Island Light

The homeowner, my helper, and I stood together and stared at the room for many moments of silence as if we were just appreciating our creation. That moment when all your efforts from shopping to delivering and all of the unpacking are done; you turn and gaze upon a finished space that looks like the ideas that were in your head can be very satisfying. “I keep staring at it because I think it might go away…,” the homeowner said, breaking the silence and we all broke out laughing because her statement captured the moment to perfection. We were going for a light island feeling and blue was the color the homeowner wanted to use as an accent. Let’s take a peek into the living room of a Lantana model that was brought back to island light life somewhere in the heart of The Villages.

• Armoire came with the house
The house was purchased with many pieces of great furniture. The TV armoire is an amazing piece from the Tommy Bahama Kingston Collection. The black finish is rubbed with a deep brown creating a rich aged finish. Black is neutral and dramatic and will keep this piece looking timeless in the space. The name of the collection tells us that it is inspired by Kingston Jamaica. The island of Jamaica was discovered and colonized by the Spanish so the furniture has a heavy Spanish influence. This type of tall armoire would have been used for clothing back in the day and on an island with no air conditioning the shutters worked to keep things dry and mold free. In this space the armoire holds a TV but when not in use the doors can be closed and the beauty of the furniture can be enjoyed.

• Focal wall
The armoire was placed on the focal wall in the space and that is where is should be so we left it there. We added a seven foot travelers palm behind the chair in the left corner to fill the space and bring in tropical foliage. This simple and elegant tree reinforces the island feeling with a hint of tropical. The plant was placed in a woven seagrass basket which not only looked good but smelled good in the space. We placed two hurricane wall scones on the right side of the armoire to provide balance with the tree and candlelight at night. The candles are electric and run on batteries. When they are lit by remote they look real! Below the hurricane sconces we placed a large woven beachcomber basket. This basket is big enough to hold the pillows from the couch when the couch is in use.

• Rug
We placed a large 8’x10’ rug in the space and it added a pop of navy blue to the floor. The navy blue rug looks great with the black touches in the space. Also, the rug is dark and will be very forgiving with dirt. The black dog that shares the home will be able to enjoy the rug without his hair being seen.

• Couches
The couch and the chairs came with the house and they look great in the space. I like crème or sandy tan sofas in a Lantana model because they work with the light better. When furniture is placed in front of a large sliding glass door the furniture will look darker than in reality. This happens because when the eye is looking at the light it darkens things directly in front of the light. Dark couches get really dark and light couches stay looking light.

• Pillows
The pillows on the couch are a navy fabric background with a little floral print. The pillows add color to the crème couch and they tie the couch into the space with just that accent of blue.

• New coffee table and side tables
The room needed all new side tables and a coffee table. The tables needed to have a touch of black yet remain light in the space. Iron tables work well with the Spanish touches on the armoire and we found some from an online retailer that fit the bill perfectly. We purchased a round side table, a rectangle nesting side table and a round coffee table. I think black iron tables look rich and the glass did exactly what we wanted it to do…. stay light in the space.

• Lamps
The lamps are amazing! They are classic regency bamboo in a soft neutral blue with gold on the top and the bottom of the bamboo stem. A touch of the regency era provides an elegant island vibe.

• Ginger Jars
Blue and white ginger jars were prevalent in the islands particularly Jamaica because they were in a trade route. The ginger jars were used to contain spices for transport and containment at their destination. We paid homage to that era by placing a collection of four blue and white ginger jars on top of the armoire. We could have place six tightly for a very decadent look. When it comes to blue and white ginger jars, more is more.

• Windows
The homeowner inherited the window treatments and I really liked them. They are a lined sheers that when closed provide total privacy but when they are open and stacked back look like light billowy sheers. You cannot get more of an island look than light billowy sheers.

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Before and After Pics Below