Fall season brings renewed hope and comfort

Wrenda Goodwyn • special to the Fort Myers News-Press/USA Today Network-Florida

The last couple of weeks took away a lot of the comfort and security that we all strive for in our homes. And as we shake off the effects of the recent storms, we look for ways to create some calm in stressful times.

I always struggle writing an article after a hurricane but I’m more hopeful the closer we get to fall weather. The days bring a noticeable shift and on that first cool morning last week could open the windows and let the fresh air into our homes. Take a deep breath enjoy a new season that brings renewed hope.

Add a touch of fall color from Pottery Barn with these fun flickering, flameless, wax pumpkins and pinecone candles. Photo: Pottery Barn.

As a Fort Myers interior decorator, I can tell you that I (along with most of my clients) like to make a few subtle changes in my home to welcome the arrival of fall. Or as I call it, celebrating the end of a long, hot summer. Most of these changes cost very little and you can buy much of what you need from the grocery store or order online without major shopping trips. A few of my favorites:

Move outdoors

It’s a time for sprucing up our outdoor spaces for the season. Just spending more time relaxing in nature makes us all feel better. Add some new cushions, pillows, beach towels, rug and decorative lights to set a fresh tone. Grab a cup of coffee and ease into your day with a few minutes of calm.

For fall, pretty fresh flowers in yellows, reds and oranges set against a backdrop of Kravet’s Clarke and Clarke Pomarium collection. Shown: Sorento in multi-linen. Photo: Kravet.

Light decluttering

Do a little fall decluttering and organizing. Focus on finding some clear surface spaces and eliminating what you no longer need. And while you are at it, toss your old spices and refresh with new ones. A fall ritual that I like to do before the busy holidays.

Create a fall feeling

Start at the front door with a new doormat. My favorite is “hello pumpkin,” which can be found online. One of my clients paints her front door each fall and spring. Some favorite front door colors for fall: Benjamin Moore’s Hawthorne Yellow, Autumn Leaf and Fiesta Orange. Add a wreath to the door, a few pumpkins (faux in Florida), potted plants and lanterns and you are set.

Photo: Benjamin Moore

Spicy hues or not

If the oranges, browns and yellows are just not your palette, that’s fine. Any color found in nature says fall. Rich cranberry burgundy is so popular now, along with blueberry, sunflower yellows, bright greens. They all work for fall and are a nice change when mixed with our more coastal palettes. And as for pumpkins, they come in all colors. Blues, white, even pink. I like to mix them up.

Create a tablescape

For your dining table, coffee table or the end of a kitchen island. I like a mix of white and striped pumpkins and a bag of gourds from the grocery store. Some yellow mums, corn and candles. Very simple. If Halloween is more your thing than fall, that could be the theme. In either case, add some seasonal placemats and napkins and a center piece of fresh or dried flowers.

Entry table

One of my favorites is to fill a dough bowl with elements of the season: potpourri, acorns, colored leaves, gourds and even a few twinkling lights. Change out the content each season or just for fun.

Change your scents to fall

Bring fall into your space before it even arrives with your favorite yummy scents. Pumpkin coffee is not my thing but I sure love pumpkin spice scented candles.

Mix creamy neutrals with seasonal hues

Change your fireplace mantel with creamy neutrals accented with seasonal tones, pumpkins, leaves, baskets, accessories.

    Wrenda Goodwyn is a Southwest Florida interior decorator, A.S.I.D. associate and gold member of the Interior Redecorators Network. Based in Bonita Springs with timeless, affordable ways to create beautiful spaces and color palettes. 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

Changing seasons: Decorating tips to take your home into spring and summer

Wrenda Goodwyn • special to the Fort Myers News-Press/USA Today Network-Florida, May 4, 2024

It’s one of my favorite times of year. These beautiful days of spring (which arrived in March) and lead into the first days of summer (arriving in June). I find that the change of seasons is more a state of mind than anything else. A slight change in perspective. An important one. For me this time of year brings back happy memories of carefree days at the end of the school that meant summer vacation and the beach.

