Fort Myers News-Press: Designer featured at Miromar Design Center makes everything that's old new again

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Wrenda Goodwyn • special to the Fort Myers News-Press• February 25, 2012

Living room designed by Sherrill CanetThis living room features an antique door that was transformed into a coffee table combined with upholstered pieces and Lucite nesting tables. Photos courtesy of Sherrill Canet.Blending old with new is all the rage in decorating. And even though there are no rules about it, there is some amount of artistic talent required. A trained eye for what looks good together. And what doesn't.

Otherwise it just ends up a pile of "stuff" in a room that does not work. And making it “work” is the challenge.

That is why it is so much fun to meet a designer who has perfected the art of creating traditional interiors that retain elements of youthfulness and surprise. Combining her love of antiques and eclectic pieces with an artist-like eye for the fine details of a room, Sherrill Canet creates stunning rooms that have a gracious comfort and elegance about them.

She takes “old world” things and makes them fresh again. And her designs result in rooms that make you want to come in and stay a while.

And they are timeless. This is every designer's goal. To create rooms that never go out of style.

Canet has designed rooms in homes for high profile clients all over the world. Her designs that mix old with new have been featured in Traditional Home, Better Homes & Gardens and House Beautiful. And this week, she was in Southwest Florida to share the recipe for her creations as part of the Distinguished Speaker Series at the Miromar Design Center in Estero. She also signed her book, A La Carte, The Elements of an Elegant Home.

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When you live where you work

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Wrenda Goodwyn • special to the Fort Myers News-Press• January 28, 2012

If you find yourself looking for space to carve out a home office or if your current one is looking a little dreary, it may be time to come up with a plan.

Photo from Pottery BarnPottery Barn.Whether you are converting a walk-in closet into a workspace, sharing a family room or transforming a guestroom to your new home office, it can be a fun adventure if you follow a few tips.

Put some light on the subject. By now we know about the negative impact that lack of light has on our productivity and mood. And the best light of all is natural light. It reduces eye fatigue and headaches. Make sure that you have as much natural light as possible coming into your office. In addition, allow for both overhead lighting and task lighting. And skip fluorescent lighting. It makes you tired. A good desk lamp is Pottery Barn's Cole task table lamp (www.potterybarn.com). It is designed to focus light precisely where it is needed, making it perfect for reading and desk work. It has two turnkeys that let you adjust its height and angle and it also comes in a floor lamp. In addition, purchase a shaded lamp for a surface in your space to give your office some warmth.

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The weekend search for antiques and other inspirations

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One of my favorite things to do its to hit the road in search of new treasures for my clients and for myself.  This past weekend it was off to the final extravaganza of the season at Renningers Antique Market in Mt. Dora.  On the way back to southwest Florida I stopped in Arcadia's historic district to browse at some of the antique shops.  Spectacular Spaces found some great inspirations for accent pieces.

Below, from the Vintage Garden in Arcadia.  Filled with shabby chic antiques and garden decor.  

 

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Travels: Searching for Christmas (found it!)

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Photo of rosesIt was a cold, rainy day in Raleigh but it did not stop my little group of friends from heading to our much anticipated and long-awaited visit to the Historic Oakwood candlelight tour this past weekend.

Now, it seems like Christmas!  Not to mention that any time I can manage to get into beautiful old homes that are decorated for the holidays, meet the owners and hear stories about their history...well, let's just say it is a really good day for me.  Mix that with some good friends, breaks for hot tea and just being back in North Carolina, it it doesn't get any better than that.

In 1865, Oakwood was a campground for Sherman's Union troops.  By the 1870s it was sold to developers and most of the houses were built in the North Carolina vernacular style out of heart of pine, tin roofs or wooden shingles.  The dirt streets were lined with trees and most families kept livestock.  By the 1890s it was a fashionable suburb.  The streets were lit with gaslights and houses were built in the Queen Anne style with steep slate roofs, gables and towers, stained glass and a palate of paint colors.Photo of holiday decorated house

As the years went on and various styles dominated, Oakwood fell into decline.  The automobile had people heading to the suburbs and houses were converted into apartments and boarding houses.  By 1972, it was considered of little value and the State considered demolishing it to make room for an expressway.  I am happy that I did not see Oakwood then.  It must have been very sad.

Photo of holiday wreathBut this story has a happy ending.  People began to appreciate Oakwood and cared enough about it to restore it to its former glory.  They fought and won against the expressway.  The old homes were restored one by one to their original charm.  Today it is beautiful and a place that I love to visit.  And dream about owning one of the inspiring homes.  I could see myself living here.

Thankfully, the Society for the Preservation of Historic Oakwood was formed and in 1974 it was designated Raleigh's first National Register Historic District.  It is a flourishing neighborhood with houses that are lovingly cared for.  On this weekend, a dozen homes open for the Photo of Oakwood Village sign annual candlelight tour.  It is a gift to all of us to experience these beautiful historic homes decorated like Christmas presents.   Filled with tons of great decorating ideas.

Thank you Oakwood.  May you live for another hundred years.

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Antique Market Find: Discovering a neglected treasure and bringing it back to life

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It was a very sad, shabby cabinet that had been propped up in the dirt.  Almost an afterthought.  Neglected, it looked like it had all but given up being noticed, much less purchased.   No one even stopped to think of the possibilities.  In all fairness, it had lots of competition in the acres of treasures at Renningers Antique Market in Mt. Dora this past weekend.  But this was its lucky day and mine.

The nice vendor said that it was a very old medicine cabinet that he had taken out of a farmhouse in Alabama that was facing demolition.  He was only asking $30.  We did not try to deal.  We knew we had something special.

My husband, a miracle worker at bringing old pieces back to life, could restore this primitive piece back to its earlier days.  Inside there were marks from medicine bottles. Upon cleaning off the layers and layers of dirt and taking it apart, a label on the back of the mirror revealed that it was over 100 years old.  After some minor repairs and cleaning up the original hardware, careful not to remove any of the remaining paint, it almost beamed with thanks for saving it.

It now hangs proudly on the cottage bathroom wall of a collector of all things shabby and primitive (me). Someone who appreciates its peeling paint, distressed wood and deep nooks for treasures.  It is a treasure itself.  Purchased from the nice vendor who did not recognize the gem that he brought from Alabama to Mt. Dora so we could take it home and give it a new life.