Pantone color of the year: peachy, fun and bold

Kravet celebrates Living Coral by showcasing an inspiring line of fabrics at www.Kravet.com. Curated furnishings and accessories in the color are available at www.curatedkravet.com/us/ and offer lots of great ideas for working the color into an existing palette. Photo: Kravet.

Wrenda Goodwyn • special to the Fort Myers News-Press • December 15, 2018

It’s always fun to take a break this time of year, forget the red and green for a few minutes and check out the Pantone Color of the Year (2019).

If you’ve read my column for any amount of time, you know that as a Southwest Florida interior decorator, I recommend that my clients not follow trends. We want beautiful, sensible, timeless interior design that reflects what you love.

But let’s face it. Color trends are just plain fun. And I can never resist this one. Pantone, provides professional color standards and digital solutions for the design industry. This includes beauty products, home interiors and furnishings, fashion and accessories, design, packaging and more. You always see the selected color a lot. Everywhere. Think: fashion runways.

So get ready!

This year’s selection: Pantone 16-1546 Living Coral.

A shade of orange with a golden undertone, Pantone Color of the Year (2019): Living Coral. Photo: Pantone.

Pantone describes it as “an animating and life-affirming shade of orange with a golden undertone. We get energy from nature. Just as coral reefs are a source of sustenance and shelter to sea life, vibrant yet mellow, Living Coral embraces us with warmth and nourishment to provide comfort and buoyancy in our continually shifting environment.”

Okay. But it sure seems like a lot of pressure to put on a color.

Pantone goes on to say that “In reaction to the onslaught of digital technology and social media increasingly embedding into daily life, we are seeking authentic and immersive experiences that enable connection and intimacy. Sociable and spirited, the engaging nature of Living Coral welcomes and encourages lighthearted activity. Symbolizing our innate need for optimism and joyful pursuits.”

Kravet fabrics, trims and more in Pantone's Living Coral. Photo: Kravet.

I’m all for optimism and joy so here is my take on Living Coral.

It’s a peachy orange. A happy color. No doubt about that.

It’s warm, bright and very bold. And fun. Not to be taken too seriously. Did I mention bold?

How to use it?

Carefully. Here are a few suggestions:

· A throw for a bed or sofa. It looks great with white.

· Place mats.

· Throw pillows with a touch of Living Coral.

· A rug on a lanai.

· Ceramic pots for plants or a ceramic garden stool.

· In a patterned wallcovering for a powder room (with the right light).

· There is a gorgeous KitchenAid artisan stand mixer in this color that would look fantastic on a kitchen island! www.williams-sonoma.com

· A beach house exterior.

Kravet celebrates Living Coral by showcasing an inspiring line of fabrics at www.Kravet.com

Curated furnishings and accessories in the color are available at www.curatedkravet.com/us/ and give lots of great ideas for working the color into an existing palette.

And if you want to try an accent wall or an entire room, Benjamin Moore’s Tangerine Dream 2012-30 comes close to the color. See details at www.BenjaminMoore.com

How would I use it personally?

My home is done in neutrals, blue-greens and other sea glass tones. I would use pops of coral in accessories that would work for my color palette. I do wish Living Coral had just a splash of pink in it. Instead it is more of a true orange that requires a little thought before jumping in!

If nothing else, try it in a nail polish. It’s happy, optimistic and sure to bring you a little joy!

Wrenda Goodwyn is a Southwest Florida interior decorator, A.S.I.D. associate and certified gold member of the Interior Redecorators Network. She has helped homeowners throughout Southwest Florida with timeless, affordable ways to create beautiful spaces and to solve decorating problems. Her article appears the first Saturday of each month. For more information visit her website at spectacularspaces.com. Call her at 949-1808 or e-mail wrenda@spectacularspaces.com. For more decorating tips, articles and photos, visit spectacularspaces.com/blog

Redefining "home for the holidays"

Wrenda Goodwyn • special to the Fort Myers News-Press • December 1, 2018

Photo: Ballard Designs.

Full disclosure. My article was difficult to write this month.

As I began to work on it a couple of weeks ago, the horrific wildfires in California happened.

