It is official! Webster’s dictionary defines the word snowbird as one who travels to warm climes for the winter. Those living the retired life here in Florida have been given the esteemed and beloved title of “snowbird” since they migrate south for the winter. If you don’t like birds, consider a nickname of another migratory creature such as a turtle. You could be a snow turtle! Turtles migrate up to eight thousand miles away and return home to the exact beach upon which they were hatched. How do the turtles find their home year after year of being at sea? They are able to navigate the earth’s magnetic-field by sensing the subtle changes in it. Basically, they are guided home by their “feelings” and we all know that home is where the magnetic heart finds you! If you are home for the winter then welcome back! Let’s take a peek into a living room brightened by the Florida sun that is so inviting the homeowners will always want to return to their feathered nest or warm beach, somewhere in the heart of The Villages.
• Gardenia living room
Often, I find that the homeowners have placed the TV between the two windows of the Gardenia model living room. However, the TV on the wall between those windows will look very dark. This occurs for two reasons. The first reason is that the TV is black and dark. The second reason is when light is shining at you; whatever is near that light will appear darker. For those reasons we move TV’s off the wall between the two windows. In a gardenia the TV can be placed on either side wall. In this room the TV is on the side wall opposing the slider or the left side wall if you are looking into the room.
• Sofa position
Now that we have the wall between the windows open, we placed the sofa on that wall! This will create a strong focal point and the large wall above the sofa will provide a great display space for art that adds light to the room. When the sofa is placed on the wall between the windows, the room opens up so much that the space feels larger and connected to the rest of the home because nothing has its back turned toward you.
• Chair position
The two teal recliners are placed together on the wall opposing the TV. This works well so that the homeowner can sit straight across from the TV. Keep in mind if you are considering this layout that all recliners must be wall hugging for this to work. We placed a stationary chair beside the TV angled in toward the room to complete the seating pieces. This chair will be used when company visits and conversation takes place but it is light enough to be moved around for TV as well.
• Side tables
We placed side tables on each side of the sofa with matching lamps. The recliners received a round table between them because they are positioned at a slight angle and the space in the center is a pie shape. Round shapes fit into pie shapes so a round table is just geometry!
• TV and TV console
The TV and its console were placed on the wall opposing the slider and the recliners. The TV was attached to the wall for a sleek and finished look!
• Rug
Why is the rug at an angle you ask? This is for two reasons; the first being that we had to cover the floor outlet and the rug is not quite big enough to cover the outlet without being pulled oddly away from sofa. We solved that by angling the rug in the space and it looks fabulous. Angling the rug is not for everyone but we loved it in this space. The modern rug juxtaposed with the traditional sofa and side tables looks great!
• Art
The art over the sofa is “Sea of Dreams” Old Florida by Alan Maltz. The sunset looks three dimensional and if you look long enough you can hear the roll of the waves as the reeds sway in the wind. Look to your right and a beautiful painting of a sea turtle compliments the sunset.
• Window treatments
The two windows received stationary side panels to dress them. The side panels are great with a subtle print and best of all they were a great price.
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