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

Refresh and renew your home for spring

Wrenda Goodwyn • special to the Fort Myers News-Press • May 2, 2020

While we were busy figuring out how to save ourselves from a pandemic, spring quietly arrived without any fanfare. It was lost between the stay-at-home directive, self-quarantining and worrying about where we were headed.

Usually a time of refreshing and renewal for ourselves and our homes, this annual ritual was a big blur this year. The good news: it’s not too late. And we need it. More than ever.

Thibaut’s Russell Square wallpaper brings a fresh, new look to a room with a pretty green tone. Trending now, green is a color of harmony and health. Photo Credit: Thibaut Design. Details: www.thibautdesign.com

We’ve spent more time at home than we ever dreamed possible. We’re tired of nonstop bad news and we’re just plan tired. We have worried about friends, family, ourselves, the economy, our jobs, our savings and the future. Zoom meetings have become a way of life and they are exhausting. We even decorate the Zoom backgrounds with pretty pictures to cheer ourselves up.

We could use a haircut. We wonder if the shelves at Publix will ever be fully stocked with toilet paper and hand sanitizer. It’s hard to focus and tough to even make it all the way through a book. What we always wanted, more time at home, isn’t so great when you’re wondering about what our future holds.

And we’ve cleaned and cleaned. It gives us some control. We’ve decluttered every drawer and closet. Planted flowers in our yards. Repaired everything that was on our to-do list. Mostly.

And now that we’re seeing parks and beaches reopen, we have a glimmer of hope that things are ever-so-slowly and cautiously starting to ease us into something that will become our new normal. What that will be, we have no idea right now. And we still have to be careful.

But it’s still spring. And spring brings hope. Because we have been spending so much time at home, let’s rethink what our homes need to give us in terms of comfort, privacy, hygiene and safety. Something to nourish our spirit.

Find an outdoor space

More than ever, we need the outdoors. Whether you have a huge lanai or a tiny apartment patio or balcony, create a space for yourself. Before we began staying at home, a friend called me about her tiny patio in a small condo. We were able to make it look great by using: a bench, a chair, small round table, a basket of flowers, a rug and a lantern. All purchased from Home Goods in an hour. She has coffee, reads, works on her laptop and rests in this happy space.

Color changes everything

Beautiful shades of green are a huge trend right now. No surprise. It’s the color of harmony and health that has long been thought to revitalize our body and mind. It balances our emotions and leaves us feeling safe and secure. It also gives us hope, with promises of growth and prosperity, and it provides a little bit of luck to help us along the way. We could all use that.

Some of my clients tell me they only want calm, muted colors now. Others are asking for color palettes that are bold. We know that you get the most decorating value for your money by changing the paint color so think about what you are craving. You may be surprised at how your color preferences have changed.

Time to switch things out

Spring is always a great time to replace a few things. But how do you know when it’s time? Some general guidelines:

• Kitchen sponges (yikes): every 2-4 weeks.

• Bathroom towels: Every two years. Repurpose them by donating to an animal shelter.

• Bathmats: Wash weekly. Replace every year or two.

• Pillows: Replace after two years (or sooner).

• Sheets: Replace every two years. Wash frequently in cold water.

• Mattresses: 8-10 years. You know when it’s time.

• Smoke alarm batteries: twice a year. Now is a good time.

Plants: bring some fresh air into your home

These are inexpensive, easy to find (grocery store or home improvement stores) and will make you feel better. They purify the air and don’t need a lot of light: snake plant, heartleaf philodendron (I like these in a shower if there is a window), golden pothos, ferns.

Also, for healing, energy and maybe even good luck, try a bamboo plant.

Lavender in a clay pot will help you sleep at night. I found these at potterybarn.com

Welcome spring. Will life ever be the same? Not likely. Everything is still a bit upside down and will be for a while. For now, just hold on as things unfold. Stay safe. Wash your hands. And take a nap.

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 949-1808 or e-mail . For more decorating tips, articles and photos, visit spectacularspaces.com/blog

Blue Hues: why we love them in our homes

Wrenda Goodwyn • special to the Fort Myers News-Press • October 5, 2019

It’s classic, timeless and never goes out of style. And it’s America’s favorite color. No surprise.

The New Colony Collection from Thibaut Design is full of exotic patterns that add globe-trotting flair. From African mud cloths to scenic tiger reserves, this bold collection reimages prints and textiles discovered during colonial trade routes. Shown: Tiger Reserve wallpaper in slate blue. It presents a fresh look with a painted table and blue lamp base. Photo: Thibaut Design

Blue is also calming, invoking feelings of tranquility and peace. It’s thought to reduce stress, lower blood pressure and heart rate.  

It’s a color from nature found in water and the sky. It reminds us of the tropics, the beach and the deep blue sea. It makes us feel good.

Blue is the most commonly used color in corporate branding. Think about the logos of American Express, Ford, Oral-B, Dell, Facebook, Lowe’s, Visa and many others.

Pretty in blues. This dining room pairs Thibaut Design’s Chappana wallpaper and printed fabric for roman shades. Darien dining chairs in Grassmarket check woven fabric in navy. Blue and white accessories. Photo: Thibaut Design

In our homes, we can’t possibly go wrong with blue. As a Southwest Florida interior decorator, I have always felt that no matter what your color palette, every room needs something blue. Even if it’s just a little pop.