As a Southwest Florida interior decorator obsessed with making our homes comfortable and beautiful, it was tough to write a holiday design article. The thought of losing your home and everything in it is almost too much to comprehend. What’s in our homes is much more than “stuff.” It is our past and present. Our memories. Our lives.

I struggled with it for a few days and let it rest. I had intended to write about simplifying your holidays and spending the time doing what’s really important.

And now that topic seems more appropriate than ever. To find some comfort in the midst of the holiday (and general) chaos. And it all goes back to our homes.

When I moved to Florida one December many years ago, it didn’t not seem like the holidays. Each year at about this time, I would set out to decorate every square inch of my home in an attempt to fill my house with Christmas spirit. I missed the white candles in every window, fireplaces and beautiful "real" wreaths and trees that were the tradition in Virginia where I grew up.

A few favorite decorations, some greenery and pops of red set the holiday tone as soon as you walk into this entry. Add these festive outdoor celebration banners for indoors or outdoors from Ballard Designs and you are Christmas-ready. Photo: Ballard Designs.

But a couple of years ago, it all began to exhaust me. So, instead of trying to transform my home into a Christmas wonderland (in Florida), I simplified. Big time. It all seems very much like the holiday season to me now. Just different. I realized that simple really is better when it comes to the holidays. I have had years to practice that philosophy in my own home and in those of my clients. I have grown to love Florida at Christmas.

There are advantages to a more simple (but beautiful) decorating scheme. It is prettier. There is less clutter. It’s not expensive or time-consuming. You can appreciate the quality of your decor rather than creating visual overload with too much. An added benefit: there is less to put away when the season is over.

Use what you have! Fill a bowl with greenery, ornaments or collectibles for a smaller entry space. Or use this lush Christmas greenery filler that fits the popular classic dough bowl from Ballard Designs. Photo: Ballard Designs.

Here are a few of my holiday tips for a simple but beautiful Christmas:

Give it a rest. For a year. Try leaving all of the Santa’s, snowmen and old, heavy garland packed away.

Instead, try a large wreath on the front door. I love shells on a twig or vine wreath. Or pretty greenery that keeps it simple. Something that says “Florida.” Trim with a colorful bow.

Give your home a cleaning and a little decluttering before bringing more into your space.

Use real plants. Poinsettias (red, white and pink) on the front porch, in the entry and throughout the house. Any fresh flowers work as well.

Do a fun, pretty holiday vignette in your entry to set the tone. This can be as much or as little as you like and depends upon your space.

Instead of huge trees that take hours to decorate (not to mention taking them down) try a couple of pencil trees that can easily fit into any corner. They are often pre lit so there is no struggling with lights. Decorate with only your favorite ornaments and leave the others packed away.

Use light green garland or strings of beads, ornaments, bells to wrap around your mantle, stairway or table.

Open the windows and sliders. Let fresh air into your home and enjoy the cooler weather.

Light candles or diffusers and put on some of your favorite holiday music.

Most important, do what makes you happy. If you have always wanted a pink Christmas tree. Do it. If you want an upside down tree (a concept I still don’t understand) this is the year. After all, it’s your home, your sanctuary. And this year, more than ever, we should give thanks for our homes.

Happy holidays from my Southwest Florida home to yours!

Photo: Ballard Designs.

Wrenda Goodwyn is a Southwest Florida interior decorator, A.S.I.D. associate and certified gold member of the Interior Redecorators Network. She has helped homeowners throughout Southwest Florida with timeless, affordable ways to create beautiful spaces and to solve decorating problems. Her article appears the first Saturday of each month. For more information visit her website at spectacularspaces.com. Call her at 949-1808 or e-mail wrenda@spectacularspaces.com. For more decorating tips, articles and photos, visit spectacularspaces.com/blog

Giving thanks for your home

Keep it pretty and simple this Thanksgiving with handcrafted ceramics from Pottery Barn that let you bring nature into your home with botanicals and colorful fruit. Photo: Pottery Barn.

