Trad Design

Traditional décor is making a comeback! Many design trends from the past are being reimagined with a modern twist. For example, vintage-inspired elements like bold wallpaper, floral prints, and repurposed furniture are gaining popularity. The search for nice traditional pieces at secondhand stores can allow you to buy a high-end piece of furniture that would be out of reach for many. Additionally, details like decorative trims, curved furniture, and nostalgic textures are being embraced to add depth and character to spaces. It seems people are drawn to the warmth and charm of traditional styles, blending them with contemporary touches for a fresh take on a classic look. Let’s peek into the enclosed lanai of an Iris model to see how traditional design can look warm, inviting, and most of all timeless somewhere in the heart of The Villages.

  •  Enclose the lanai
The Iris model has a small dining room that the homeowners did not want to use as a dining room. They made the official dining room a space for built-ins and storage. However, they needed a dining room and enclosing the lanai was the perfect solution. The lanai of the Iris often has a large area adjacent to the living room and the left side of the lanai gets smaller as it angles down adjacent to the casual eating space next to the kitchen. Using the lanai for the dining room highlights the homeowners beautiful furniture and it gets to be seen from the front door when you walk into the foyer.

  •  Trim out all the openings
All the openings were trimmed out with thick molding and headers to raise the eye and highlight the room just beyond the molding. The room looks so inviting and large. The two openings that were sliding glass doors had the doors removed and the floor was raised. The homeowners did not need the window on the angled wall, so the window was removed and trimmed out to match the other openings. This was a great place to display a large chinoiserie ginger jar.

  •  The dining table
The dining table is a beautiful double pedestal solid wood Georgian style table. This is a table that if you happened upon it in a secondhand store….it would be an amazing find! The chairs are upholstered with an eye-catching nail head trim running around the outside of the chair. The table does extend, and the homeowners have plenty of room for growth if they need the seating.

  •  The Buffet
The buffet has scrolly legs and is wrought iron that was freshly powder coated in black to look fresh and free of chips. The granite company placed a new piece of black granite with white veins on the top of the piece. They were able to cut another piece of granite to lay on the bottom of the piece to create a second shelf. The black granite looks as rich and traditional as marble. This buffet is so unique, and it fills that space perfectly. The large arch mirrors have no mullions so that the view in the mirrors is clear and open. The mirrors reflect the space back onto itself and the room looks large and bright.

  •  Buffet accessories
The buffet accessories consist of a large topiary with bright lemons standing tall at the back left of the buffet. The homeowner has a collection of at least ten brass candle sticks that are arranged as group. When you put all the candle sticks together, they create a punctuation mark that makes a statement. As the eye moves to the right of the buffet there is a collection of chinoiserie that consists of a large bowl full of fascinating shells, a vase, and a large lamp for low light in the space. The art of display is to group like items for a visual pop.

  •  Curtains
It would not be traditional design without curtains. We added three side panels to the back wall with all the sliding glass doors. The panels were hung to the ceiling nice and high, and they were hung to cover the wall where the sliding glass doors end. The fabric is from Greenhouse, and it is called blueberry. The color is a rich intense blue with a large floral pattern. Yes! Floral patterns have a seat at the table again.

  •  Large Rug
The large rug has a traditional antelope pattern, but the pattern is woven in blue and white. This adds a touch of the re-imagined traditional to the space and it works quite well. This rug and this pattern can move from modern to traditional design with the greatest ease. This rug is one hundred percent wool, so it has natural stain resistance and is a great choice for under a dining room table.

  •  Large armoire
The homeowner added a large armoire to the end of the lanai, and it is great for storage. The end of the Iris lanai is small and difficult to use other than as a pass through to the grill outback. This armoire visually connects it to the rest of the space and makes it look complete. Remember, armoires are always a great options for storage. They are like a closet that can be moved.
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Before and After Pics Below