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South Florida Welcomes Fall!
| Posted on October 29, 2014 at 7:22 PM |
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Welcoming Fall ... South Florida Style!
| Posted on October 1, 2013 at 7:41 PM |
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 As we welcome cooler temperatures and pumpkin-spiced lattes to our daily routine, the amber hues of autumn will soon pepper much of our United States. Well, with one distinct exception… South Florida. That doesn’t mean we cannot get into the autumnal spirit here in the land of year-round sun and fun. In South Florida, we can welcome fall into our lives just like our neighbors to the north, sans the bulky sweaters and boots. A touch of nature adds a warm, cozy addition to any décor. The seasonal change gives us a reason to spruce up our South Florida homes with a touch of autumn’s beauty.  A simple seasonal splash of color is as easy as adding a generous bowl of brilliant green apples to your kitchen counter or dining table. Multi-colored pumpkins in different sizes tucked loosely into a cornucopia brings a traditional touch of Fall to any tablescape.  Hay bails at your front entrance or a grape vine wreath on your front door will add an easy pop of Fall to your home this season. A woven bowl filled with pine cones is just as easy, especially if you can pick up the cinnamon-scented ones readily available this time of year. An easy pine cone project is hanging them from your dining light fixture. With minimal effort and cost you can create a unique, autumnal focal point sure to catch everyone's eye.  Need something a bit more creative? Remember those pine cones and pumpkins we mentioned? Pine cones can go from earthy to spectacular with a touch of glue and glitter. Adorning pumpkins is limited only by your imagination from paint, to beads to stencils. Pine cones and pumpkins can even be sprayed in metallic hues to include a sleek, modern accent, namely when arranged with white pumpkins.  Harvest corn is readily available at your local grocer and can be used in wreaths or candle arrangements bringing color and texture with a decidedly autumn-twist. Let your imagination run freely and get creative when making your South Florida home a bit more cozy this Fall. With a little creativity and a hand from mother nature, it is easier than you think! Copyright 2013: Valerie Anne Martinetti  |
Homes for Sale South Florida: Interior Design Expert Advice - Part Four of Four Part Blog
| Posted on January 28, 2013 at 8:10 PM |
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Interior Design Expert Advice - PART FOUR of Four Part Blog Series Welcome Back! This week, we wrap up our interview with award-winning interior designer, Stephanie Holdren and move to the subject of trends in accessories. Like jewelry in your home, accessories add personal style and impact to your home. Accessories are an exciting avenue to express yourself without making any long term, expensive commitments. Q: What do you see as a prevalent accessory trend in2013?  A: Nature. I am working with everything from feathers, to roughly-hewn wood elements all the way to mottled pebbles and twigs, both painted and natural. Nature is IN for inside your home in 2013. It can add considerable drama like the table setting shown here.  Or, a bright punch of color to a room’s sunny white canvas. Bringing nature indoors not only sets a home on the style forefront, it also lends a familiar, comforting statement to any décor. Q: What about less dramatic, smaller touches with natural objects?  A: Absolutely. Natural accessories can also be soft,in muted colors and smaller in scale. A few tucked here and there will soften any room. When working with smaller accessories, remember less is more. You don’t want clutter, you want style. Start with a few small accessories, you can add more later or, even swap them out from room to room to enjoy changing vignettes throughout the home.  Q: Is there anything you are especially excited about in 2013 as far as accessory trends? A: Gold and brass are making a big come back! It’s been some time since we’ve seen gold and brass used prevalently in home décor; I am enthused to work with these metals again. Nothing adds pop like the shimmer of golden tones to a room. The glimmering accessories used in the room below add a sleek sophistication to an otherwise neutral-toned room.   Q: What about the black and white rooms, are those still in style?  A: Yes, always. The way designers represent a black and white pallet will change from year to year but, it always manages to find its way into style savvy homes. A tried and true color scheme, black and white rooms can be pumped up or toned down, dependent upon the use of contrast; this is an essential key. A room done primarily in white from walls, to floors to larger furnishings with a subtle appearance of black on smaller accessories, artwork or lighting can portray a traditionally elegant mood. Yet as seen here, a room done primarily in darker shades, with shocks of white making an eye catching pop, offers unadulterated drama. Always versatile, always in style, black and white is an adaptable, ever-stylish color scheme. I want to express me thanks to Stephanie Holdren for allowing us to read her take on 2013 design trends. It has been both informative and exciting to learn what Stephanie is employing in today’s most highly styled homes. Don’t forget, if you want to contact Stephanie Holdren directly, you may do so via email: [email protected] or a by phone at 561-542-0001. Copyright 2013: Valerie Anne Martinetti |