Wrenda Goodwyn • special to the Fort Myers News-Press • November 3, 2018

Even in our year-round tropical paradise where there is little change in the weather, fall brings a noticeable shift.

Unlike the rest of the country, the slight drop in temperature has most of us heading for the beach, sprucing up our lanais for the season and getting outdoors more. It means football games, antique markets, holiday open houses, the beginning of a series of celebrations and family gatherings. And Thanksgiving.

Sadly, Thanksgiving gets lost in the Halloween/Christmas shuffle. Wedged in between the two, it doesn’t get the recognition that it did when I was growing up in Virginia and it was a major family holiday.

In a time of many challenges, most people are stressed, shuffling too many obligations and trying to do it all, Thanksgiving is a good time to stop and take a breath. And to be thankful for where you live and for your home.

Bombarded by beautiful, professionally-styled homes featured in magazines, Pinterest and HGTV, we live in a constant state of wanting to do more, more, more. And a visit to model homes on a weekend sends most of us into a deep case of home envy. Everyone has a better, more gorgeous home. Or so we think.

Our homes provide comfort, safety, calm and happiness. And yet, we are never really satisfied

As a Southwest Florida interior decorator, I make homes pretty. Solve problems that bother the homeowner. Pull everything together for a calm, cohesive look. The ultimate goal: happiness when you walk in the door.

The right paint color helps to pull everything together for a calm, cohesive look and makes you happy when you walk in the door. Benjamin Moore: Wall in Mascarpone AF-20; trim in Whipple Blue HC-152. Photo: Benjamin Moore.

Sometimes this may only require a new color palette. Color is the big change in any home. And it can be the best investment for your money. But it may also require new furniture or a bath or kitchen redo. The most important thing: start with where you are and work from there. But don’t go crazy.

Take a minute to stop, look around and give thanks for what you have. A fresh perspective. Often it is the simple things.

A few things that you don’t need:

· Oversized coffee tables

· Too many chairs (eat-in kitchen, dining room, bar stools, patio chairs….how many chairs do you really need?) make a home look like a furniture store.

· Bar carts. Cute but unnecessary and take up space.

· Too many throw pillows.

· Media centers that span an entire wall. A lot of fuss for a TV.

· Layered rugs. One is enough.

· Dining room table and chairs that see use once a year (or less).

· To strive for perfection. It will never happen and you will just be exhausted all the time.

Giving thanks with a twist on the traditional napkin ring with these wraps from Frontgate. Photo: Frontgate.

What you need:

· Keep it simple.

· Declutter something. You will feel better.

· A chandelier in your closet. It will make you happy.

· A calm space. A spa bath, a patio, a yoga nook, a chair with a reading lamp.

· Nature. Plants in the house have health benefits and make us feel good.

· Good lighting. Up the wattage.

· Decorate as though you will live there forever.

· A pretty guest room. Company is coming!

· Aim for timeless and affordable.

· Don’t live in a storage garage for someone else’s memories. Your home is about you.

Wherever you are spending the holiday, be thankful for your home sweet home.

Wrenda Goodwyn is a Southwest Florida interior decorator, A.S.I.D. associate and certified gold member of the Interior Redecorators Network. She has helped homeowners throughout Southwest Florida with timeless, affordable ways to create beautiful spaces and to solve decorating problems. Her article appears the first Saturday of each month. For more information visit her website at spectacularspaces.com. Call her at 239-949-1808 or e-mail wrenda@spectacularspaces.com. For more decorating tips, articles and photos, visit spectacularspaces.com/blog

Home renovation survival tips

Wrenda Goodwyn • special to the Fort Myers News-Press • October 6, 2018

My dream was to find the perfect home that needed just a tiny bit of cosmetic work to make it mine. I had done major renovations in the past and did not want to go down that road again.

Keep it simple and easy. That was my mantra. And gorgeous. With everything perfect. After all, I am a Southwest Florida interior decorator and I know how to make anything pretty. Really pretty. And functional. Plus, I have all the tools at my fingertips so this should be a snap.

Wrong.

