Falling for a Florida Room

I was recently inspired by the beautiful homes at Douglas Elliman to design the perfect "Florida room." A place to bring the beach home, even if you aren't near a beach.  I wanted to do a room to transcend the seasons and bring the beach inside year round.  I chose my breakfast room to make the most impact in my house.  

Though it's not a "Florida Room" technically, it is filled with windows and gorgeous sunlight.  I wanted to bring the sunshine in and make a dazzling space. Speaking of dazzling spaces, Douglas Elliman is one of the largest real estate firms with homes all over the world, 6 continents and 43 countries.  Check out their Florida real estate for more costal design ideas here.  One of which could be your next dream home...

Now imagine you are on a beach.  Anywhere.  Where would you go?  Would you take a chance on a deserted island?  Get a tan off the coast of Jamaica?  I picture myself in the Mediterranean.  The south of France.  Near Monaco even.  The seasides are so beautiful there.  You can take a high speed train from Nice to  Monte Carlo and see the "Med" and it's breathtaking cliffs and pebble beaches.  I love the views of the sea, better than actually having to deal with sand.  I'm a bit of a brat, but love the water.  Looking at it.  Admiring it.  Listening to it.  Just not getting in it.  

Funny thing water and I.  We don't get along.  I almost drowned twice in one day white water rafting the Ocoee river.  (It was the OLYMPIC course, of course.). I can't fail small.  I only fail big time.  I mean it.  Take snow for an example.  Nothing like trying to ski down a mountain with pneumonia and a fractured shin bone.  

Where was I?, oh the south of France.  I would be there with one if my best girlfriends and author of "Nice in Nice"-Ella Dyer. (She even has me in her book!) I would die to do a brunch soirée at her flat.  And this is what it would look like.  An elegant breakfast table for 6.  My restoration hardware table is always a great starting point, as it is so versatile I can put just about anything on it and it always looks smashing!  

My heart is as black as I like my mascara.  So I like to use it in my rooms often.  Black is a unifying color.  Using it three times in a room will make the room seem more pulled together.  A pillow, a lampshade, a rug etc.  it's a trick.  Once you get the nerve to paint your walls black no color is off limits.  I'm not afraid to paint anything.  So try my technique with any color.  Use it 3 times in a room and tell me if it doesn't help your space.

I'm choosing a golden sunset yellow as my "color" and using metallic golds add some glam.  From the matching French orchid pots to my Greek key velvet pillows and the gold crystal chargers, this sunshine yellow is just what I needed to make this space a warm and cheery spot - even as the seasons change.  

I did the same thing again with black by using a textured placemat, salad plates, pillows and the black chairs.  I like to use a lot of textures in my rooms.  The textures take the place of loud prints or fabrics and help elevate the relaxed atmosphere and feeling for the room.  I like to decorate by "feel", not necessarily how the space is going to look.  Take your time when designing.  Map out your transitions and where your eye is going to land.  Although I don't use a lot of patterns, I chose to repeat the grey greek key in my drapes and again in the yellow greek key pillows to give the space a little pizzazz.    

I'm never shy to pop multiple metallics.  So I brought in silver glass candlesticks and 2 large silver hurricanes filled with shells and driftwood.  I wanted to counteract some of the darker colors and used my white French chairs, plates, candles and large nautical pearl balls to pull the rest of the look together.  The shells also bring in a softer element.  I used a white beaded wedding decoration to lazily drape the entire length of the table.  It reminds me of coral.  I liked the texture, and it's white as well.  When I was checking out at the register the lady asked if I was doing a beach wedding?  Nope. Brunch.  She was impressed.

I hung some beautiful conch shell art by Donna Burgess an artist from Destin Florida on the wall to add to the beachy feel.  My textures in this room were key.  I wanted an organic feel and sophisticated touch.  I used my favorite black flatware placed on white and black fleur d lis napkins.

To add to the organic feel I used square grass cloth placemats.  I think the best part of all of this was adding the coolest shelled netting to my drapes.  My girl Kelly let me borrow it from her.  They and the rest of the netting in the light fixture bring it all together.  Thanks for having a look around!  I hope it inspires you to bring a little sunshine into your rooms.

Arrivederci!

Here are some before: