiration that begins with the woven crocodile that greets you in the foyer to the 21 rooms that are jam-packed with the latest and most beautiful designs and products.

As a Southwest Florida interior decorator, I came away with more tips, trends and ideas for my clients than ever before when visiting a showhouse. From paint colors that blend neutrals with brights to ceiling treatments and outrageously beautiful lighting and unique arrangement of accessories, to creating cozy spaces in large rooms and outdoor spaces.

Amanda Lindroth’s great room features multiple areas done in a comfortable scale despite the large size of the room. The room is also packed with ideas for lighting, furnishings and accessories. Photo: Nickolas Sargent

The 9,000-square-foot, six-bedroom, Mediterranean-style estate is influenced by its location on the Intracoastal Waterway. High-end interior designers and architects (21 of them) from all over the country transformed a blank canvas into a maximalist dream home with a coastal vibe throughout.

A Schumacher crocodile makes its way through the entry with a toothy grin and seems to be saying “walk this way” as it sits on a beautiful hand-loomed black runner with custom saw- toothed edges. Photo: Nickolas Sargent

Built in 2007, among its stand-out features: a chef’s kitchen, covered loggia, a led-lit bed frame in marble. There is also the use of lots of texture with neutral tones; ceilings covered in color, wallpaper and trellises; a pretty laundry room with artwork, skirting and honed countertops; eclectic mixing of styles and colors.

A few tips and takeaways:

Coastal is returning in a big way. It never really left but it’s so well done in this home that it can work anywhere, not just on the beach. If you are looking for tips to add just a sprinkling of coastal to your Southwest Florida home, check out my previous article.

Layered rugs. “Walk this way,” says the Schumacher crocodile greeting visitors in the entry. He is layered on top of a black runner with custom scalloped edges. Lots of layering of rugs in this home. I am a bit lukewarm to this idea in general but this crocodile has style!

Curved sofas in narrow rooms. These are pretty in any room but solve a design dilemma if the room is narrow. Rather than smaller pieces, go full-size and curved.

If it’s neutral, add texture! Rooms in showhouses are always filled from top to bottom and this one is no exception. But it works. My favorite room was the Cocoa Lounge by Palm Beach designer Danielle Rollins. The focal point, well there were two, was the gigantic shell mirror over the sofa done by Stephanie Ferguson. The second is the armoire converted into a mirrored “barmoire.”

The comfortable furniture arrangement against a neutral backdrop is enhanced by the form and textures that dominate the room. Rattan, jute, coral, shells (lots of shells), linen and silk come together for a look that works. And it goes along with my thinking that you should always surround yourself with lots of what you love.

Designer Lucy Doswell created a functional space in her library. Done in dark green, it is perfect for serious work and transfers into a comfortable setting for evening relaxation and cocktails when the work day is done.

Home offices that work overtime. Why have a room that serves one function when it can comfortably accommodate two? Designer Lucy Doswell created a functional space in her library. Done in dark green, it is perfect for serious work and transfers into a comfortable setting for evening relaxation and cocktails when the work day is done.

Welcome to the jungle. Designer Mabley Handler curated an exotic guest bedroom with a saturated pattern of mauve and green. Trellis ceiling. Customized mural wall covering with plants and palms in soft melon, gray, sage and cream. A writing desk, vintage rattan chair, gray woven canopy bed and leafy chandelier in vintage brass come together for the bespoke details of the room.

“Welcome to the Jungle,” Mabley Handler’s bedroom uses a Gracie “Tropics” wall mural with the palms and plants colored in a neutral Florida palette of soft grey, sage green, and cream. The trellis and coffered ceiling draw the eye up and emphasize the layering of the room that includes a grey woven canopy bed, vintage rattan armchair and vintage and eclectic accessories curated in a mix that works! Photo: Nickolas Sargent

I will likely never have a marble bedframe with led lighting or a crocodile crawling down my hallway but it’s fun to see it and appreciate the work of these designers. And to discover new ideas for our homes. Well, I did look up the cost of the crocodile because you never know!

“Room with a View” by Designer Honey Collins spans the full width of the rear of the home and overlooks the pool, lush gardens and Intracoastal below. The covered awning creates an outdoor room with a sense of privacy that is loosely inspired by the private loggias and verandas of Palm Beach Island. Photo: Nickolas Sargent

If you would like to see the showhouse, hurry because you have until the end of the day tomorrow. Check details and tickets at www.kipsbaydecoratorshowhouse.org

The Mediterranean-style property in Norwood Shores is the 6th Kips Bay Decorator Show House in Palm Beach. The annual event benefits Kips Bay Boys and Girls Clubs and the Boys and Girls Clubs of Palm Beach County. Photo: Nickolas Sargent

And if you would like to see more photos of the home, visit my blog.