There is a lot to consider in a kitchen renovation: floors, walls, lighting, cabinets. Great light, white cabinets and beautiful blues are the focus in this coastal-inspired kitchen. Near wall in smoke 2122-40. Far wall in Caribbean Mist 2061-70. Cabinets in Ice Mist OC-67. Photo: Benjamin Moore.

Remember “Under the Tuscan Sun?”

Although it was a romantic comedy, it could be a home renovation documentary. It’s about a writer who says goodbye to her past and buys a 300-year-old villa in Tuscany. It’s also about her hot new love interest and is set against the backdrop of the beautiful Tuscan countryside. We have all had a similar dream, right?

But it (the movie) is really about the house.

Like “Under the Tuscan Sun,” whether you’re remodeling your bedroom or a bath, knocking out a few walls, creating a new kitchen from start to finish or renovating the entire home, it’s a fairly miserable experience. There is just no way to sugarcoat it.

It’s dirty, stressful and expensive. You have very little control. You are at the mercy of your contractor and the subs that may or may not show up for work. Unexpected problems arise that delay the project and cost. It turns your home and your life upside down. Until the project is finished.

The bottom line: you just have to live through it and hope for the best.

And having just gone through the experience myself, I have a few do’s, don’ts and survival tips that can help.

Renovation don’ts

Don’t cry or panic. It will get better.

Don’t believe the home shows. As fun as they are, they just don’t present the reality of the cost and experience of a home renovation. You know that.

Don’t stay in the house if it’s a major renovation. This is not always possible but moving out for the duration can save your sanity.

Don’t try to do it yourself. Call in the professionals.

Don’t take on a renovation or major remodel if you just aren’t up to it. Make a few cosmetic changes to the room that will enable you to live with it. New paint. New window treatments. A new rug. Maybe new kitchen countertops. Pick what bothers you most and let that be your focus. You might be surprised at the big difference a few small changes make.

Don’t embark on a renovation or major remodel if you just aren’t up to it. Make a few cosmetic changes to the room that will enable you to live with it. Pick what bothers you most and let that be your focus. A few small changes make a big difference. This Pottery Barn Harper upholstered bed, along with new furniture and artwork will totally change a bedroom. Photo: Pottery Barn.

Renovation do’s

Be patient. This won’t last forever.

Come up with a plan before your first meeting with a contractor. They can’t read your mind and you need to be able to tell them exactly what you need/want. Think about the little things that matter: light switches in the right place, fans, chandeliers, electrical outlets. This is your chance to get it just right.

Consider your lifestyle if you are redoing a floorplan. Traffic flow. Feeling of the home. Color. Is your taste traditional, contemporary, casual, coastal, transitional?

Start from the ground and work your way up with your plan: flooring, walls, furniture, lighting.

Establish a budget before the first meeting. And know that there will always be a few unexpected surprises that will add dollars so plan on it.

Hire an interior decorator or designer to get you started on the right path. They can look at the project and tell you what is doable, practical and the best use of your money for resale. They will also help you to make your vision for your home a reality.

Interview several contractors. Visit homes they have done and talk to the owners. Select the one that you feel will be the best fit for this short or long term relationship.

Renovating or adding a powder room? There are a lot of details to consider. Fixtures, space planning, color. Design element for this small bath is Pottery Barn’s modern farmhouse sink. Photo: Pottery Barn.

Be flexible. And be willing to make compromises. That’s just the reality of a renovation. Sure, you wanted that beautiful, free standing bath tub sitting in the middle of your new master bathroom. But the plumber said it would cost a fortune. So, against the wall will be just fine.

If you are living in the home during a remodel or renovation, set aside one area that is your sanctuary from the noise and dust. Like a master bedroom where you can close the door and think.

Most important: be patient. It’s worth the wait and the disruption to get the home that you want.

Wrenda Goodwyn is a Southwest Florida interior decorator, A.S.I.D. associate and certified gold member of the Interior Redecorators Network. She has helped homeowners throughout Southwest Florida with timeless, affordable ways to create beautiful spaces and to solve decorating problems. Her article appears the first Saturday of each month. For more information visit her website at spectacularspaces.com. Call her at 949-1808 or e-mail wrenda@spectacularspaces.com. For more decorating tips, articles and photos, visit spectacularspaces.com/blog

The coastal-inspired home

Wrenda Goodwyn • special to the Fort Myers News-Press • September 1,  2018

The coastal inspired home: What is it and how do you get it?

