Spring is on the way

The cool night air wrapped around me giving me a chill and my arms were covered in goose bumps. It was hard to believe that it had been 80 degrees this afternoon and now I needed a sweater. The sky was a brilliant canopy of stars with the Big Dipper being the most apparent constellation of them all. The smell of orange wafted my way encircling me with the smell of fresh spring. The gardener “my husband” had just trimmed the confederate jasmine that wraps around the trellis and adorns a portion of the fence in our back yard that morning and the scent was perfume in the atmosphere. No blooms could be seen but like the cry of the mocking bird under the night sky it was a sign that spring has sprung! Webster’s dictionary defines spring as: to originate, derive, proceed, or evolve. As I contemplated these things in the softly lit ode to Key West that is my back yard, my mind wondered to decorating and its common bond with spring. Let’s take a peek into a Lantana living room that has been transformed into a light bright and airy space just in time for spring, somewhere in the heart of The Villages.

• PaintNice but Dated, just needed a Refresh.
We did not have to paint! The paint color looked more subdued in the before picture with pumpkin and green tones. However, the paint came alive when the room was filled with teal. Teal is on the lighter side of yellow’s complementary colors but still within the cone of complement on the color wheel.

• Windows
We removed the plaid cornice boards and side panels. The plaid looked nice for many years but the homeowners wanted an updated and brighter look. The
eat -in kitchen nook windows were trimmed out in wide casement molding. In addition to the casement molding we added a header to the top of the windows. These headers visually connect to the cornice board in the living room. The living room cornice looks similar to the kitchen windows but it is set out from the wall because it hides the verticals behind it. We left room inside the cornice to hang stationary panels over the verticals so that when the verticals are open, they are hidden from view. As you enter a Lantana or an Iris or any model that is similar, you see all the windows at the back of the house and it very important that these windows appear to be visually cohesive and finished. Therefore, I always advise that if you are considering crown molding but have not considered your windows; it is more important to trim out the windows because the eye goes directly to them. If the windows are done right, it almost creates the optical illusion that the house has crown molding.

• Wainscot under the bar
The bar received a wainscot that was framed with plain wood in the center of the frame. The homeowners preferred the plain wood to the bead-board and it looks great! If bead board is not your style just go plain but definitely do a wainscot in all white.

• Eat- In kitchen furniture
The homeowner purchased a new white table and chairs to freshen the space. The round table is much easier for movement in the space.

• Light fixture
We installed a new golden bamboo light over the table. This light provides visual punch but does not take up visual space because it is open and airy.

• Hutch
The hutch is an antique and the homeowner did not want to paint it, so we did the next best thing! We added painted poster board to the back of the display area to add a little color and make the items on display stand out. This is a great trick if you can commit to painting the piece of furniture.

• Furniture
The old floral sofas, though they were built like ton of bricks, had to be donated because the floral print so dated the sofa, that second hand stores did not want them. Try to keep print on pillows and it will be easier to change rather than buying new sofas. The homeowner purchased a new crème colored sofa with nice pillows and two solid teal chairs. We did have the one chair recovered because that chair was a homeowner favorite! The chair did not have an ottoman so we had the upholsterer make us a custom ottoman just for the chair. The furniture makes the living room look bright and inviting.

• Rug
A new area rug was added that was a mixture of all the colors in the room. It was an 8×10 and defined the space perfectly!

• Lamps
We added two bright teal lamps to the space and they really pop! The lamps are glazed porcelain and add a heavy duty dose of color as well as lots of much needed light.

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