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 solve 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

Color matters: how to get it right in your home

Wrenda Goodwyn • special to the Fort Myers News-Press/USA Today Network • Feb. 4, 2023

Creating a spectacular space in your home doesn’t just happen. It takes thought, effort, planning and careful implementation for a quality result. This is especially true when coming up with a color plan.

It’s far from easy. It’s complicated. It’s not necessarily about your favorite color. It’s why home interior professionals study it for years and most are like me and don’t leave the house without a fan deck in their hand. We are passionate about color. Color is everything.

As a Fort Myers interior decorator, my most requested service is selecting color and creating personalized color palettes for the home. It’s the most difficult part of decorating for many homeowners and there are good reasons. The number one reason being the approach. It’s usually all wrong and results in mistakes and frustration.

Creating a spectacular space in your home doesn’t just happen. It takes thought, effort, planning and careful implementation for a quality result. This is especially true when coming up with a color plan. Before you head out to pick up color swatches, come up with a plan that considers flooring, light, furnishings and upholstery throughout the home. Photo: Benjamin Moore

Most rush out to a big box store, grab a hundred color swatches (all in their favorite colors), take them home, hold the one-inch color swatch up to their existing paint color, make a decision, call the painter and it all begins. And then wonder why it doesn’t look just right.

Trends and changes

Although I always recommend following what you love and a more timeless approach to home decorating, color trends are always fun and there are lots of changes in color choices.

Timeless and classic. A white bathroom with walls in Benjamin Moore’s Ice Mist in matte and wainscoting in White Diamond matte. Aura Bath & Spa. Photo: Benjamin Moore.

• Overall we are seeing warmer colors. Cozy and comfort seem to be what we are craving right now.

• Lots of beautiful earth tones. Be careful of too much of a good thing. Remember how long it took to escape the Tuscan trend.

• Reds, oranges, yellows.

• Neutrals warmed up with yellows, blues and greens. This is a popular choice in Southwest Florida homes.

• Moody hues on walls in darker tones. And lots of navy for kitchen cabinets.

Moody colors are popular such as Benjamin Moore’s Charcoal Slate (walls in matte) and Atrium White (ceiling in matte), trim in semi-gloss. All are Aura Interior Paint. Photo: Benjamin Moore.

Timeless and classic

• White for kitchens and bathrooms.

• Moldings for the entire home. These classic touches give a room what it needs to carry off all-white or dark colors.

Rule #1

When we speak of color and color palettes, we are not suggesting that color only be considered for walls. Your color palette should incorporate the entire look of your home. If your primary color in your living spaces is neutral, the color palette should incorporate other colors throughout to keep it from being boring.

An example is yellow. We are seeing this color return and it is everywhere. But let’s face it: yellow is a tough wall color if you don’t want to tire of it soon. So, work yellow into your palette with towels, linens, fabric, wall treatments and accessories.

And this really goes for any color that you fall in love with. Just because you saw that dark blue in a magazine and you want to try it on your walls, think about it. Consider lighting, architectural features, furnishings, trims and how you use the room before you paint. Most of these rooms in magazines are decorated from top to bottom with custom trims and architectural features. It simply will not look the same in a plain room.

So, what do we do?

Incorporate these beautiful splashes of color throughout your home in other ways. Here are a few:

• Try the color on a ceiling. I have been doing this in homes for years and it gives a splash of color without committing it to the entire room.

• Paint shelves and bookcases in a color against a neutral background. Or go monochromatic with everything in the same color.

• Use colors from your palette in rugs, pillows, window treatments, headboards, upholstery for sofa, and chairs, artwork, mural or wallcovering.

Why is color so important?

• It updates your home without spending a fortune.

• Pulls the space together.

• Makes your home look clean and fresh.

• Color creates a personalized look for your home.

• It makes you happy!

A few more tips

ALL color has undertones. This is where the mistakes are made. If your sofa (or flooring or counter tops) has green/beige undertones and you pick a pinky beige paint color for walls, you will not be happy. This is where a professional can help.

