Now What?

I am sure that by now everyone’s house is squeaky clean! You have done all the projects on your ever-running project list, and you are looking for something else. Many have been avid shoppers on Amazon, not me of course, I am just guessing! Many have piled their garages full of things to donate once we can donate again. Maybe you wondering what is next; what can I do now? Well, what about the top of the cabinets? This is a great time to clean up there, re-arrange things, and add new things that you purchased online. Please only do this if you have someone else with you because this is a buddy system project. Also, think about your Lanai. We studied a lanai with mirrors two weeks ago but what if you don’t want mirrors? Then I am sure you will want a rug and some indoor/outdoor curtains; and you can buy them online. Let’s take a peek at a Bonifay kitchen and lanai to see how their quarantine spruce up turned out somewhere in the heart of The Villages.

• Larger and LessThe kitchen of the Bonifay Model. We added a 5x8 rug. This provides a close up of the items above the cabinets.
In the world of design the eye likes to see larger items and less of them. So, when we apply that principle to decorating, the top of cabinets will need a lot less “stuff” than one would think. I often use art above the cabinets to create large focal points. Large lanterns and large baskets of greens work well too. Remember, something that looks large on the ground will look much smaller high on top of cabinets.

• Bonifay Cabinet Tops
We applied larger and less to these cabinets by containing the décor just to one side of the cabinets. We used a large piece of art that has a nice saying on it and lots of bright lemons. We propped this against the wall because it was very secure just propping it up. We placed a large seagrass tray next to the picture and we hung the tray. I was able to hang the tray with one gold nail in the center and when we looked at it from the ground, we could not see the nail. We added three pitchers to create depth and texture in front of the basket hanging on the wall. As the wall descends so does the height of the items that we placed above the cabinets. We reused a greenery basket that was above the cabinets and finished the vignette with a rope sphere. The grouping looks inviting with a little bit of coastal farmhouse cottage feel. I encourage clients to resist the temptation of placing items all along the tops of the cabinets where the space is small.

• Bonifay Kitchen Floor
One of my favorite things to add to the Bonifay kitchen floor is a 5’x8’ area rug! I like to fill the floor with a rug because the kitchen is so large. In a Bonifay when you walk in the front door you are basically walking into a kitchen with lots space. The added area rug makes the kitchen feel a bit more grounded and inviting with a rug. If you are an expressive cook and fear that you will spill on the rug that is not a problem. Feel free to use an indoor/outdoor rug. These rugs can take a beating and once they are dirty take them outside to the driveway and clean them with a hose. A few hours in the sun and the rug will be as good as new.

• Lanai
The lanai already had a small set of furniture that was in great shape and very comfortable. We decided to keep it and add to the look. The furniture was brown and the color blue would be a nice complement. Also, blue was a reoccurring color from inside the house. We added indoor outdoor curtains to the corners of the lanai and that framed out the space and the windows nicely. The curtains were white and sky-blue cabana stripe. Once added the space felt inviting and cozy. These curtains have grommets and were hung on indoor/outdoor rods. You will want to be sure to purchase them as indoor/outdoor rods so that they do not rust.

• Rug
The floor of the lanai was cement and there were no plans to paint it so we covered it! A large 8’x10’ rug covered most all of the floor and the color was a sky blue that tied into the curtains. This rug will be easy to clean outside as well.

• Pillows
We added pillows to the loveseat and chairs that tied all the colors together and popped off the brown cushions. This was an easy fix up and everything was purchased online.

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.