Key West Time

Being married for twenty three years is something to celebrate and so we will. With all the fears of Covid we had cancelled our trip to Key West to celebrate our anniversary but the call of our southernmost sanctuary was strong. My husband kept seeing videos on Facebook of people having a great time in the Keys right now. “Don’t cancel your vacation!” one lady on Conch Fish Nation said while enjoying morning coffee on her glass walled balcony overlooking an amazing view of glistening water as far as the eye could see. That was all that it took and Scott called Pier House and booked our vacation again but at three hundred dollars cheaper than before. So as you are reading this column I will be sipping something on a glass walled balcony at Pier House and living on Key West Time. Let’s take a peek at this Belmore Cabana Villa whose homeowners are also living on Key West time somewhere back in the heart of The Villages.

• Style
The homeowner’s had a specific Key West style in mind and who knows Key West? Me! The homeowners had an amazing pool installed and wanted to bring that Key West vibe inside the home. The living room furniture had been repositioned to look out at the new pool and I suggested we do the same thing to the kitchen. To get a feel of how we could do that we took the dining room table and pushed it up against the bar to create a long island. This allowed the homeowners to see the idea but also live with how that work for them.

• The island
Getting the island right was critical because it would become the dining table too!
To get a feel of how we could do that we took the dining room table and pushed it up against the bar to create a long island. This allowed the homeowners to see the idea but also live with how that work for them. With all the thought and effort that went into the island, we got it just right at 109”. The island added so much storage below, a great workspace on top and it can seat six people comfortably.

• Re-face kitchen
This kitchen was half re-faced and half re-build. We used all existing lower cabinets and added one extra lower cabinet. We used many of the upper cabinets and added to those as well! A Key West kitchen will be a bright kitchen so we went with white. We raised most of the cabinets on the back wall and added a wine rack. Also, we added a much larger cabinet between the windows to balance the end of the kitchen with the back wall of cabinetry. We placed headers and molding around the windows so they look visually cohesive with the kitchen.

• Every square inch
On the opposite side of the kitchen we increased the size of the cabinet above the refrigerator offering more long term storage. Finally, there is a decorative niche’ on the angled wall beside the refrigerator that we turned into a closet for storage! When storage is at a premium, every square inch counts.

• Granite all the way
The homeowner chose a beautiful granite with some movement but not too much. We had a 15 year seal added to the granite so that there would be no worries! Also, the backsplash is full granite as well; it looks shiny and so beautiful at night with the light shining down. An added bonus is no grout!

• Flooring
This house is all about the pool! The flooring had to be conducive to water but had to look like wood. Most old Key West homes have hard wood flooring and the homeowners wanted the look of weathered wood full of character lines.
They chose a ceramic tile that looks deceivingly real and it was laid with very tight grout lines. The tile planks were long with a rectified edge. This edge is achieved by grinding the tile to a perfectly straight edge after being fired in production. You need a really straight edge to achieve a tight grout line.

• Paint
The wall color is Rain-washed 6211 which is a neutral green based blue with just a touch of grey! This wall color brings the outside in because it is a perfect complement to the colors in nature.

• Décor
A healthy dose of antiques will give you an eclectic Key West look. We added old pots to the top of the cabinets and of course old glass bottles. An old bread bowl with shells and candles adorns the center of the island. The only thing missing is a six toed cat lounging on the island!

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.finishingtouchfl.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