The Time is Now

Now is the best time! I know that many of you would not agree with that, being in the middle of a pandemic, but now is the best time! Now is the best time to do that home project that you have always wanted to tackle. Have you ever thought if you could just stay home you would get crown molding installed? Is your outdated kitchen whispering to you that a facelift would cost the price of a cruise?
As you look around the house, is it feeling tired or needing a fresh coat of paint? Well I have found that during this Covid season that cruise money is now home money and things on the home front are getting better all around as we forge our way through this new normal. Let’s take a peek into the dining room of a St. Charles model that has cruised its way into a fresh faced update just in time to social distance for the upcoming holidays somewhere in the heart of The Villages.

• Goal to be achieved
The homeowners request to update the space was to make it light bright and airy! We did not need to repaint because the color was great and would look brighter once we made a few changes.

• Window
The window treatment was really darkening the room. The valance that covered the side panels cut the window height and made the window look smaller. This shortening of the window kept light out of the space. I have always been of the opinion that window treatment should enhance the light in a space. If you are getting side panels consider hanging them so that they cover more wall space and just graze the side of the window casement. Buy hanging them wide you will maintain light.

• Molding to bring in the light
We added wide casement molding around the window including the arch. We connected the two windows with a white wooden cornice and a crown molding header. The two windows look like one very big and tall window that will let in lots of light. I like molding because it enhances the window and is a one-time investment that everyone will love. If this house was ever sold a buyer will love the idea that they will never have to touch the windows.

• Wainscot
We added wainscot to the entire dining room. Once the wainscot molding is installed the entire thing is painted white, from the top of the chair rail to the bottom of the baseboard and everything in between is painted white. This white around the entire room pops the paint above it and most of all it adds so much light to the space. For a custom look we raised the chair rail to run up and over the buffet. This looks like the buffet is custom to the space. It is such a simple detail that adds so much visually. If you are wondering, “what if I moved, I couldn’t take my buffet”, don’t worry most buffets are similar in size and as long as the buffet fits the space it will look great.

• China to Buffett
The dining room set was a table and china hutch but we wanted the look of a buffet. There was a buffet was against the kitchen wall which we will see next week so we moved the buffet from the kitchen wall into the dining room space and moved the china hutch to the kitchen wall that the buffet had previously occupied. This would allow food to have a usable surface in the dining room space if needed for serving and leave plenty of wall space for art.

• Large art
We chose a large piece of art to hang over the buffet. This piece is from Alan Maltz and is titled, “Aqua Marine Dreams 1” which the artist describes as a dramatic palm scape. I love how the movement of the palms was captured so well in this artwork. When guest walk in the doorway of this St. Charles and look to their right they will keep looking! We chose Gene Rizzo’s, “Conch Cottage to hang on the smaller wall of the dining room. This was also large and a wonderful watercolor rendition of a conch cottage surrounded by foliage. This picture definitely congers ideas of Key West.

• Wall Sconces
We hung two sets of PB artisanal wall sconces on each side of the large canvas. These simple but beautiful hurricane sconces provide candle light for ambiance while dining. Also, if not dining I encourage my clients to turn on the candles so they can see the glow of the electric candles at night. The flame flickers like a real candle but there is no chance of a house fire.

• Dramatic Rug
The rug is a dramatic presentation of palm fronds. This rug looks so amazing in the space because it complements the art so well. We laid the rug so that the fronds were bursting open into the room. This large palm burst draws the eye in and up to the palms in the art enhancing the dramatic look.

• Table runner
We placed a large white table runner down the middle of the table with a coastal hydrangea arrangement to finish the space.

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