Island Style and Coastal Style Comparison
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Island Style Vs. Coastal Style And Some Characteristics Of Each

Melanie Morris April 13, 2021 Beach / Caribbean, Furnishings, Interior Design 0

I was once at a conference and heard the fantastic Nate Berkus speak. He said, in the design business, you are only as good as your references. He wasn’t talking about what past clients have to say about working with you (although that’s important too!). He meant what are the various visual elements in the room referring to.  

 

Designers make references throughout the space, and together they tell a story. What story do we want the home to tell? Many factors influence that answer, from the client’s unique life experiences and lifestyle to the home’s architecture and location. How will we weave a visual representation that whispers to the homeowner and guests a subtle story behind what’s currently going on in the room?

Island Style and Coastal Style Comparison


Island Style

To understand Island style, you need to understand a little more about the region and the unique history. In the Caribbean, each little collection of islands is its own nation, and they all have their individual identity. The US Virgin Islands are American, and therefore we have an American take on lifestyle and décor. Many different countries have owned these islands over the years (there’s a whole course to discuss the details), but you can still see bits and pieces of those influences throughout the USVI. 

Island Style


So what are some unique VI visual references? 

  1. Dark Hardwoods like Mahogany
    Mahogany trees are not as prevalent as they used to be here, but they were prevalent in the past. The look of dark mahogany hardwood furniture and trims in homes is a definite indicator of island style.
  1. Louvers in Windows and Doors
    Locally referred to as Jalacies, these adjustable wood louvers are designed to allow the breeze to flow into the home.
  1. Caned Furniture
    These pieces were traditionally made by hand and are now enjoying a resurgence in popularity. The open weave of split rattan allows for a comfortable seat and breezy airflow.
  1. Island Color Schemes
    Color schemes tend to be influenced by our surroundings. Richer color pallets with hues ranging from palm leaf green to the vibrant tones of bougainvillea and hibiscus flowers are all very common and blend in nicely to the environment.

Island Style Vs. Coastal Style BlogCoastal Style

Coastal style, on the other hand, is informed primarily by the beach and the sea. The references here pay homage to long days spent boating and swimming in aqua seas. Coastal style references might point to the northeast’s Hamptons lifestyle, with the rattan and bright colors that are so popular in South Florida or the more modern laid-back aesthetic of the California coast. There is a crossover between the island and coastal styles. After all, the VI has more lovely beaches than you can count! So, the two do go hand in hand and blend well.

Coastal Rug

Some of the typical style references for coastal style are:

  1. Lighter Wood Tones
    We speak to driftwood and weathered docks with our wood tones and even use more weathered textures.
  1. Sea Grass
    Seagrass is a classic coastal material and a natural choice for rugs and appears as accent panels in cabinetry and as wallpaper.
  1. Coastal Color Schemes
    Color schemes focus on the sea and sites you can only get when you visit the beach. Preferred coastal color schemes include sand neutrals, navy blues, and shades of the turquoise sea.
  1. Iconic Décor
    Often times décor items and accessories are shaped to resemble shells, fish, and sailboats. We feel it’s possible to convey a coastal feel without being too obvious with these items!
  1. Casual Style
    Coastal rooms are usually styled in a more casual way than island-style homes and have a lighter look overall.

    Island Style Versus Coastal Style

    Whether you love island style, coastal style or you enjoy a mix of the two; there are so many different variations to fit your desired style. If you’re unsure about the story you’re trying to tell, give us a call. We can help you identify the references that speak to you and your family’s story. Let the translation you choose speak to your unique love of the islands and the shore and blend the various visual cues to tell your own personalized narrative.

Tile Design
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How To Layout Bathroom Tile in 7 Easy Steps

Melanie Morris March 30, 2021 Bathrooms, Beach / Caribbean, Color, Interior Design, Tips & Tricks 0

How to Layout Bathroom Tile in 7 Easy Steps

1. Start With the Basics

When we start a new bathroom design, we love to start with the tile.  There are so many options to choose from it can sometimes be hard to decide.

Since your tile is so permanent in the home and the labor is expensive, we want to be sure that our choices will do three things.

  1. Suit the architecture of the home
  2. Have some longevity in terms of style
  3. Serve the client well in terms of durability and ease of maintenance

If we have a client who dyes their hair at home in the shower, a limestone shower floor would be a disaster very quickly! We like to keep in mind that your lifestyle will have a direct impact on the wear and tear of your environment.

Make Groups

2. Make Your Tile Selections by Groupings

When it comes to creating a grouping of tiles that will come together and create a unique look, stick to the rule of three. This is an easy, foolproof way to get a great finished product without driving yourself crazy! The practice is basically this, choose three tiles that will pair well together.  

The three types of tile are:

  1. Floor tile
  2. Field tile
  3. Accent tile

The field tile is the one you use the most. It’s typically a solid color and textural piece. In comparison, the accent tile is the one with all the colors and adds personality to the room. I love the look above, and it’s such a simple design plan that utilizes very durable materials appropriate for a vacation home.

