Wood, White & Marble

Wood

Indigo & Ochre Designs

White

Cave Interiors

Marble

Horizon Habitats

I wasn't planning on finishing my powder room, prior to moving in. It felt like one more decision I would want to obsess over, slowly and endlessly, until I knew I had seen every possible combination of wood, white, and marble. Unfortunately, I just found out that I can't get a CO (Certificate of Occupancy) on my home without a sink in the small bath. 

I am under pressure to make a decision on a powder room vanity. 

Vanity

Vanity

Vanity

Vanity

Do you have a favorite vanity? I would love a second opinion. 

Home Renovation Sources - Naples, FL

Happy holiday weekend. I'm sure most of you are out and about and I will be soon, too. It has been great to learn, through emails, that many of you live in or visit the Naples area! 

I wanted to share my home renovation resources with you. These companies have provided me with excellent customer service, and I would definitely do business with them, again. 

Pool Company

:

Jeff Wilson Pool Service

- By far, the most honest pool company in this area. For the record, they were the fourth company to come out and see my job....company 1, never sent the quote...company 2, thought they were building a new pool (or at least we could have on that quote)...company 3, tried to sell me equipment I did not need. 

Kitchen Cabinets:

Smart Buy Kitchens

- Ask for Jack or Jason, and tell them I sent you. They are fed up with me :). All joking aside, their prices are excellent and their service is fantastic. They never rush you and keep designing...until. If you happen to be there through lunch time, they will treat you to one of those green passion smoothies from Panera. Dollar averaging, that's an expensive drink ;).

Quartzite/Marble/Granite Slabs:

-

Davinci Granite

- Ask for Marco. Searching for

the perfect stone

was like binge watching House of Cards......I just couldn't stop until it was over. Marco and I drove to several

undercover

non-retail stone yards. Interacting with the cast of characters at each yard reminded me of New Jersey. 

Tile - I purchased tile from multiple sources. I could write a book about the process of how tile is imported into Florida and channels through the customs department in Miami. This process can take up to ten weeks. Start the tile search, early. 

Naples Tile

- Ask for Melony. Excellent source for floor tile.

Angela's Marble & Tile

- Ask for Olga. A great place to source tile you found online. Olga is a machine at locating your tile and dealing with the Miami brokers. 

De Marco Tile Distributor

- Ask for Stuart. He definitely hates me, and I did buy tile from him. Apparently, you are not supposed to request a shipment quote directly from the Italian salesmen, that are representing the line you are interested in, while they are making a sales call to the store. Who knew?

Tile Outlets of America

- Huge selection and excellent prices. Be prepared to spend quite a bit of time walking up and down each isle. There is a lot to see. 

I hope you find these sources helpful. I'll update this list, as I go...or when I remember. 

See you at Starbucks in

Waterside

. 

Art Event at The Pink Pagoda

Jennifer at The Pink Pagoda has teamed up with Wizzie Broach Interiors to offer more than 40 incredible, original paintings. They'll be available at The Pink Pagoda Shop today through Friday evening.

 framed watercolors by Christina Baker

 painting by Reagan Geschardt

 painting by Reagan Geschardt

 painting by Danny Geschardt

 painting by Danny Geschardt

 painting by Amanda Leffel

painting by Janie Pinney

painting by Alexis Walter

I have a couple of favorites, and would love to hang them on my new wall......

We'll catch up on Monday!

 

House Update, California Style

Is anyone else having One Room Challenge™ withdrawal? I don't know about you, but I can't wait until October! I found so many ideas to borrow from the Wednesday, and Thursday groups. But for now, back to my project.....

When I think of what home feels like, my mind goes back to my childhood. I grew up in Southern California, the Valley, to be specific. Our home had wood floors, light colored walls, and lots of windows. I can still remember what the cool brick pavers on our front porch felt like under my bare feet. It felt like Summer. 

Not my house

Michael Kelley Photography

I definitely had a uniform back then, too. My daily wardrobe consisted of shorts, a t-shirt, and my favorite Vans shoes. About ten years ago, when that shoe became popular at my daughter's school, she asked me how I had heard about Vans? I gave the classic parent answer, "I was wearing them before you were born.....along with the surfers and skateboarders". I wanted to live at the beach.

Butler Armsden Architects

While reading Jennifer's series, Purposeful Design, I started thinking about the feeling I want this home to have........Summer......California Style. 

Sanctum Design

A place where the lines between indoors and out are blurred. 

High Shots Photography

A place where shoes are optional.

Bowley Builders

When I told my architect this was going to be my California beach house, he said that he was helping my neighbor build her Colorado mountain home. 

Adam Design

Thank goodness all these styles are welcome in my neighborhood. What style reminds you of Home?

 

Here's the Plan

I just received the revised floorplan my architect created, and I can't wait to share it with you.

First, here is the before. You can see how the current kitchen location blocks the flow of the home. The study has an awkward entrance through the master bedroom, few strange angular walls, and no powder room. 

Here is the plan. The laundry room moved, and made way for the kitchen. The dining room was eliminated, completely. A powder room was added, and the entrance to the study was reconfigured. The angles were squared off, and the master bedroom square footage was evenly distributed into something that made more sense. 

I love this plan. It's exactly how I envisioned living in this home....only, I didn't know it. I wonder what will change when the reality of cost comes into play?

 

My Next Project....Our Home

Hello, and happy 2015! I love the start of a new year, and it helps when the weather is 80 degrees. When we last parted, I told you that we purchased a home....and here it is. 

There are windows behind those overgrown hedges, on the right. These are the images that came with the home. I have plenty more to

bore

entertain you with, as this project unfolds. 

There are tall ceilings in most of the rooms. Of course the carpeting will not be staying. There is also a shutter theme throughout the house. 

I'm not sure what will become of the dining room?...more shutters.

The current family room opens to the kitchen and breakfast area. You can't tell from this picture, but there is a pretty yard area beyond that solid wall?!

The home was built in the 80's, and I don't think it was updated since that time. 

I am in the process of confirming a contract with an architect, and we both agree that the kitchen needs to move....or at least be reconfigured. Do you like the tile? That layer was applied on top of the original tile. No extra charge for the second layer :).

More carpeting....bye, bye. 

I would love to have the ceilings in the kids rooms raised. 

High ceilings and plenty of room in the master bedroom. Shutters, shutters, shutters???

No words....sledge hammer, stat.

Even the pool needs some TLC. I do love the shape of it. 

Are you familiar with a pool cage? It's the screen system that encloses the pool. There are pros and cons to the enclosure.....I'm not sure how this area will unfold. 

There are plans that need to be drawn, permits to be filed, and lots of work to be done. I'm excited and a little bit nervous about this huge undertaking. Naples, is in a hurricane zone, and this home has no protection. Yikes! I'll be sharing the entire process with you. I hope you stick around for the next chapter in my life. 

I would love to hear your thoughts on what you would do with this home.