Pause and reflect: at home in the new year

Wrenda Goodwyn • special to the Fort Myers News-Press • Jan. 2, 2021

Add an instant refresh to your home by bringing the outdoors inside with a green color palette.A white window seat with pillows in fabric from Thibaut’s Oasis collection of Sunbrella woven fabric takes calm to a whole new level. www.thibautdesign.com Photo: Thibaut Design.

When life is out of balance as it’s been this past year, it’s a good idea to take a breath. Refocus and think about what makes a happy home for you and your family.

It’s a given that when this pandemic ends, we will all have changed. It’s important that our homes change as well to reflect our new normal. We don’t know exactly what those changes will be but for now, a simpler lifestyle, less stress and more comfort are a good place to start.

Let’s forgo the resolutions this year. Instead, let’s press pause, reflect and enjoy simple pleasures as we tweak and make a few changes.

I think about Piglet asking Pooh where they are going on their walk.

Taking his hand, Pooh says, “Home, Piglet. We’re going home. Because that’s the best thing to do right now.”

Home is our safe zone. It’s where we all need to be. Where it’s safe and comfortable.

Escape and find comfort, peace and calm in a bathroom done in tranquil colors from Benjamin Moore. Walls in Palladian Blue HC-144, Aura Bath & Spa, Matte. Trim in Distant Gray 2124-70, Regal Select, Semi-Gloss. Tub in Breath of Fresh Air 806, Advance, Satin. Photo: Benjamin Moore.

As a Southwest Florida decorator With lots of time these last 10 months to think about what I would change in my own home and those of my clients, I want to share are a few of my thoughts:

• Forget about perfection. It doesn’t exist and you will never find it. Take that off your list.

• Make self-care a priority. Without your mental and physical health, nothing else matters.

• Make a gratitude list. I just did this and even after the year that we’ve have had, it’s surprisingly long. I keep it on my desk and read it when I have a lull.

• Limit time online. You won’t find happiness there.

• Get outside every day.

• Stick to a routine even when spending most of your time at home. Things always go better for me if I make my bed and pick up around the house before I dive into my day.

• Read a book. Join a virtual book club. It keeps you connected and is good for the brain.

• Give yourself some space. It will make you feel lighter and happier. If (especially after the holidays), you are overwhelmed by all of the stuff that has accumulated, declutter. If you don’t like it or just don’t need it or don’t use it, say goodbye. Without guilt. Remember: this is your home. Not a storage shed for someone else’s memories and stuff.

Come up with a plan and plan ahead

I always tell my clients that if they don’t have a plan, it doesn’t really matter what they do to their home. It will never flow or look right. You will make mistakes. What I know going into 2021: you don’t need to spend a fortune to have a beautiful home. You just need a good plan.

A few tips to get you started:

Go from room to room. Make notes in each. Short of taking on a major renovation, what would make the room more comfortable and prettier without a lot of stress? A few suggestions:

• Create a new color palette. Nothing gives a home a refresh like new color. When planning the palette, consider a neutral color for the public/family areas and colors for the bedrooms and bathrooms, office. And no more than three colors. We don’t want to create a circus look with each room a different color.

• Living room. New lamps or lampshades. Increase bulb wattages. We are all living in the dark. New pillows are always good for a refresh. A new vase for fresh flowers. If you’ve been thinking about reupholstering your sofa, promise me you will consider a color other than brown or beige. Be brave. Want to add a new paint color without committing to an entire room? Paint the ceiling. Rearrange the furniture. Add a pretty bar cart. Add a little more color into the room with drapery panels (save $$$ instead of purchasing full drapes).

Try a fresh approach with a new color palette for 2021. Blue and white is timeless. Thibaut Design combines its Brighton Settee in Freeport woven fabric in almond with boxed pillows in Honshu printed fabric in blue and beige with contrast boxing band in Cobble Hill Tape in Bermuda. For more details on this collection, visit www.thibautdesigns.com. Photo: Thibaut Design.

• Bedrooms. This is a good time (sales) to invest in new sheets, pillows, shams. Try a new color. If you don’t need a new comforter, January is a good time to have your current one laundered. And change out your decorative pillows. If you’re thinking about a headboard and space is an issue, consider a beautiful piece of art instead.

Bathrooms. Purchase new towels and bath rugs as needed. In January I take an inventory. It’s a new year and a good time to refresh. If the mirror over the vanity has seen better days, purchase a new one with a frame to give it an updated look. Add a stool or bench near the master tub for reading, bath oil and to hold a liquid refreshment. Add a new scent (candles) and a new playlist to your music and chill.

• Kitchen. Edit your spices (I like to throw them all out on Jan. 1 and start over). Also declutter your countertops and decide what you can store (almost everything) to keep them free of what you don’t need every day. If your cabinets and countertops need to be replaced soon, consider working with a professional to help with options and a realistic budget.

• Don’t be afraid to try something new. A cozy window seat window reading and daydreaming. Maybe a beautiful wallcovering for a bathroom or dining room. Outrageously beautiful fabric to give new life to chairs that have seen better days. Paint your front door a color other that you love. Plant colorful flowers in your front yard for a little curb appeal and to make you happy every time you come home.

Wrenda Goodwyn is a Southwest Florida interior decorator, A.S.I.D. associate and gold member of the Interior Redecorators Network. She helps homeowners throughout Southwest Florida with timeless, affordable ways to create beautiful spaces and solves decorating problems. Her articles appear the first Saturday of each month. For more information visit her website at spectacularspaces.com. Call her at 239-850-5800 or e-mail wrenda@spectacularspaces.com. For more decorating tips, articles and photos, visit spectacularspaces.com/blog