Whether you live steps from the water or miles away, coastal is a design style that works with modern or traditional decor. And it’s easy to do.

It’s one of the fastest growing decorating styles and it’s not just for those of us lucky enough to live within a drive of the beach or closer. Everyone can have it.

Coastal is a state of mind that you transfer to your home. A comfortable, laid-back, easy lifestyle that is no fuss, no clutter and just a touch of minimalism. It’s calm, soothing and rejuvenating. It makes you happy to walk into the house at the end of a tough day. Before I tell you how to get it, let’s talk about what coastal is not. And that’s really important.

Coastal don’ts

As a Fort Myers interior decorator, I am in and out of a lot of homes. Many of my clients have distanced themselves from the heavy furnishings they may have had for years or perhaps brought to Southwest Florida when they moved here from someplace else. Eventually they decide to lighten up and coastal is the perfect choice.

Coastal, a comfortable, laid-back, easy lifestyle that is no fuss, no clutter and just a touch of minimalism. It’s calm, soothing and rejuvenating. It makes you happy to walk into the house at the end of a tough day. Photo: Ballard Designs.

A bunch of outdated accessories, shells, a broken lobster trap and a monkey carved out of a coconut. Every room panted a different tropical color. A collection of fake nautical accessories. Loud prints. Lots of beach-related “stuff” and cutesy signs. Save those for the pool. This is not coastal.

So, what is it?

Classic design with a casual, understated look.

There is cottage coastal. Contemporary coastal. Modern coastal. They all have one thing in common: mindful decorating. Every piece in the home is planned. You will need fewer accessories. But select wisely to eliminate the temptation to clutter things up.

Coastal do’s

In your home, recreate the feeling that you love about the beach. Sparkling blue water. Bright sun. Sand. A colorful beach umbrella. White shells. You have just created your color palette.

Use calm solid colors, textures, distressed woods and ceramics.

Furniture is uncomplicated, contemporary, sleek.

Keep it soft with pillows, soft cushions, throws.

Contrast to heavy, weighted furnishings.

Use natural wood or wood that has been painted white.

Add a few plants for greenery. Real if possible!

Think: classic, lived in cottage by the sea. Not overdone. Simple elegance.

Benjamin Moore’s popular Palladian Blue HC-144 sets the tone for this coastal-inspired room with a chaise and palms. Photo: Benjamin Moore. 

Use neutrals as your base paint color. Creamy whites, bright whites, soft grays.

Maybe a wall done in shiplap. Don’t overdo it.

Accent neutrals with sea glass tones: blues, greens, aqua and sprinkle in a bit of coral.

Fabric chairs with a little rattan or wicker as an accent but not in a matched set.

Great light, white cabinets and beautiful blues in this coastal inspired kitchen. Near wall in smoke 2122-40. Far wall in Caribbean Mist 2061-70. Cabinets in Ice Mist OC-67. Photo: Benjamin Moore.

Arrange a colorful collection of your favorite coffee table books with a big shell or piece of coral.

Finish off with a few sand dollars, coral and sea glass in a beautiful bowl or basket.

Add a couple of original nautical accessories such as a porthole cover or color weathered oars that look like they washed up on the beach. A piece or two of driftwood.

Let light in with light panels or fiber blinds.

Put on some nice music. Have a cold beverage and let yourself drift into a coastal state of mind.

Wrenda Goodwyn is a Southwest Florida interior decorator, A.S.I.D. associate and certified gold member of the Interior Redecorators Network. She has helped homeowners throughout Southwest Florida with timeless, affordable ways to create beautiful spaces and to solve decorating problems. Her article appears the first Saturday of each month. For more information visit her website at spectacularspaces.com. Call her at 949-1808 or e-mail wrenda@spectacularspaces.com. For more decorating tips, articles and photos, visit spectacularspaces.com/blog

It's complicated: selecting the right white

Wrenda Goodwyn • special to the Fort Myers News-Press • August 4, 2018

White. It’s everywhere.