Homes for Sale South Florida: Interior Design Expert Advice - PART THREE of Four Part Blog Series
| Posted on January 21, 2013 at 10:06 AM |
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Interior Design Expert Advice - PART THREE of Four Part Blog Series Welcome Back! This week, wecontinue our discussion with award-winning interior designer, Stephanie Holdrenand move to the subject of trends in interior paint: Q: Where do I start? A: You can find inspiration from design magazines, paint manufacturer websites, home improvement showrooms or visiting model homes. You can also start with the color wheel. When using a wheel, the colors next to one another or, directly across from one another, will compliment successfully to set the basis of a color scheme.  Q: What are some new trends in paint? A: Patterns created with paint are being used to add an element of design by many of today‘s design savvy home owners. Versatile and cost-effective, patterns can be used to bring dramatic impact to a room’s décor or, just to add a touch of subtle contrast to a particular wall or architectural feature. In the repeated pattern here, metallic paint was used to reflect light and bring both design and brightness to the space. Q: Other than merely using color, how can paint add drama or dimension? A: Subtle interest can be created by layering stripes of the same width, in deeper or lighter hues of the same base wall color. This elegant application adds interest to a room while still keeping the color scheme soft and versatile.  More adventurous homeowners may like higher contrasting colors and graphic patterns such as the Chevron design shown in this photo. This striking addition of vivid pattern and contrasting color will add interest to any interior space.  Q: What about a treatment on the wall, instead of merely paint, what is most prevalent in homes on the leadingedge of design?  A: Venetian plaster is front and center in some of the most exquisitely designed homes today. It is tremendously versatile, each application unique not only in color and design but, also with qualities inherent to the particular artist. The application and variation toVenetian plaster are truly limited only by a homeowner’s imagination. However, be aware that Venetian plaster can be costly and susceptible to damage. As such, I recommend Venetian plaster be used in rooms where it is not subject to excessive wear or damage from weather elements. Catch up with us next week for our 4th interior design post, when we discuss South Florida trends in Accessories! You can contact Stephanie Holdren directly at [email protected] or 561-542-0001 Copyright 2013: Valerie Anne Martinetti |
Homes for Sale South Florida: Interior Design Expert Advice - PART TWO of Four Part Blog Series (Flooring)
| Posted on January 14, 2013 at 4:39 PM |
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Interior DesignExpert Advice - PART TWO of Four Part Blog Series Welcome Back! This week, wecontinue our discussion with award-winning interior designer, Stephanie Holdrenand move to the subject of trends in flooring:  Q: What’s new in floor trends these days? A: Ceramic tiles that look like wood flooring are a hot design trend. They are manufactured in every color, grain style, size andshape to mimic the look of a real wood flooring. The Herringbone or Chevron pattern is particularly popular as seen here. These products are more than just magnificent in appearance; they are also cost-effective, easy to clean and abreeze to maintain. Q: Is flooring an essential design element or one best left neutral? A: It is all about personal choice. A soft, neutral palette can be established with flooring to create a room that is versatile and timeless. You can also use flooring as a bold design element. For instance,consider a brave flooring choice for your guest bath, especially since it isoften a statement room, used primarily by visitors; why not give itextra panache? Bringing in exotic colors or finishes in flooring, using abold pattern or even animal prints, can give your guest bath a spectacularsplash. Q: What about new flooring processes or finishes? Is there anything innovative in home flooring? A: Absolutely. Acid washed cement is the most fresh,new flooring trend. This process is truly limitless in design style and used both indoors and outdoors. An environmentally-friendly process, acid washing is available in an endless array of colors, textures and finishes. The photo below shows an acid washed floor that makes the concrete appear marbled; with inlays providing a rich yet, neutral pop of color and added architectural detail.  