Escape to a world of inspiring designs: Kips Bay Decorator Show House

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

As if we need an excuse to visit beautiful Palm Beach, the 8th annual Kips Bay Decorator Show House is underway. It’s a lot like the Oscars for Interior Designers: colorful, filled with pretty things and in most cases over the top. But in a fun way. Which makes it a fabulous must-see, never-miss event each year for me.

In this stunning primary bedroom, “Worth Every Peony,” David Mitchell Brown went big and bold with a modern approach. Believing the perfect bedroom should be both relaxing and energizing with colors that soothe us in the evening hours and colors to energize us when we emerge from our bed in the morning. In this case, the room was large enough that he was able to have the color palette change from one side to the other as you gaze across the room. Photo: Nicholas Sargent

Photo: Nicholas Sargent

It’s where designers and decorators go for inspiration in the beautiful rooms packed with creative work that reflects the latest trends. It never disappoints. And I always come back to Southwest Florida feeling inspired and with fresh ideas for my clients.

It’s also for a worthy cause. As a fundraiser for the Kips Bay Boys & Girls Club and Boys & Girls Clubs of Palm Beach County, the event supports the organization’s mission to provide life-changing educational and developmental programs for young people.

It takes a while to take everything in at Caroline Gidiere’s “Ladies Club of Palm Beach.” The lady’s private retreat in shades of salmon pink, butter yellow and palm green is described by the designer as a “love letter to Palm Beach’s timeless charm—with a contemporary twist that’s hard to leave.” The design masterfully blends nostalgia with a fresh, traditional aesthetic for the ultimate sanctuary. And the oversized shell mirror is a showstopper. Photo: Nicholas Sargent

The house is located at 1125 North Flagler Drive, in the Providencia Park neighborhood of West Palm Beach. It features the work of 23 distinguished designers, decorators and architects. The property has been thoughtfully transformed into a showcase of innovative design where visitors are invited to explore cutting-edge concepts and timeless style through March 16. For tickets and details, go to kipsbaydecoratorshowhouse.org/pb

The home includes 7,706 square feet of living space with five spacious bedrooms, seven bathrooms, and an expansive outdoor area with a pool. Set against the stunning backdrop of the Intracoastal Waterway, the residence has sweeping views of blue water and nearby Palm Beach Island. It’s a beautiful canvas for this year’s designers to work their magic.

Amanda Reynal’s “Lilly Pad,” captures the vibrant whimsy of the Lilly Pulitzer lifestyle through Lee Jofa’s spring fabric and wallcovering collection for Lilly Pulitzer. Debuted in her “Lilly Pad,” the room boldly features saturated Kelly Green curtains adorned with bold white embroidered Lilly Pulitzer lace trim. Key elements include a sculptural chandelier and brass cocktail table, rattan end tables and a large burl wood coffee table that grounds the space with natural materials and soft neutrals. In the powder room, the Lilly wallpaper is punctuated with a teal sink and toilet inspired by the 1960s’ love of colorful bathroom porcelain and tile. The whimsical valance and Roman shade introduce warmth and privacy, enhancing the overall charm and seamlessly blending classic influences with contemporary flair.Photo: Carmel Brantley

Photo: Carmel Brantley

Photo: Carmel Brantley

What you will not find: minimalism. There is a lot to see in every room. What you will find: room designs that are filled with joy and happiness. And inspiration that will follow you home. You will also find a lot that will take you out of your comfort zone. Enjoy the experience and check out all of the details.

Expect to see big and bold color; no ceiling left untouched with lacquered color, tenting and wallcoverings; color drenching, antiques; a couple of pastel rotary phones (I would like one of those, please); murals, nature themes, curved sofas, oversized mirrors, lounges, retreats, lush landscaping, wellness sanctuaries and fantasy retreats. It’s all very glamorous and an escape to the dreamiest version of Palm Beach that’s imaginable.

Oxford Design’s “Poolside Perch,” reminds us of what a luxury it is to have a lanai. Designed to blur the lines between interior and exterior space, it’s an eclectic mix of upholstery, draping, and antiques. With an elegant bar, comfortable seating areas, artistic focal points, seasonal plantings, the lanai is an escape from reality the moment you walk across the threshold to enjoy the serene comforts of a tranquil retreat. Photo: Nicholas Sargent

It’s a total escape and who doesn’t need that? With rooms like Meet me at the Casbah, The Ladies Club of Palm Beach, The Lilly Pad, Worth Every Peony, Jewel of the Nile, Gentleman of the Jungle, Between Two Realms and more, it’s a beautiful day in Palm Beach!