• Think about the rest of your home. Color needs to coordinate throughout. A good rule that I follow: No more than three paint colors in the home.

• What works: I like to select more neutrals for the main areas and incorporate ceiling and trim colors. Bathrooms and bedrooms lend themselves to accent colors.

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 solve 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

Tips for renewing and refreshing home for a new year

 Wrenda Goodwyn • special to the Fort Myers News-Press/USA Today Network • Jan. 7, 2023

And just like that, a new year begins. With new dreams, hopes and possibilities. A time to take inventory and come up with a plan that includes what’s most important to us in our homes for 2023. Refocus and reset.

 It takes time to create a home that’s our sanctuary. And it also takes thought and a plan. We can’t do everything at once because of time and/or budget. But we can make a list and set some priorities. A good guideline is to keep it simple and remember: trends are fun but classic style is never outdated.

 And whether “home” is a temporary rental, a studio apartment, condo or estate home, we all want the same thing when we walk in the door: peace and comfort. It’s the only resolution worth having (in my opinion) because if you have peace and comfort, you have everything.

 Each January, after the decorations are put away, I like to take some time to think about how I can renew and refresh. A little reboot for myself and my home. A bit of a reimaging for the New Year. A tweak here and there. Some fine-tuning.

 It can mean anything from new paint to new sofa pillows to a new kitchen backsplash. Depending on your situation, you may be doing major repairs and renovations or looking for a few changes. Here are a few of my suggestions. Maybe a few will work for you or at least give you a little inspiration.

 ·       First, take a photo of the room. A design trick! There is nothing like a photo to help you zero in on what you need. Artwork? New lighting? A new rug? Furniture rearrangement? I promise this tells the truth and will help you to say goodbye to what isn’t working.

·       If you will be hiring a contractor to help with your home, have a plan that includes your vision for your space before work begins. As a Fort Myers interior decorator, I tell my clients it needs to be your home and your vision not that of your contractor. They can help bring it to fruition but it should be with your input.

·       If you’re renovating your kitchen, incorporate a beautiful hood over the range, instead of the often-placed microwave in that spot. And if you are replacing cabinets, take them all the way to the ceiling and close up that useless space between the top of the cabinet to the ceiling.

Try a fresh approach with new throw pillows like these in timeless blue and white. Thibaut Design combines its Brighton Settee in Freeport woven fabric in almond with boxed pillows in Honshu printed fabric in blue and beige. Visit www.thibautdesigns.com Photo Thibaut Design.

·       Too much minimalism can be, well, too much. The trend now is toward rooms that are lived in and blend vintage pieces with modern and a pop of color. Rooms that tell your story.

·       Add some sparkle. An outrageously beautiful chandelier over your bed. If it means removing a fan, give it a try. You can always switch it back or you may love it so much that you don’t give it a thought.

·       Pick one accent color and flow it through your home: paint, pillows, flowers, wall covering, a tray on a table. A little sprinkle here and there. This is an easy one.

Maybe this is the year you will step out and be brave about a new color that speaks to you! Benjamin Moore’s Color of the Year for 2023, Raspberry Bliss is a bright coral with a little pinky orange. Bold and happy, maybe it’s just what we need after so much beige. Photo: Benjamin Moore.

·       Hang a pot rack in the kitchen. This gives the space a new look with a gourmet kitchen feel (even if you never cook).

·       Rethink the walls. Maybe this is the year that you go for a huge change and invest in a beautiful wallcovering. Botanicals are popular and you can’t go wrong. Powder rooms are perfect for this treatment. 

·       Love a new color but afraid to use too much of it? Paint an inside door and the trim. This is a great way to incorporate color with a neutral palette.

·       Supersize lighting. Kitchen pendants and chandeliers are all trending huge and it is a great look. Go big if you are replacing lighting. No more small pendants floating in the space.

·       Call for help! This may be the year that you decide to call one of us to help you come up with a plan. A designer or decorator can keep you from making mistakes, come up with creative solutions that you have never considered and we have great sources.

·        Say goodbye to old headboards, old throw pillows, old wallpaper, plastic patio furniture, and builder lighting. Replace with something fresh and new.

Don’t be afraid to try something new. A cozy window seat window for reading. Maybe a beautiful wallcovering for a bathroom or dining room. Outrageously beautiful fabric to give new life to chairs that have seen better days. Plant colorful flowers in your front yard for a little curb appeal and to make you happy every time you come home.  

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 solve 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