The Gold Standard

Kings and cultures across the world look to this metal as a benchmark of wealth and beauty. It is described as precious and has withstood the test of time. Through the years gold has adorned palaces, temples and the human body; but what about its place in home décor? Though the popularity of gold has waxed and waned through the years it will never go away. It might have been “on a break” while silver was allowed to shine; but gold is back and this time will not go away any time too soon. Let’s take a peek into the dining room of a Boca Grande model to see how gold makes it shine, somewhere in the heart of The Villages.

• New Floors
The old floors in the home were white tile and the homeowner was tired of seeing all the dirt that showed on the white tile. We pulled up all the tile throughout the house and replaced it with engineered hardwood. The color is a warm medium tone and is neutral enough to go with any style. Best of all it does not show dirt in between cleanings. We were able to eliminate thresholds by abutting the engineered hardwood to the tile in the bathrooms for a smooth transition.

• Paint
This house was mauve and very reminiscent of color patterns used in the 1980’s. The homeowner decided that it was time for a new look but they still wanted color. We chose Window Pane 6210, which is the lighter version of Rain-washed and located right above it on the fan deck. This green based blue looks like sea glass when painted on the walls and complemented the ash oak china hutch making it look new again.

• Window
The home needed new privacy treatments and the homeowner loved verticals and wanted to buy new verticals. However, the new verticals would be white and extend all the way to top of the window making the window would look larger. We added large casement molding around the window to make it a highlight and added a valence header to the top of the window. This valence covered the top track of the verticals allowing the window to look professionally finished. We added stationary side panels to the window to make it a key feature in the space. We chose warm gold rods with glass finials. The brackets of the rods allowed us to set the screws in the wall but when the curtains are hung the side panel can interrupt the header just a bit to add a dramatic touch. The navy blue embroidered panels are 95 inches long and add much needed color to the back of the space.

• Remove chest
We removed the chest from the corner of the room because it made the seating too tight. We also eliminated all the small tables and home décor that was sitting on the ground. This open look allows the window to shine because it is now featured and it can be seen. Also, eliminating corner clutter allows the rug to be seen.

• Rug
We needed a rug to define the space and make a statement. The rug pattern is floral and the different tones of blue pop against the crème. The light pattern on the new wood floors looks amazing! The room really took shape after the rug was put into place. The dining room table was a metal base with brass accents and a clear glass top. The table still looked quite current but the chairs needed to be replaced. The homeowner purchased six new chairs and the table instantly looked updated.

• Chandelier
The chandelier was not that noticeable in the before picture because there was nothing to highlight the chandelier. Now that the window was taller and the blinds where white, the navy blue curtains created a picture frame effect for the chandelier making it look new again.

• Large Abstract Art
The homeowners wanted abstract art and they wanted color! We found a very large gallery wrapped canvas to hang in the dining room that provides a color splash to the space. We added lots of gold accents into the space such as the gold wall sconces on each side of the large canvas. The wall across from the abstract art received a large golden arched mirror to reflect the art and provided the feeling of it being a window. We hung personal travel photos in gold frames around the mirror.

• China hutch
We also added royal blue plates to the back of the china hutch so that the color would make all the crystal and gold pop!

P.S. –Attention all club presidents! We give free decorating seminars. It is lots of fun and very informative. Call and schedule your club today. Also, we are on-line check out our web-site at www.ruthdyer.com and you can always e-mail us at ruth@finishingtouchfl.com . Call Ruth your full service decorator at 352-804-2056.

Before and After Pics Below