Fresh Faced Wisteria

I could smell fresh bananas and see the left over peel just lying on the counter of my newly cleaned kitchen. Accompanying the peel was a cracked egg shell and my very cute pooh bear honey pot. The pile of fresh food detritus was lying beside a white bowl containing a gelatinous mixture, so I knew that my niece had been busy in the kitchen! “Aunt Rooooth!” my niece said with an emphasis on the “OO”. “Please, tell me you have oatmeal! I am making a face mask and I need oatmeal!” she said with excited exasperation. As I retrieved the oatmeal, Regan informed me that this was a facemask on YouTube that she had to try it because it would leave her with a fresh face. As she ran off to the bathroom to apply her wonder mixture, I thought about fresh faces of another kind. In the world of decorating we apply a mixture to freshen up a space and it is called paint. Let’s take a peek inside a Wisteria model that received a fresh face just in time for the holidays somewhere in the heart of The Villages.

• First Look
The house was very dark and the homeowners wanted to lighten and brighten up the space. Also, they needed new furniture and they wanted the room to feel more pulled together.

• Paint
The Wisteria has one large window in the living room and one large window in the kitchen. Unless the front door is mostly glass it tends to leave the center of the house dark. One way to modify light is to paint a color that adds and reflects light back into the space. We chose a color called Biscuit 6112 but we had it mixed to 150%. This color is a peachy tan with golden undertones and adds lots of light and warmth to a space. When we mixed it to 150% it increased the light giving qualities a bit more. The way we came to that conclusion was by painting large half pieces of poster board. We hung the poster board in different places and the Biscuit 150% was the clear winner! I don’t like painting swatches on the wall because it tends to leave flash points that can be seen when using a satin paint. I always recommend a satin paint because it reflects light with a hint of sheen and we always love more light!

• Crown Molding
We installed seven inch crown molding in the main body of the home for a finished look. When the ceilings are nine feet or above you should always install seven inch crown. It looks better to be bigger because the higher up the molding goes the smaller it looks. We have used a single MDF molding for fourteen years and it always looks awesome. I prefer MDF to wood because the joints fit so tight and stay tight. Also, if a wall is wavy it fits to the wall and still looks amazing. Wood can tend to contract and expand leaving cracks at the joints over time. Hot Tip: Always be sure the nail holes and joints are filled with wood filler; once the filler has dried it should be sanded to smooth before painting.

• New couches
We purchase two new couches for specific needs. The recliner was purchased for the man of the house. He is very tall and he wanted leather. Comfort is the most important thing in a recliner so we chose this as the basis for the room. We bought a love seat for the woman of the house to sit on together with Maggie their sweet golden retriever rescue. Maggie is a love bug and likes her new loveseat. We chose this love seat because we did want a light piece of furniture but it had to be durable for a dog’s life. The light fabric is woven with just a touch of the burgundy so it coordinates great with the couch.

• Chair
The chair that was previously jammed in the corner was moved to the opposite corner facing in toward the couch and loveseat. This rounded out the seating. We pushed the entertainment center down to be more centered on the couch to make room for the chair.

• Rug
Everyone needs a soft place to land. We placed an 8’x11’ rug into the space. This provided color and visually grounded the living room. It also softens and absorbs sound for a better music and television experience.

• Art
We decided that one large piece of art over the sofa would keep the space calm and serene. The picture is an artist rendering of the Sanibel Lighthouse. In the before there were many pictures hanging on the wall above the sofa and it looked disjointed. I divided the pictures that once hung over the sofa into common color groupings and used them elsewhere throughout the house.

• Lamps
The two new lamps are glazed ceramic in deep purple based blue. The soft hues of blue in the art and the touch of purple blue in the rug are complemented by the deeper blue of the lamps.

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.

Before and After Pics Below