A Private Oasis

A Dated Condo Becomes A Soothing Retreat

BY: CECILE GOTTLICH

PHOTOS BY: JASON PAGE

For an interior decorator, the dream is to have a client who completely trusts you and your vision. Liza Winnie of Places & Spaces Inc found her dream clients when Sonia and Jerry Plemons contacted her to redesign their Port Aransas condo.

“It needed a complete renovation, design and decoration. When I saw it for the first time, it was old, outdated, small and compartmentalized,” Winnie said. “[Sonia Plemons] surrendered the entire project to me. She wanted to walk in, and it be all done.” The sole guidance the homeowners offered Winnie was a postcard from Pottery Barn. “Sonia gave me a small postcard that had color suggestions on it. She handed it to me and said she liked those colors. Once I had the color scheme, I was able to run with it,” Winnie went on. “I also knew she didn’t want [the design] to scream ‘surfboards.’ The goal was to make it understated but elevated.”

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To achieve this vision, Winnie collaborated with contractor Caleb Brydon of MCB General Contractors. “[Brydon] and I saw eye-to-eye on every aspect, which makes for a dream team whose goals are all about complete client satisfaction,” Winnie said. This dream team created a space that is “calm, elegant and the perfect recharge,” according to Plemons.

As for the interior style, Winnie’s goal was to create a space that emulates the design of the East Coast rather than the typical Gulf Coast. “I wanted the design to be more about classic, traditional coastal with board and batten. I didn’t want it to be tropical,” she explained.

That classic style is evident throughout the home. The kitchen features timeless white subway tile, Benjamin Moore Harbor Blue shaker cabinets, nautical gold hardware and rattan pendant lights. Before the remodel, the kitchen and breakfast room were separate spaces. Winnie created a more spacious and open floor plan by removing the wall between the kitchen and the breakfast room and adding a large island, which can seat 11 people. Now the kitchen is perfect for entertaining.

Winnie also created this sense of spaciousness in the bedroom and bathroom. The SherwinWilliams Languid Blue walls, board and batten chair rail and ceramic dove art above the bed result in an expansive and soothing room.

“I love the bedroom. It’s beautiful, quiet and comfortable and a great space when I need to take a break,” said Plemons. The homeowners’ other favorite space is the deck, which overlooks the marina. “We love being able to sit on the deck and look out on the water. There’s seating for everyone, and there’s a great view of the fireworks. Fourth of July last year is our favorite memory [in this house]. Our children, friends and my mother were all there. It was just beautiful,” Plemons said.

The Plemonses couldn’t be happier with their vacation home, and attribute this to Winnie’s talent. “The design is 100% based on [Winnie] and her abilities,” Plemons said. “We love our condo. It’s a great way to get away when you can’t take a full vacation. It’s beautiful to sit there and watch the activity in the marina. It’s our little oasis.”