As a Bonita Springs-based interior decorator serving homeowners in Southwest Florida, I always encourage my clients to acknowledge the seasonal changes, as subtle as they may be, in our tropical paradise. It’s a good time to make a few healthy adjustments in our homes to mark the new season. They can be as easy as a new front door mat and plants for your entry to trying a beautiful wallcovering in a powder room.

Go from spring to summer with a refresh that includes a pretty table set with flowers. The blue shutters against a crisp white background are easy to do in any home looking for a happy color pick-me-up. Shown: Serena and Lily’s Terrace table and Riviera dining chairs. Photo: Serena and Lily.

The forecast for this season is bright and bold. Give it a try with a few of my tips. They go from easy ones that you can do now to a few that require a little more planning and investment. All are fun and will make you happy to come home this season. And that’s what we all want, right?

Do these first

Deep spring leaning. Baseboards, cabinets, the dreaded dusting, organizing.

Declutter. Don’t love it? If you don’t need it in your home. Donate it. Sometimes it’s painful to say goodbye to something that meant a lot to someone else. Remember: your home is not a storage garage for other’s memories. If you find decluttering to be overwhelming, start with a junk drawer (we all have at least one) or a section of your closet (shoes).

Pick a few of these

New artwork.

Pop color into a room with a collection of painted shutters on a wall.

Plants in colorful pots or grape leave baskets.

Flowers in a pretty vase.

Spring doormat.

Colorful garden stool.

New color for front door (try a pretty blue or green).

Style your fireplace mantle for spring.

Style coffee table with new accessories (a book or two, vase with flowers, bowl of shells of colorful glass balls) on a pretty tray.

Set a pretty spring table: dishes, napkins, accessories. This does not have to be a huge expense. Try a flea market or big box store to pick up trendy colors and a fun, new look.

Fill a bowl with one of these: shells, seaglass, lemons, green apples.

Try a new scented candle or diffuser.

New sheets and pillow cases in a pretty color or spring pattern.

Create a bar cart. It can be a traditional cart or on a table top. Ice bucket, colorful glasses, pretty napkins, umbrellas for drinks, flowers.

Add a vintage piece to a room.

Green continues to have its moment and Thibaut Design’s sisal wall covering in 17 gorgeous shades bring an unexpected pop of color to a home as an accent or entire room. Complete the look with new artwork, a plant, fresh flowers and a vintage table to tie it all together and the result is stunning. Photo: Thibaut.

Put a colorful runner in the kitchen.

Replace lampshades with a color or crisp white.

Change a few accessories for something bright and cheerful: pillows, pretty books, lanterns, candles, baskets.

Bring a little coastal home all year with new pillow covers from Thibaut’s Lagoon Color Story from the Locale Collection with shades of jade, seafoam and stripes. Photo: Thibaut.

Make a list of projects

Change outdated hardware in kitchen or bathroom.

Add a new light fixture over dining or over your eat-in table.

Refresh baseboards with a fresh coat of paint.

Want to try a new color but not sure if you are ready to make a commitment? Paint the ceiling or trim to see how you like it. Or call a decorator. We are really good at color!

Tired of an old coffee table? Replace it with a colorful ottoman and use a tray for accessories.

Happy spring! Happy summer! Only 236 days until Christmas!

Wrenda Goodwyn is a Southwest Florida interior decorator, A.S.I.D. associate and gold member of the Interior Redecorators Network. Based in Bonita Springs with timeless, affordable ways to create beautiful spaces, color palettes 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. For more decorating tips, articles and photos, visit spectacularspaces.com/blog

Decorator Show House dazzles with bold color and joy!

Wrenda Goodwyn • special to the Fort Myers News-Press/USA Today Network-Florida, March 16, 2024

Take a peak at some of the dazzling, beautiful rooms at the Kips Bay Decorator Show House in West Palm Beach. And read about the takeaways and ideas on how we can adapt them to our own homes!