All of the design magazines style the most beautiful white rooms and make them all look perfectly gorgeous.

Crisp white walls, dark hardwood flooring. Perfect lighting in the room. Subtle pops of color. Bold artwork on the walls that make it look like a museum gallery. Stunning.

 Light floods this room and Benjamin Moore’s Simply White OC-117 (aura interior paint-matte)   is the perfect white with warm textures. Floor is Ice Mist OC-67 (advance interior paint-satin).   Photo courtesy of Benjamin Moore.

And then we have photos of white kitchens with pure white cabinets and island that coordinate with white marble or quartz countertops. Light beaming through the room. These are the rooms that homeowners dream about.

And then reality enters the room when we try to make white walls work.

It’s a little bit of a trick. As a Fort Myers interior decorator, I can tell you from doing hundreds of color consultations, white is the most complicated color (yes, white is a color) to make work and there are some good reasons for this. Done well, it's spectacular. Done poorly, it leaves a lot to be desired. My favorite way to work with white is to start with white as a backdrop and build the room from there with lots of texture, accents and accessories.

The good news:

·            White is popular right now with the trending coastal style that so many homeowners are incorporating into homes. It can be very dramatic by itself or with accent walls or just the right furnishings.

·            White serves as a backdrop (think museum walls) instead of a color that takes over the entire room. It’s a clean palette that offers plenty of room to incorporate a color palette.

·            White makes a kitchen clean and classic. Especially with quartz or marble counters.

·             It’s a great backdrop for an industrial look: stainless appliances and pendants.

Wood and rattan warms up a white shiplap wall along with Grandin Road’s “colored birds on a wire” wall art and colorful “watercolor” rug. Photo courtesy of Grandin Road.

Don’t make these mistakes:

·            White is an all or nothing color. It requires commitment! If you paint just one room in your home white it will look like you put primer on the walls and forgot to paint the real color.

·            White highlights everything that you don’t like in a room. Shabby furniture, worn carpets. Flaws on the walls. They are all magnified. Think about it before you try it.

Be bold! Make a statement in a white room with Benjamin Moore Paper White OC-55 (aura bath & spa) in matte and accented in Ravishing Red 2008-10. Photo courtesy of Benjamin Moore.

·            All whites are not created equal. Beware of undertones. Yes, those pesky shades of green, pink, blue, gray...depending upon the color and the lighting. Get around making a mistake by painting a portion of a wall as a test and check it out as the light changes during the day. This will help avoid a stark or dingy tone.

There are 200 whites at Benjamin Moore. Five of the top ten selling paints in their collection are whites. In 2016 Benjamin Moore named Simply White OC-117, the Color of the Year. It’s an important part of design.

Tips for a white room:

·            If the lighting is not great in your home, don’t try white. Most of the magazine photos are done with rooms that have floor to ceiling windows or huge glass walls.

·            Use textures and accessories. My favorite: white walls, dark flooring, area rugs, white comfy sofas, lots of colorful pillows, green plants, colorful art on walls, white shutters.

·            Try white shiplap on an accent wall to get the same effect without a whole room commitment.

·            Start with a white master bathroom. No color gives a master bath a cleaner, more spa-like feel than white. Combine it with white tile, towels, rugs, accessories and beautiful capiz sconces.

And if you want to go” light” but maybe not quite “white”…try Benjamin Moore’s Silver Satin 856. It’s my go-to neutral color. A touch of silver-grey with a slight shimmer. Perfect with blue sea glass accents.

Wrenda Goodwyn is a Southwest Florida interior decorator, A.S.I.D. associate and certified gold member of the Interior Redecorators Network. She has helped homeowners throughout Southwest Florida with timeless, affordable ways to create beautiful spaces and to solve decorating problems. Her article appears the first Saturday of each month. For more information visit her website at spectacularspaces.com. Call her at 949-1808 or e-mail wrenda@spectacularspaces.com. For more decorating tips, articles and photos, visit spectacularspaces.com/blog