After the storm: making home feel like home again

Wrenda Goodwyn • special to the Fort Myers News-Press/USA Today Network • Nov. 5, 2022

Honestly, this was a difficult article to write. I’ve been thinking about it since Hurricane Ian tore through our area and left a trail of unimaginable devastation. Like everyone else, the damage to our tropical paradise left me heartbroken and shaken to my core.

We learned that we live in a world where we have very little control when it comes to nature. We live in a beautiful but fragile area. Our homes did their best to stand tall against this storm and they did so until they just couldn’t any longer. And now, we have to do our best to put them back together.

Our homes are our sanctuary. The place that serves as our retreat from everything the world throws at us. And whether you had a little damage or lost your home or had no damage and are feeling crushed by what has happened in Southwest Florida, everyone has been impacted. It has left all of us knocked off our center. It will take a while to regain our balance.

But we will. Because our home means everything. Whether rebuilding, relocating, or renting, it’s human nature to want to establish a home again. It may be different. Something you never imagined or expected. But it will be home.

As a resident and interior decorator in Southwest Florida for the past 22 years (and three major hurricanes), I wondered what I could possibly say to my readers and clients that would help. I’ve met with several in the past weeks. Longtime clients that I helped pick out everything in their home from paint color to flooring to furnishings, to new kitchens. They, like so many, are trying to recover and find the energy to move forward. Emotions go back and forth between sorrow and determination. And hope. Lots of hope.

The common thread I have found is that everyone is looking for two things: comfort and simplicity in their space, no matter what state their home is in. If you keep those two ideas in mind, it really clarifies the direction in which to proceed.

So, while I did not think it was appropriate to talk about the usual design topics (time for that later), I instead have a few tips that everyone can use for a fresh, simple, uncomplicated home. And because we are a few weeks away from Thanksgiving, it’s also a good time to give thanks. Thanks for every house that we have ever called home and for the happiness, peace and shelter that home gives us.

Simple and uncomplicated steps to restore calm and peace:

• Uncertain times leave us fearful and feeling empty. What you want in our home may have changed. Priorities may have shifted. Take some time to reevaluate without judgment. Adjust your space to reflect those changes.

• Whether it’s new drywall, paint, cabinets, flooring, or fixtures, this may offer an opportunity to create a fresh and new environment instead of trying to replicate exactly what was there.

• Turn off the news and social media.

• Plant a tree in the yard to mark new life and new beginnings.

• Take an inventory of your house one room at a time. Make a plan.

• Say goodbye to items that no longer serve you. Remove anything from the past that causes stress.

• Shop at local furniture showrooms that are able to get a few basic pieces immediately OR order online with ready-to-ship offerings.

• Set aside a space that provides comfort. Maybe a nook for reading with a comfortable chair and a lamp.

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 solve 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.