What you will not find: minimalism. There is a lot to see. What you will find: room designs that are filled with joy and happiness.

Located at 230 Miramar Way in the “SoSo” neighborhood of West Palm Beach, the home is anything but so-so as it showcases the creativity and design expertise of 23 of the nation’s most acclaimed interior designers and architects. It’s also a major fundraiser for Kips Bay Boys & Girls Club and Boys & Girls Clubs of Palm Beach County.

As a Southwest Florida interior decorator, I look forward to this event each year and come away with inspiration, trends and ideas for my clients. Each room is packed with the latest and most creative designs as each of the designers display their best and most exciting work.

Love your home again: decorating ideas from the heart

Wrenda Goodwyn • special to the Fort Myers News-Press/USA Today Network Feb. 4, 2024

There’s a pretty townhome in Notting Hill with a bright pink door and a window just above that says “Love.” I read about it in a travel article and on my last trip to London, tracked it down because I will do just about anything to see a home so loved that its owners would install this window. And there it was. Just a simple window with a huge message to anyone walking by.

In a time when we need more love more than ever, we find ourselves welcoming February, a month that’s all about hearts, love and showing a little extra kindness to others, ourselves and to our homes. With the holidays well behind us, it’s the perfect time to make a few changes to make you love your home again. And to do that by refreshing some spaces in your home.

Our homes are our sanctuary. A place that we return to shake off the day and find peace and comfort. It’s also a good time to think about what your home means to you. Is it a place to pass through and sleep with a busy schedule that keeps you on the run? Is it your happy place surrounded by things that you love? A place of love, warmth and happy memories?

As a Southwest Florida interior decorator, I help my clients decide what is most important and how to best create a space that makes them love their home the minute they open the door. No two homes are the same and the relationship with our homes can be complicated. With some thought and a solid plan, you can soon be on your way to creating a home that you love and one that’s in step with your lifestyle.

Throw a teddy faux fur heart-shaped pillow on Pottery Barn’s curved silhouette swivel to round out any space. Photo: Pottery Barn

Love really is the operative word when you refresh. Love what you surround yourself with. Love it or don’t buy it. If you don’t love it, donate it.

Four rules to keep in mind to love your home again

Find your inspiration. Is it a new color, light, mirror, piece of furniture? If you need a change but don’t know where to begin, it may be time to call a professional to help.

Classics never go out of style. Trends some and go and can be fun to sprinkle here and there but you can’t go wrong with the classics.

Stop scrolling. I call this one “facebook envy.” We are bombarded daily with the latest and greatest, most gorgeous ideas for our homes. Before you go off the deep end making a pile of changes, take a deep breath and think about what really matters. To you. No one else.

Purchase mindfully. Before you buy, think carefully about what would make you love your space. Do your research, go on a few shopping trips to look. Take your time. And take photos.

Refresh old pendants with something fresh and new. Shown: Scallop rattan suspended from an antique bracelet chain. Photo: Serena and Lily

A few ways to give your home a loving refresh!

• Make home repairs that you have been putting off.

• Set a pretty table.

• Give your entry a new look with a dramatic color.

• Paint your front door.

• Wallpaper a powder room. Something outrageously beautiful.

• Add some sparkle: a chandelier in the living room or bedroom (you really don’t need a ceiling fan in every room in the house). Or hang one in the master closet. It will make you happy every time you walk in.

• Soften the harsh, recessed lighting in the kitchen with a lamp on the counter or island. You won’t believe the change.

February, a month that’s all about hearts, love and showing a little extra kindness to others, ourselves and to our homes. Shown: Benjamin Moore’s Valentine color favorites. Photo: Benjamin Moore

• Hang something colorful in your laundry room.

• Change your drapes or drapery panels over the sliders. Make sure you hang them high: just below the ceiling or molding.

