Peaceful Retreat

As I entered the front door of Prana Spa, my favorite retreat in Key West; the world falls away and relaxation wraps me in a gentle and welcoming embrace. The walls are made of Dade county pine providing an earthy warm visual, that when combined with the aromas of essential oils prepare your mind for ninety minutes of complete bliss. I lay on the table already feeling like jelly and looked into the billowing fabric hanging from ceiling creating soft waves of white above my head and my mind wondered to thoughts of decorating. The word Prana means Breath or Life giving Force. In the world of decorating I like to think of the home as that life force; a recharging station and for many it needs to be peaceful. Let’s take a look at a home that provides lots of “Prana” for its homeowners somewhere near the Heart of Villages.

• PaintCalm and Bright
I am sure you are well aware that grey is back. However, I don’t love cold greys so I use warm greys. We used Popular Grey and I think it is almost the perfect grey. It has just a tinge of brown to warm it up but still keep it grey and neutral. I do like this grey a lot!

• Pop the white
The key to doing grey well is to pop the white! We did and it kept it bright. We installed white wainscot all around the space. It was really necessary in this space because there was no architectural interest other than two columns. The short columns looked strange until we tied them into the molding. The key to great wainscot is to paint it all white! Don’t break it up with color inside the boxes, it looks busy. Keep it all white and it looks bright, classic, and very high end!

• Crown molding
We installed seven inch crown molding in the main body of the home. These ceilings are high and we needed to accent the top of the space a bit. The white wainscot needed a complementary treatment up high. Crown molding made so much sense and provided the perfect finish!

• Windows
The house is filled with windows and light but we needed a bit of softness. We installed one long rod along the back windows and hung 108” white panels. This added the softness and accented the windows and the view.
• Mirror Mirror
Everyone knows how much I love mirrors and these homeowners love mirrors more! They covered the entire wall from top to bottom behind the couch. This brought the beautiful view into the space and added tons of light. I love it!

• Rugs
The homeowner liked an eclectic look that pays homage to the calmness of meditation. We chose rugs that are different and complementary. Both rugs are considered transitional but I think they both work as traditional as well. One is a pattern from the craftsman era and the other rug is a zebra I-Kat pattern. Both patterns and styles have deep roots in the past.

• Entry table
The entry table is aged wood and marble. The tall mirror above it brings in more light. We juxtaposed the table with super tall shiny silver lamps that look modern. Also, a modern statue rendition of a meditation pose is centered on the table so the journey into the home is centered and balanced as well.

• Dining table
The dining table is black bamboo and fits in perfectly with the silver wall hanging of Buddha. This repeats the idea of traditional meeting modern.

• Sofa
The sofa is very modern in off-white leather. The console across from the sofa and beneath the TV is traditional. That combined with a more traditional pair of chairs brings balance to the space against the modern sofa and mirrored wall.

P.S. –Attention, club presidents! I give free decorating programs! It is lots of fun and very informative. Call and schedule your club today or call Ruth your full service decorator at 352-804-2056.