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Condo Owner
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Interiors For Baby Boomers Reflect Comforts Of Home
By Taylor P. Strunk |
When condo owners Judy and Howard Williamson of Cullman, Ala., purchased their unit at Silver Beach in Destin last year, they realized the atmosphere they wanted to create with the interior of the unit would be much different from that of units they’d owned in the past.
“We’ve owned several condos through the years, and we decided it was time for a change,” Judy said about her current unit, which features a look designer Phyllis Harris of Destin-based Sandcastle Designs calls “rich Caribbean,” which is defined by accents of rattan, bamboo, lush greenery and gauzy mosquito netting. “Our last unit featured a lot of bright, primary colors, and it was a lot of fun for a vacation space. But, this unit is larger, and we felt because of its scale and size that we needed a look that is a little more upscale.”
But it wasn’t size alone that influenced the their choices, Judy said. “A lot of the colors in the unit are colors we have in our own home,” she said of the shades of green that splash the walls and natural wood tones of the furniture. “We’ve almost reached retirement age, and we realized that we’re going to be spending more and more time at the unit ourselves, so we wanted it to feel like a second home.” Judy added that attention was focused on the familiar comforts she and her husband could appreciate while away from home—comforts they felt would be equally appreciated by renters during the rest of the year.
“We’ve learned a lot about what makes a unit marketable [to renters] through the years, and we thought a lot about renters this time,” she said, referring to the central location of the plasma TV in the living area. “Phyllis found the recliner for us, and my husband thought it was so comfortable we ordered one just like it for our house in Cullman! We also decided to put a king-sized bed in two [of the three] bedrooms, and we chose a comfortable overstuffed chair and ottoman with a perfect view of the beach in the master bedroom.” Judy said they also chose furniture with plenty of drawer space for long-termed renters, and picked out extra-comfortable furniture on the balcony as well. “We even installed safety bars in the bathrooms and had the tile installed on the vertical to make the space look larger.”
“Whereas I had designed their previous unit with a whimsical flair, highlighted by vibrant green, yellows, reds and blues, this time I had the challenge of creating a more sophisticated space,” Harris said of the unit, which features rich gold and red hues in much of the upholstery and bedding. “I tried to stay away from anything trendy. The goal was to balance timeless sophistication with a relaxed vacation feel. While the colors remind them of home, I still needed to make it feel like a tropical getaway.”
“Our first several condos were very, very beachy,” Judy said. “We wanted it to feel like home, but still be reminded that we’re on vacation this time. After all, we come down at least once a month now, and that time is only going to increase.”
Harris said that while a few of the furniture pieces in the unit came over from the previous unit, they basically started from scratch. “Our job as designers is to educate clients and help them understand that the full effect of a look is created by a comprehensive grouping of furniture, paint and accessories,” she said.
“Sometimes a client comes in and buys a sofa and doesn’t understand why it doesn’t transform the whole look of their living space. These days, you have to buy furniture to bring the condo up to the level it deserves. I try to get people to buy what they love, because even if it’s over their budget, it’s a fair trade.”
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To create a similar look in your own condo, find inspiration from the products used in this unit below:
Paint Colors
Benjamin Moore paint was used throughout the unit:- Living/Kitchen Area: Hillside Green, 3B-495
- Tray Ceiling and Master Bed/Bath 1: Louisville Green, 2B-494
- Twin Room and Hall Bath: Dijon, 2B-193
- Master Bed/Bath 2: Boardwalk, 2B-1102
Furniture- Living Sofa and Chairs by Broyhill
- Recliner by Action Lane
- Dining set by Master Design
- Twin Beds by Lea Industries
- Master Bedroom Furniture by Stanley Furniture
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