• Delete what is no longer working in your home. I do this seasonally as things do tend to accumulate no matter how hard we try.

• Add a little glam to each room: a tufted sofa or a chaise lounge. Pick a color that you love. Or a new mirror or a few glass accessories for some sparkle.

• Want color but afraid to commit to an entire room? Fine. Paint the ceiling that color that you have always wanted to try. Yes, the ceiling!

• Create a gallery-style wall with your favorite art.

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, color palettes 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. For more decorating tips, articles and photos, visit spectacularspaces.com/blog

Moody blues and other trending colors for home interiors

 Wrenda Goodwyn • special to the Fort Myers News-Press/USA Today Network Nov. 11, 2023

Coming up with creative color palettes is pure joy for this Southwest Florida interior decorator. I love nothing more than to walk through a home getting to know the space and people who live there, and giving them a color plan that will provide happiness every time they walk in the door.

 Just when I think I have used every possible color combination that includes a variation on the color blue for my area clients, Benjamin Moore pulls out another option for the blues.

 It’s always fun to see what paint companies come up with for their Color of the Year. And this year is no exception with Benjamin Moore’s Blue Nova 825. It’s what the company calls an “out of this world,” mystical shade with just a slight hint of violet. Its inspiration comes from “the brilliance of a new star formed in space,” according to the company.

Benjamin Moore announces that Blue Nova is its Color of the Year 2024. It’s what the company calls an “out of this world,” mystical shade with just a slight hint of violet. Photo: Benjamin Moore

 A velvety hue with classic appeal, it’s a great alternative to navy. It’s an easy color and reminds me of a beautiful nighttime sky. But a new color to consider does not mean that we rush to have our home repainted just because of the hype surrounding it. It just gives us something to think about and to place on our inspiration board.

 My take on Blue Nova and how to use it

And there are many ways to bring Nova Blue into your home. Here are a few suggestions.

 ·       Use it in rooms with good natural light and incorporate accents including oranges, yellows, light blues. Think: sunset colors.

·       Paint an entire dining room in Blue Nova. Use White dove as your ceiling and trim color. Spectacular!

·       It’s perfect for a small powder room. Think: chrome, black, antique or gold fixtures.

·       Love it but not ready to commit? Use just a splash! Try this or any color that you love but aren’t sure about committing to a full room, by using it to highlight architectural features: molding, windows, doors.

Try a color that you love by using it to highlight architectural features: molding, windows, doors and especially the ceiling. Shown: Benjamin Moore Regent Green. Photo: Benjamin Moore

·       Paint a bookcase including the back of the bookcase.

·       Paint the ceiling! It’s the fifth wall and under used. Just a splash on the ceiling may give you all the color you need/want.

·       Color drenching. If you haven’t heard, this is a huge trend. Paint everything in the same color. Everything. Ceilings, walls, woodwork. doors. Color drenching is for brave color warriors and if you are undecided, call a professional for input! 

Color drenching is the latest paint trend. Literally everything drenched in the same color. Only for those brave enough to try it! If you are undecided, call a professional for input.  Photo: Benjamin Moore

·       And if you love this or any color but don’t want to use it on your walls, try it in fabric for drapes or upholstery or pillows, wallcoverings, rugs, accessories.

Bright and cheerful, Benjamin Moore’s Honeybee from its Color Trends palette. Photo: Benjamin Moore

 ·       Paint the front door! Just in time for the holidays and picture your Christmas with Blue Nova as a backdrop. Beautiful.

 But wait there’s more (color)

Benjamin Moore has also released its trending colors for blending traditional and modern design styles. It’s always fun to see some new colors that you may not have considered for your home. Even if it’s just for a new accessory. And such yummy names: White Dove, Topaz, Pristine, Teacup Rose, Honeybee, Regent Green, Hazy Lilac, Polar Shy and Antique Pewter.

 Why is color so important?

• It updates your home without spending a fortune.