Q: What about plush flooring, like rugs; are they out of style? A: No. Rugs are definitely not out of style. These days, we are more likely to see them used as a central design element, rather than wall to wall, especially in higher traffic and living areas. They serve to anchor furniture and add a soft style element to any room of the house. Area rugs are tremendously versatile and can instantly change the style of a room. I recommend that you choose your area rug with its potential use in mind. If you have younger children or pets, choose rugs that are easy to clean or replace in high traffic areas. Install your more expensive rugs in rooms of the house which are subject to less wear and tear. From the clean, natural look of sisal to throw-back shags in today’s hottest and most vivid shades; area rugs add a sensational design element to any room of the house. Q: Sum it up for us, please. When it comes to flooring, give us a few lines of good, general advice. A: Okay, some general advice… Flooring can truly be everything from an impressive architectural element to a neutral backdrop for your furnishings. My advice is don’t overlook the impact of flooring. Flooring, even merely a new area rug, can change the look of a room overnight. There are flooring choices available today to satisfy all design styles, maintenance preferences and of course, budgets. Well chosen flooring can add substantial impact and genuinely increase the value of your home. Catch up with us next week when we discuss SouthFlorida trends in Paint and Wall Coverings! You can contact Stephanie Holdren directly at [email protected] or 561-542-0001 Copyright 2013: Valerie Anne Martinettine Martinetti |
Homes for Sale South Florida: Interior Design Expert Advice - Part ONE of FOUR Part Blog
| Posted on January 3, 2013 at 12:55 PM |
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Interior Design Expert Advice - Four Part Blog Series Join me for four installments with award-winning designer, Stephanie Holdren. Working in the design industry for over 25 years, Stephanie has worked in many different aspects of design from sophisticated Traditional and cozy Country French to striking Ultra Modern and retro Post Modern. Designing both indoor and outdoor spaces in primary residences and vacation homes, Stephanie’s expertise is both varied and extensive. A seasoned expert in Coastal-look design, Stephanie knows exactly how to tastefully bring this trend into your South Florida stylized home. We will focus on South Florida design and how you can bring the feeling of our brilliant skies and balmy breezes indoors by using specific colors, textures and design elements. The lush landscape of sultry South Florida creates the perfect backdrop for every facet of Coastal-look, which can range from Coastal Glam to Coastal Modern Traditional and every imaginable style of interior design in between. Soft, sun-washed Caribbean hues, salvaged woods mixed with crisp linens create a casually elegant pallet to enhance any style of home décor. If you’re moving to South Florida or, already own a home in the area, you’ll enjoy this Florida-specific design series. Catch up with Stephanie and I each week in January as we discuss trends in design, including which specific products are making a splash in the most highly styled homes of 2013. This first week, we are discussing Window Shades: Q: What is the most prevalent trend in window shades? A: The vertical blind industry is being edged out by a new line of products offered by both Phifer and Hunter Douglas. Phifer calls the product a sheer weave shade, Hunter Douglas offers it as a designer screen shade. These products are available in everything from sheer to black out, motorized or manual and are dominating the market. Q: What makes this product so desirable? A: They were originally used in museums to protect art where they needed a high degree of protection from sun damage but with minimal design impact. They clean easily with any solvent, protect furniture and flooring from sun damage, along with electronics from glare and last but not least, reduce energy costs. Q: What type of customer would like this product? A: These products offer versatility limited only by your imagination. Both the Phifer and Hunter Douglas versions are what I refer to as the first layer. Their minimal appearance can stand alone as window treatment in more modern homes yet be easily augmented by another of layer of treatment in more stylized homes. For instance, adding a cornice, panels or draperies can significantly soften the edge between the wall and the shade and offer an endless array of design elements. Q: When do you recommend home owners consider window shades? A: Truly, as soon as they buy the home. This should be one of the first investments not only for obvious reasons like sun and glare protection but also, in those initial weeks of residency, a home owner may not be ready to make definitive design decisions but, they still need privacy and security. These shades install easily and significantly reduce energy costs, especially in homes along the shore or with a high degree of sun exposure. I suggest choosing a neutral color to match the walls and floors. If need be, homeowners can stave off making design choices for additional layers of window treatment until after they are settled into their home and begin choosing furnishings. Remember, keep your first layer of window shades neutral in color, versatile in design and in our warm South Florida climate, be sure they are energy efficient. Catch up with us next week when we discuss South Florida trends in Flooring! You can contact Stephanie Holdren directly at [email protected] or 561-542-0001 |