Extended Stay

In a world where more people are working from home it means people can work from any home. That home could be their home in the icy Finger Lakes of northern New York or somewhere in balmy Key West Florida. With geography not making a difference the world has opened up for long visitations and extended stays with family! What does this mean for many of my customers you wonder? What once was only an office now needs to become a comfortable bedroom as well as a functional office to accommodate a working family member on an extended vacation. For many gone are the days of one guest room and one office. If you are a quilter you may find yourself quilting in the closet. Family members are visiting longer and having more fun because they don’t have to rush home to get back to the office. Let’s take a peek into the transformation from office to working guest bedroom in a Lily model somewhere in the heart of The Villages.

• Stationary side panels
The room needed some height, texture, and warmth. We added stationary side panels on each side of the arch window to draw the eye upward and accent the window wall. The white panels have a stripe of navy blue running through them which connects them visually to the rest of the space because navy and white are constant colors used throughout the space.

• Kept one desk
This room makes a great extended stay space. We decided to keep one desk and place it right in front of the window. The person working would have plenty of light and be able to look outside on occasion while on break from their dual monitor remote job. We also kept one of the file cabinets which we placed right next to the desk it acts as a charging station for extra computers and iPads.

• Bedside table
There was a second filing cabinet and we decided to use it as a side table to the bed. This worked out great because it allowed us to place a large lamp by the bed to provide light for the desk and the left side of bed.

• Queen bed
The homeowner needed a queen bed in the space and that worked out great. It did not leave room for another side table and access to the closet but they did not need one. We decided to place a lamp beside the bed and that would provide enough light in the space at night. The queen bed was placed on a metal frame and did require a bed skirt to make it look complete. We ordered a white bed skirt to complement the rest of the bedding and we wanted everything to be washable.

• Head board
The head board was purchased online and it is so unique. It is called The Nathan James Harlow headboard and it is mounted to the wall. The metal brackets are mounted and the headboard hangs off the metal brackets with faux leather straps. It has a masculine vibe with a vintage twist but works so great with this Florida space. The headboard will be a cushy place to lean while watching something on the I-Pad in bed.

• Bedding
The base bedding is always white. White is a good color to wash and can usually tolerate a bit of bleach for that extra clean feeling. If you cannot use bleach on your whites try a bit of white vinegar in the wash. Not only will it get things clean but it enhances the smell of the laundry detergent exponentially. I like to use white bedding as the base bedding for a guest room because it is perceived as the cleanest color as well. The white pillow cased sleeping pillows are placed upright against the headboard. Next we added navy Euro pillows that add a pop of color and hide the sleeping pillows. Two white queen shams are added in front of the navy blue Euro pillows and finally two accent pillows that repeat the pattern of the of the printed quilt are added in front of the white queen shams. The bottom of the bed has the matching palm print quilt. All of the bedding pops against the white.

• Art over bed
The art over the bed is a print by Gene Rizzo titled, “Heads Up” and it is a collection of birds found in Florida. The picture has lots of navy, white, red, and a bit of pink.

• Large mirrors
We hung two large mirrors on the wall opposite the bed. The large mirrors have big heavy dark frames that look so rich and a bit masculine. They fill the wall and add light to the space. The mirrors make the wall feel further away and consequently the room feels a bit larger as well. They will provide an extra space to do your hair or put on makeup should the bathroom be occupied or steamy. Usually, in most guest rooms there would be a TV across from the bed but now that is not a worry since most guests stream on their I-pads.

• Build out the closet
The only way to provide clothing space for an extended stay guest is to build out the closet. The closet in this case will have a dresser stack added to it with some hanging space and storage. There is no need or no room for a dresser in the space. We have managed to use every square inch of the room efficiently.

• Permanent botanicals
The desk received a bouquet of red roses that will always look fresh and the red ties into the picture above the bed while adding a touch of femininity. Finally, we added a gathering basket full of heather and that will always look fresh and natural in the space. It feels better to have a touch of nature even if it has to be faux.

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 or Call Ruth your full service decorator at 352-804-2056.

Before and After Pics Below