Sublime Surprise

A Sublime Redesign… and Surprise Collaboration

I love a good challenge. It’s not hardship or struggle that comes to mind when I think of the term. Instead, the word “challenge” elicits excitement in me for new beginnings. When I arrived at my newest project, I immediately took notice of how it exuded classic Floridian style with its gloriously aging pool cage, dynamic deck levels, and a tinge of ornate style trimming reminiscent of New Orleans. All of these elements added up to a feeling of great warmth, stoked no doubt by lots of familial gatherings between this beautiful crew of five (two adorable girls and a beautiful parenting couple). The fifth member? A huge great Dane as curious of me as he was friendly! A word kept coming to mind as I took it all in—sublime!

The home immediately felt protected by love–the kind that encourages adventure and the finding of joy. I began to design and implement changes that would accent what should remain, and remove the aesthetics that weren’t serving the home’s purpose. There were three main areas I focused on during this redesign and renovation. Read on for more detail on each.

Exterior Porch
This family had an immense compassion that was palpable as soon as you walked into the front door. I wanted to bring that palpability forward and introduce it much sooner by way of an inviting front porch. Notice how the working front shutters, addition of the custom gate, and color tone amplify the warmth of this home’s silhouette.

Outdoor Kitchen
This was a fun piece of this project! The outdoor kitchen, complete with working restroom, got an uplift with new colors and structural changes that inter-played cohesively with the (drum roll please…

Patio and Pergola!
The beautiful patio and pergola space received ideal contrast and an inviting look with a natural 14” vining. This vining created privacy, distinguishing the visual areas of the garage and pool area, and encapsulated the space so it could emit welcoming vibes for friends and family alike. Deep-toned, custom iron work brought classic southern architectural charm while the furnishing colors offered relaxing blue hues.

I had to keep an important element in mind with this redesign. The great dane that greeted me was a part of a loving family, which meant fido-friendly foliage was paramount in the design. Although fido couldn’t tell me his least favorite plants, years of experience and research helped me know exactly what to steer clear of when it comes to keeping canines safe!

My conversations with the patriarch of this beautiful family, brought something new to my design intentions and my work. I’m often a sole practitioner, hoping that my time in a home will give me the energy information I need to do the job perfectly. It was a nice surprise to delve into conversation with this hard-working father, who presented thoughts on color and structural additions that created wonderful collaboration. It was a lovely reminder that design lifestyle is not just about the spaces we see, it’s about the spaces in which we articulate our futures as a family.