7 minute read
INTERIORS Designers
Abodes Abodes
INTERIORS
HANG IN THERE
In decorating walls, your own instincts may be best ↓
by MARINA BROWN
APR/MAY 2021
TRENDS FROM FLOOR TO CEILING, FRONT TO BACK
Gallery arrangement of different sizes of framed art makes for a nice visual break from uniformity.
Wall hangings are secondary to other elements in a room. Add them after furniture is in place and a color scheme has been established.
When Aunt Minnie passed on, Sara, a homeowner, was faced with what to do with the dozen family photographs Minnie had bequeathed her along with a note saying she hoped they would all go on Sara’s wall.
Next door to Sara, Betty, another homeowner, stood staring at an empty wall, while a stack of framed awards, a billboard-sized abstract painting and a swatch of tattered weaving she’d found in Tibet sat brooding at her feet. Indecision prevailed, and at this point Betty felt like dumping the whole lot in the closet with her 20 never-worn straw hats.
Both of these women — we may have made them up, but their circumstances are real enough — needed to know how to “hang” a wall. Designers know about furnishings and rugs. But they also know about color, volume, balance and focus — all the things needed for the task. So we asked a couple.
Jeanette Turk, owner of Decorating Den Interiors in Santa Rosa Beach, said that, “Wall hangings and art are very personal, so they don’t necessarily have to match the room. They should be things that speak to the person hanging them. It’s helpful to have color schemes that match, but you can go a bit ‘off the wall’ with them, too.”
Art is a little bit like jewelry, she said. If you’re a vibrant person, you can have neutral furnishings and introduce some brighter colors by way of your wall hangings.
Plates, displayed singly or in groups, can make for good, eye-catching conversation starters.
Alice Flournoy-Jones, owner of AFJ Interior Design in Pensacola, believes it’s important to select wall accoutrements with colors that match the energy of the room they’re in.
“The colors that we choose to surround ourselves with influence our own energy, too,” said Flournoy-Jones. “There are areas in our house, such as the dining room and living area, that we want to be more stimulating. We don’t want people to fall asleep at the dinner table. Energizing, colorful wall hangings perk us up and make us more animated and interesting.”
While grouping according to a theme like “flowers” or “horse paintings” may work well, it’s also enlivening to have an eclectic wall with no theme at all. “Just make sure your wall hangings scale with the size of the wall,” Turk added. “If you have a huge wall, it needs a huge piece of art or a collage of several pieces. Art shows best when it complements the wall on which it’s hanging.”
Bear in mind, not every wall needs something on it.
“If you have something on every single wall, it becomes overkill,” Turk said. However, on the walls you do decorate, you can make mixed sizes work well together as a “gallery” arrangement with a variety of shapes and sizes mounted together. “You don’t want an entire rogues’ gallery of personal photographs in your living room. Typically, you want your public spaces to be more generic. Framed photos can go on a bookshelf; break up a wall with a mirror, some artwork and other accessories to create a balance.”
Flournoy-Jones is careful to lay out any art before putting a hole in a wall.
It’s fun to be bold and mix and match things that aren’t alike. To be adventurous, deck the walls with the unexpected:
■ Mirrors expand a room and draw in light. A wall covered in a variety of mirror sizes and shapes can be sheer art. ■ Murals can cover a wall and be mounted with removable adhesive, turning a tiny alcove into a flowered bower or a boys’ playroom into a brilliant beach. ■ Plates, especially beautifully painted or antique platters, become conversation pieces and may even capture memories of family, ancestors or even a favorite novel. ■ Basket groupings provide an organic, casual feel when wallmounted. And just for fun, they can be moved around from nail to nail or have some fresh flowers placed inside. ■ And don’t forget shelves. If your prized possessions are glass or metal, perhaps their linear display is just the dramatic focus your wall needs.
And Betty? Betty had a crazy impulse and gathered up the hats from the floor instead. Now, scattered across her wall are the memories of dozens of summers, straw circles that seem to dance in the sun and shade. EC
↑ Murals add a dramatic aspect to rooms and can be applied to walls with adhesives that do not leave a mark.
The epitome of luxury meets casual comfort is present in this herringbone navy-hued, velvet-textured bed with pewter nailheads.
TWICE As Lovely
LOVELACE INTERIORS ADDS A LIFESTYLE STORE TO AN ALREADY FLOURISHING BRAND
Textures, patterns and colorful, eyecatching artwork add personality to a room full of neutrals.
The exterior of a home or business may be the first aspect you see, but the interior is truly where the heart and soul reside. Our interiors reflect our passions, interests, styles and inspirations in a variety of ways — from the art we choose to display to the dining room tables we pick. Whether you lean more toward modern, classic or coastal, Lovelace Interiors has always stood by their promise of creating a space that is exactly how you want it.
Susan Lovelace opened Lovelace Interiors 25 years ago and has been a leading interior design firm and furniture store along the Emerald Coast ever since. The team of 15 licensed interior designers specializes in everything from new construction, remodels and renovations to helping you select home furnishings from their 10,000-square-foot showroom and warehouse in Miramar Beach.
Statement making pieces such as large jars, intricate bowls, patterned throw pillows and unique artwork can add volume, interest and conversation to any room from dining areas to lounging spaces.
A padded wall paired with a tranquil color palette soothes the senses and quiets the room.
In March of 2019, a second location, Lovelace Lifestyles, opened at the Shoppes at Inlet. The new location features an abundance of natural light that shines in on the array of lifestyle-centric items, including jewelry, beach bags, clothing, home decor and furnishings. The new 5,000-square-foot showroom is in close proximity to the original store and is intended to service new and existing clients further east. While the new store still specializes in interior design with designers on-site, it differs in its vibe.
“It’s exactly what I dreamed and hoped it would be,” said Lovelace. “The space is relaxed and coastal cool, inviting you to stop by and enjoy a glass of wine. It’s a store where you can come in and buy a pair of earrings, but you might also see a beautiful piece of furniture that inspires you to upgrade your home.”
A benefit to the company and clients alike is the expansion of items available for design projects. Designers have the ability to procure items from both stores in order to best fulfill clients’ wants and needs.
From helping you select the perfect lamp to flawlessly completing a total home redesign, Lovelace Interiors is recognizable for their attention to detail, creativity and the way their stores are beautifully orchestrated to inspire.
12870 U.S. HIGHWAY 98 WEST, MIRAMAR BEACH // (850) 837-5563 SHOPPES @ INLET 13625 EMERALD COAST PKWY EAST, INLET BEACH // (850) 909-0435 LOVELACEINTERIORS.COM DRUM ROLL, PLEASE!
The latest news among Lovelace Interiors is the beautiful new coffeetable book, Some Like It HOT: Inspiring Spaces by Florida’s Hottest Designers by Beth Benton Buckley! The book includes interiors created by 30 of the state’s best and brightest experts in the interior design field, and we’re so proud to say that Lovelace Interiors owner and principle designer, Susan Lovelace, is one of them!
PORTRAIT BY COLLEEN DUFFLEY
SUSAN LOVELACE