Something blue for the home

Many of my clients have gone very bold with blue in the past year. Try it on:

·       Furniture: Paint a tired piece of furniture in the beautiful cornflower blue that we see so often in French décor. It gives it new life and serves as a great accent piece.

·       Sofa: Say goodbye to your brown sofa and have it reupholstered in a beautiful blue or blue/green fabric.

·       Kitchen cabinets: Seeing lots of these lately. Navy is hugely popular and you likely know by now that Sherwin-Williams named its color of the year SW Naval (6244). Using a color on cabinets is a beautiful commitment so ask yourself if you will love it in five years!

·       Wall coverings: my favorite is in a dining room or powder room. Something bold and outrageous!

·       Window treatments: drapes and shades.

Mix blues for a pretty entry with this color palette from Benjamin Moore. Wall: Palladian Blue HC-144. Trim and wainscoting: Whipple Blue HC-152. Ceiling: Mascarpone AF-20. Photo: Benjamin Moore

·       Bathroom walls: the color of water with white gives your bath a spa feeling.

·       Ceilings: The ceiling is your fifth wall. If your walls are a silver gray or white, there are gorgeous blues for ceilings without boxing in the entire room in a color. Think about a blue ceiling with gold fixtures.

·       Trim and baseboards: Rather than walls, paint the trim and baseboards for a dramatic accent.

 ·       Rugs: A splash of blue in a rug on wood or tile brings the room to life.

·       Accessories and artwork: Want just a pop of blue? Lamps, pottery, dishes, books, candles, ginger jars, vases, pillows, a splash of blue in paintings.

·       Front door!

Color palette

It’s difficult to find a color that does not look great with blue.  I always like to throw in a third color. Here are a few mistake-proof combinations:

·       White-blue-gray

·       White-blue-yellow

·       Blue-black-coral

·       Dark blue-white-hot pink

·       Light blue-green-red

·       Blue-all neutrals

·       Blue-brown-taupe

·       White-blue-coral

·       Red-white-blue

Whether you live in a home near the beach or just want the feeling of a calm and pretty space, think blue. You can’t go wrong. 

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 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

Color Matters

Wrenda Goodwyn • special to the Fort Myers News-Press • August 3, 2019

Color. It makes us feel happy. It changes everything including how we feel about our space. Get it right and you will love your home. Mess it up and you will always wonder why it’s not feeling quite right. Photo: Thibaut Design

There I was at the gym the other morning. Slogging away on the treadmill.

I love working out and couldn’t figure out why it was such a struggle. Too much effort. Painful.

Then it hit me. This was a new fitness center and I had only been there a few times. The colors were fairly horrid. Brown walls in a shade I have never seen, brown flooring (to hide dirt…need I say more), grey equipment (of course) and it looked out over a grey parking lot with no vegetation or color of any kind. And it was an overcast day. On a sunny day this might be tolerable. Maybe.

Contrast this with my yoga studio which is done in creams, soft blues and greens. A glass wall looks out over a beautiful garden with lots of greenery and a fountain. I can’t wait to get there in the early morning and I am never anxious to leave.

Color matters

From the time we get that first box of crayons, we are fascinated by color. It has the power to change everything.

You can’t go wrong with blue and white as the foundation for a color palette. Shown here: Thibaut Design’s Travelers palm printed fabric. Other colors available. Photo: Thibaut Design

As an interior decorator working in Southwest Florida, my most requested service is selecting color and creating personalized color palettes for the home. It’s the most difficult part of decorating for most people and there are good reasons.

It’s a fact

We are fortunate to live in a tropical paradise where beautiful color palettes surround us.

The right color scheme can make a room look larger, prettier, lighter, darker, cleaner or happier. Color can give your home a beach vibe, modern coastal look, add a little boho chic, a cottage feeling or farmhouse style.

Palm Botanical wallpaper in Emerald Green from Thibaut Design’s Tropics Collection. Morgan Dining Chairs in Rain Water printed fabric in Green. Photo: Thibaut Design

Limited budget? Pick color

Seriously. If you are on a limited budget and are able to only do one thing, select a new color palette. It will change everything and you’ll love your home again.

It makes us feel happy. It changes how we feel about our space (like that gym). Get it right and you will love your home. Mess it up and you will always wonder why it’s not feeling quite right.

It’s far from easy. It’s complicated. It’s why home interior professionals study it for years and most are like me and don’t leave the house without a fan deck in their hand. We are passionate about color. And we know all of the tricks.

Color don’ts

· Rush to make a decision.

· Go with the latest trends.

· Pick color from a tiny swatch.

· Paint without testing the color on the wall.

· Pick a paint color before you have anything else in the room.

· Think only about the room that you are painting. Color needs to flow in order to work.

· Paint every room a different color.

Color do’s

· Pick colors that are found in nature. You can’t go wrong.

· Create a color palette and work from there. Consider your window treatments, upholstery, pillows, artwork and accessories. Color is not just the paint that you put on the walls. Think about the big picture.

· With paint, buy the best quality paint you can afford. It makes a difference. And go with the lowest VOC or no VOC.

· Color challenged? Lots of homeowners are…magazines, Pinterest and vision boards all help.

· And when all else fails, call a professional. Our job is to keep you from making mistakes.

· Consider the ceiling. I often tint the paint for the ceiling so that it’s not such a stark white. Just a little splash links the ceiling to the walls. And if you have coffered ceilings, take advantage of this element with color.

Be fearless when it comes to color. It changes everything. Including how you feel. And who doesn’t want a happy home?

Photo: Thibaut Design

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 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