Customize Your Cookie

The smell of chocolate permeated the air spilling out of the shop door enticing those who passed by to come inside. I told myself that just looking could not hurt and resolute, I stepped inside the door of temptation. The shop smelled of chocolate, vanilla, butter and sugar congealed in the atmosphere that enveloped me creating a feast for the senses. My eyes scanned behind the glass from one giant chocolate chip cookie to another giant peanut butter cookie with thick layers of chocolate and peanut butter frosting. There were brownies as big as my hand and ice cream too! I could feel my determination “to just look” crumbling like the cookies that were staring back at me from those shiny glass cases. I left the store with a customized box of cookies because the more you bought the more you saved, of course! As I started the trek back to the hotel my mind wandered to the world of decorating and customization. Most people like customization and will seek it out when buying a home but when you buy a spec house you get what the builder chose for the house and sometimes things can look a bit cookie cutter. So then, if we want to stand out in a sea of specs we must add our own signature to the home. Let’s take a look into two Gardenia model dining rooms to see how these homeowners customized their cookies somewhere in the heart of The Villages.

  •  Gardenia Model #1
In a previous column we saw this Gardenia Model get a new kitchen and a new pantry was created by closing off the hallway to the master bedroom. The new entry to the master bedroom was located through the enclosed lanai. This lanai had the cement raised, the sliding doors were removed, and it looked organic to the home. The enclosed lanai became the new dining room for the home. The space was large enough to hold a large table and the entry to the master bedroom became a large set of French doors at the end of the lanai. All this new movement left a space for the homeowners to re-define. They decided to make the old dining room their TV watching space, and the living room became a fabulous area with lots of seating for conversation with friends.

  •  Built-in
The homeowners decided to create a custom built in for the TV and they wanted display space as well. They chose to have the same cabinetry for the built-in that they had installed in the kitchen. This space has become the everyday hub of the home, and it is cozy and inviting. The homeowners replaced the dining room table chandelier with a chandelier that they loved, and it was hung much higher in the space to act as ambient lighting when needed. The Gardenia dining room is definitely big enough to become the living room if you are seeking some customizing for your space. The lanai as a large dining room works fabulously in this space as well.

  •  Molding
The homeowner had crown molding installed, and trim added to the entry way out to the enclosed lanai. The wall colors for this home are a sunny yellow and the home feels warm and happy.

  •  Gardenia Model #2
This homeowner removed the column and made the dining room the living room. The space turned out to be fantastic with lots of seating. The homeowner enjoys cooking and wanted the TV to be near the kitchen so that he could see the TV better while cooking. The former living room became the dining room, and the homeowner purchased a large table to fill the space.

  •  Large TV
Believe it or not, that is an 80-inch TV! I was very skeptical when he told me that he was getting such a large TV but once it was installed it looked great! If you are wondering if this could work for you then here is a great example that this space can accommodate a large TV. The TV works best in this space if it is installed on the wall. Though it is an exterior wall, the TV can be mounted to the wall and the wires can be hidden in the wall. Again, this is a great example that it can be done. The key to making the TV work in this space is to use wainscotting below the TV to visually ground it rather than using furniture. There is not room for furniture on that wall because the couch arm depth does not allow us to center a piece of furniture under the TV. The wainscoting visually grounds the space so that the TV does not look like it is just hanging on the wall. Another thing to consider if you like this configuration or would like the TV closer, is the TV that looks like art. Art TVs were not available when this space was completed but today, they are steadily gaining popularity. They really do look like a piece of art when they are not in use and when they are in use, they have a fantastic picture.

  •  Balance the TV
Since the TV was large, we needed to create balance by adding something large to the wall above the sofa. We added a 60’ wide by 40’ high canvas. On each side of the canvas, we added candle sconces that have battery operated candles operated by a remote for ambiance at night. You would never know that this space was originally a dining room. This space is great for watching TV or visiting with friends.

  •  Window molding
The window has a privacy treatment that can be closed at night, but you cannot see it. The Hunter Douglas Vertiglide is hidden behind lovely casement molding that visually ties into the wainscotting.

Call Ruth your full service decorator at: 352-804-2056
or Contact Us

After Pics Below