Wrenda Goodwyn is a Southwest Florida interior decorator, A.S.I.D. associate. As a writer, blogger, stylist and color expert, she has helped homeowners throughout Southwest Florida with timeless, affordable ways to create beautiful spaces and to 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

When paint color is just not enough: wall coverings make bold design statement

Wrenda Goodwyn • special to the Fort Myers News-Press• April 27, 2013

Photo: Cole and Son and Lee Jofa.

If you are like most homeowners, when you hear the term "wallpaper,"  you immediately think about scraping sheets of flowery pastels of the wall and then repairing the wall. Or you remember your grandmother's kitchen.  In other words, a thing of the past.

They began centuries ago as a way to protect walls and only the aristocracy could afford them. Wall papers meant that you had made it. Then for the past few years the allure faded.

Today the term is "wall coverings" and many are not paper at all.  They have come a long way, have been totally reinventedand done correctly, wall coverings can be a powerful design element in a home.  Murals that take you away, metals, crystals, grass cloths, hand painted papers, silver threads and anything you can imagine. There are even companies that allow you to design your own paper.

We now see them in design magazines and in model homes. Wall coverings are no longer backdrops. They are focal points and should be treated as such.  Pair the right combination of color and wall covering design and turn a blah room into a spectacular space.

Photo: Pixercise.

With Pixers City Never Sleeps collection of mural (pixersize.com/wallmurals/city-never-sleeps) we see atribute to the great metropolises that for ages have inspired not only artists, but also most importantly, ordinary people. Pixers says: "The cities that are a continuous dazzle of lights and cacophony of noises, but still attract like a magnet."

You can have a view of Paris from your living room or have your office in a cafe. A jazz band in your TV room or wake up in Paris.   And best of all, you canspecify the size of the mural to fit your space.

You may want to give wall coverings another look if bold paint colors just aren't enough. If you want to do something that reflects your decorating style and personality in a big way.

Wall covering tips:

                           Photo: Cole and Son and Lee Jofa•

• Make an entrance.  Select a bold color for the front foyer and add a paper that accentuates the color.

• Powder room.  Designers love wall coverings in powder rooms. We/you can do something totally outrageous in this room.  Bling it up and make a statement.

•  Laundry room.  Use your imagination and try a whimsical pattern.

• For the kiddies. Forget pastels. Select a wall covering that will grow with the child. Neutral backgrounds with playful patterns.

• Complement your furnishings. A modern print works well in a space with a natural and casual style. With neutralssofas and wood accent pieces, try a graphic pattern in a combination of colors.

• Maximum impact.  Select a wall with no windows and doors for wallpaper and paint the rest of the room background color of the paper.

• Nursery. Cover one wall with a modern animal print and paint the remaining walls in a gender neutral shade.

• Love the look but concerned about budget? Select the room's focal point to highlight with an eye-catching print. Then paint the walls in the background color of the paper. The best of both decorating elements!

• Afraid of wall covering commitment?  Pick a design that speaks to you and cover an accent wall.  Minimal investment until you decide how much you love it!                                                                                          

According to Shauna Dennison, creative director of Cole & Son, (available to the trade  through the Kravet showroom in Estero)  popular designs continue to include traditional and classic patterns.  However she is seeing a move towards "larger scale, bolder wallpapers."

"This rise in murals and panel designs has in part been driven by huge advances in digital printing technology.

"We are seeing the rise of creativity in wall coverings... wallpaper has become a feature to build interior schemes around, rather than a background element. Large scale, whimsical designs are the conversational piece within a design scheme. The new Fornasetti II collection leads this trend with a series of striking theatrical designs that have been produced on wide widths giving the pattern repeats far greater space, creating a mural like quality."

At Ralph Lauren Home, the Textures Collection is filled with embroidery, damask and woven designs, natural seagrass, cork and scroll. These blend well against the blue-green shades that are the backdrop for southwest Florida homes. For details, visit the showroom in Miromar Design Center. 

Wrenda Goodwyn is a Southwest Florida interior decorator. Visit her website at spectacularspaces.com. Call her at 949-1808 or e-mail wrenda@spectacularspaces.com. For more decorating tips and photos, visit spectacularspaces.com/blog

Living with Lilly