• Pulls the space together.

• Makes your home look clean and fresh.

• Color creates a personalized look for your home.

• It makes you happy!

 A few more color tips

Creating a spectacular space in your home doesn’t just happen. It takes thought, effort, planning and careful implementation for a quality result. This is especially true when coming up with a color plan.

·       ALL color has undertones. This is where the mistakes are made. This is where a professional can help.

·       Think about the rest of your home. Color needs to coordinate throughout. A good rule that I follow: No more than three paint colors in the 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, color palettes 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. For more decorating tips, articles and photos, visit spectacularspaces.com/blog

Fall is a time to refocus and find comfort at home

Wrenda Goodwyn • special to the Fort Myers News-Press/USA Today Network Oct. 21, 2023

 Fall sort of slips in without a lot of fanfare and for a while, the changes are subtle. But there are so many things to love about this season and it’s important that even in Florida, we acknowledge the shift in seasons, both personally and in our homes.

 Fall reminds us that Halloween is only a couple of weeks away. We begin dreaming about cooler days. Pumpkin spice is all the rage. Farmers markets have returned. Days are getting shorter and we “fall” back on Nov. 5. Thanksgiving will be here before we know it. Hurricane season ends on Nov. 30. And I won’t tell you how few days we have until Christmas!

Pretty and simple, a bouquet of sunflowers will bring a touch of fall into any home. Shown: Portside expandable beach house dining table with chairs in sage. Serena & Lily

It’s the time of year when I like to head to North Carolina. My fall memories there are very sweet and always make me think of heading to college, football, beautiful leaves and the anticipation of change. It calls to me and my heart tells me that it’s time to go look for fall. And so I do each year.

 For me, fall, even more than New Years, is a time to reset, readjust and refocus. It’s about finding thing those things that give us comfort. Just as the trees shed their beautiful leaves, we’re reminded that it’s important to let go of what no longer serves us or supports us. And that’s what fall is all about. Letting go. Hope. Comfort. Change.

Sometimes it’s the little things that make the most difference when it comes to making changes to mark the coming season. Pumpkins and fall colors from Benjamin Moore. 

 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. And sometimes it’s the little things that make the most difference when it comes to making changes to mark the coming season. Some of my favorites include:

·       Start with a good decluttering. It will make you feel better. Say goodbye to anything that no longer makes you happy or supports your lifestyle.

·       Go to your closet, bring the long sleeves and jackets and boots to the front.

·       In the pantry, clean out all of the old spices and make room for the new as we get ready for the coming holidays.

·       Visit fall art shows and flea markets to invest in a new piece of art or an accent piece.

Fall fabric and pine cones. Photo: Kravet.

·       With shorter days, now is a good time to take a look at your lighting and perhaps add a new lamp or two. As the days become shorter, I like to add more candles in the evenings.

·       The change in seasons is a perfect time to invest in new linens, towels, throws, blankets.

·       For an outdoor space, add string lights. They are cheerful and add atmosphere to an outdoor dinner.

·       Change your fireplace mantel or tablescape with creamy neutrals accented with seasonal tones, gourds, pumpkins, leaves, baskets, accents.

·       As you spend more time outdoors, add some new pillows and throws (for chilly nights) to your chairs.  

·       Start at the front door with mums, a new welcome mat, wreath and faux pumpkins (Tip: spray paint the pumpkins to reflect your color scheme).

·       While you’re at the front door, consider giving it a fresh coat of paint. Think about some yummy seasonal colors from Benjamin Moore: Peach Cider, Caramel Apple, Pumpkin Seeds, Autumn Cover and Witching Hour. For tips on painting a front door:  benjaminmoore.com/en-us/interior-exterior-paints-stains/how-to-advice/exteriors/paint-a-front-door

·       On the first cool morning: open all of the windows and let the fresh air into your home and breathe it in.

Happy fall!

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. For more decorating tips, articles and photos, visit spectacularspaces.com/blog