The other day I was on my way to see a client and I was on Legacy Lane heading toward Belle Meade. I looked to my right and I had to pull over not believing what I was seeing. The small pond was just encircled by white pelicans, cormorants, blue heron and a variety of smaller birds. It appeared that they were having an impromptu party and everyone had arrived! I don’t know how birds of different species know when to meet at a certain pond at a certain time, but it is a miracle of nature, and that miracle often involves water. There were birds clustering together in tight groups like mean girls at a party (probably talking about the sandhill cranes) and some birds were swimming enjoying the weather and the sun. There was a single Rosette Spoon bill standing alone like Floridian royalty not wanting to get too close to the common birds. It looked like this party was going to be a long one and I had to be on my way. As I drove toward my destination my mind wandered to the world of decorating and water. Humans, like birds, enjoy water in all its forms, but in the world of decorating they enjoy water as their view. Let’s take a peek into the living room of a Lantana model with a fabulous view of the water, to see how close proximity to water can change your color schemes somewhere in the heart of The Villages.
• Palette change
The homeowners moved from a house without a water view, and they brought all the furniture from their first home to their new home. The new home was put together using everything that they had from their old home but in a different way since this home had a different layout. They loved the new home for several years but over time as they looked out at the blue water, lush greenery, and blue sky; they began to want the inside to blend more with the outside. This is a natural and expected desire over time living in a home with a fabulous view.
• Bring in the blue
The way the house is positioned when you look out the two large sliding glass doors, all you can see is water. The previous color palette of the space was nice but on the darker side with pops of red. The homeowner wanted to lighten up and brighten up by bringing in the blue. The room change started by picking out the rug. We used an online site called Rugs Direct and we were able to take a photograph of the room and place the rug into the space online. This is a great way to see if you will like the rug before you buy it, and it is so easy to do if you follow the directions. This rug is a wool rug with a stunning pattern that just looks beautiful in the room. I recommend more rug than less. This rug is the large nine by twelve-foot rug. I like the rug to fill the space so that there are no tripping hazards. Also, more area rug helps calm sound in the room.
• New focal point
The former focal wall was just a painted wall with an entertainment console and a TV. There were two chairs on each side of the console. In order to create something stunning the homeowners had to treat the entire wall. This actually made the room look bigger! The finish carpenter added a fireplace with two cabinets on each side and the wall above was finished in board and batten. The unit is not deep because the two side cabinets were fifteen-inch-deep upper cabinets. He built a base for the cabinets and attached them to the fireplace surround that he also built. The center fireplace component was not much higher than the old TV console but by adding the board and batten all the way up the wall to the ceiling, the space looks bigger. It is an optical illusion. The TV was attached to the wall and there is room for decorative items on the cabinets.
• Two new accent chairs
The homeowner purchased two new accent chairs that are so comfortable but compact. These two chairs are the Mariko chairs from Best Home Furnishings, and they can be purchased online as well. The fabric is a soft blue fabric, and that same soft blue can be found in the rug.
• New recliner
The old recliner was a deep burgundy, and it was very dark in the space. The homeowners were able to purchase a new light sand color recliner that looks much lighter in the space.
• New lamps
The old lamps were very nice, but it was time for new light lamps. The homeowner found blue and white lamps that coordinated with the ginger jars on the new fireplace unit. Also, two new pillows were purchased from Frontage just to finish off the sofa.
• Trim out the windows
The homeowners did have the windows trimmed out when they moved into the house a few years ago, but it is worth mentioning how beautiful the trim makes the window look. Also, the trim highlights the view like in a picture frame.
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Before and After Pics Below