Bath Remodel
3. Consider the Size and Scale

Pay attention to scale.

The size of the tile you select matters, especially when it comes to creating meaningful layouts for your bathroom. Some patterns are just better suited to larger rooms and vice versa.

When you are looking at small tile samples in a showroom, it’s easy to forget that you will have a lot more of it once it’s installed in the space. To put it into perspective, you can break out the design into two different types of patterns. They are:

  1. Pattern 1 – The repetition of the pattern.
  2. Pattern 2 – The color of the actual piece of tile, which also includes the geometric pattern for the installation.

The combination of these two patterns can create an overly busy design very quickly.

If you have a small shower stall, you might want to stay away from larger format tile. If the installer has to make multiple cuts, the impact of the size and the pattern of the layout can get lost.

In a smaller space, go for either smaller-scale pieces or one big piece. We love the ultra-large porcelain slabs that are becoming increasingly available in sizes as large as 5 ft. X 10 ft.

In larger spaces, you may want to find ways to break up larger runs of tile. However, this doesn’t mean you need more tile options. Instead, try using more of the same thing in different ways. You can vary the direction or change the sizes in the same material to give a slight variation that is still refined yet elevated.

4. Get Creative

Mixing and matching different shapes can provide interest in the finished product. Here are some tips to help you create the perfect mix.

  1. Look for a tile collection you love and use multiple shapes within the same tile line or collection. With contrasting grout, the geometry of your mix will stand out beautifully.
  2. Use larger scale rectangles mixed with elongated hexagons. The two long and lean shapes can help emphasize the height of a room when needed.
  3. Create a frame! A great way to enjoy a bold color or mosaic and add detail to the room is to create a frame and then put the more exotic accent tile in the frame.  Some mosaics really do deserve to be treated as art! This might be done at the focal point of a back wall to a shower or possibly on the floor in a larger room. The frame will allow you to place and pattern mosaic into any field tile. Just be sure to buy a beautiful trim to set it off!

5. Get Precise

Tile IllustrationsTile Examples

The difference between an okay tile job and a magnificent tile job is in the details. Having the correct trim pieces is SO essential to getting that high-quality level of finish. I often start a tile search by looking at which collections will offer me all the trim pieces needed. 

Be sure to have a plan for every edge. Some great options to use are:

  1. Trim with a solid surface material that matches the countertop.
  2. Look for coordinating bullnose pieces, chair rail tiles, or pencil moldings.
  3. For modern designs, try Schluter trim pieces. They come in a variety of shapes for unique applications.

Tile Design

6. For Dramatic Effect

Grout Color

Once grouted, tiles can take on a completely different look, and the color of the grout can have a dramatic effect on the overall color tone. The contrast of the tile examples above has varying grades of grout that showcase different degrees of detail, and depending on the aesthetic of your bathroom; one may lend itself more to the space than the other. This is something to consider and play with before the whole install is complete.

7. Ensure Proper Planning

Selections
No matter where you are in your process, make sure you give yourself plenty of time to plan properly. Every detail matters, and as you can see, there are many when it comes to pulling off a flawless tile installation. Great planning will help you to be sure you have all the materials on hand when the installation starts and will help you to be able to get more accurate price quotes for the labor to install your dream bathroom.  Simple can be beautiful when thoughtfully planned and executed.

Are you ready to start your new bathroom design? Are you stuck trying to decide what options to go with for your island home? We are here to help! Contact us today so we can help you identify your exact tile selections for your dream oasis. The style of your interiors with durable materials will give you fulfilling days and a lifetime of joy.




Color Pool from a Photograph
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Color Palettes for Coastal Island Homes

Melanie Morris March 15, 2021 Beach / Caribbean, Color, Interior Design 16

The perfect color combination can turn an ordinary room into an extraordinary room. Color shapes the way we perceive a space. Do you want your room to have an energetic vibe, or do you want it to be your quiet place to relax?  There are countless color combinations out there. I advise my clients not to be afraid to take a risk and try something new in their vacation homes. This is the perfect place to embrace something a little different from your more permanent residence. 

You may have heard of the 60-30-10 color rule for decorating. This rule guides you to choose one color as 60% of the space (usually your wall color), a secondary color as 30% of the space (maybe an accent wall or a large rug) then the final 10% is the spicy pop of an accent color. Of course, rules are made to be broken, but this formula is a safe place to start if you find yourself a little hesitant. 

Color Palettes for Coastal Homes

 

INSPIRATION IS EVERYWHERE

When creating color plates for a room, I love to start with an inspiration piece. This can be a rug, a work of art, your favorite fabric, or even a colorful shirt!  It doesn’t matter what the inspiration is, as long as you love it, and it speaks to the overall feeling you are hoping to create in the room.

1. Pin-spiration

One of the easiest and most manageable ways of filtering through endless inspiration pieces is through Pinterest. I love to collect inspirational color palettes from all over the web and save them on my Pinterest boards. Pinterest is a useful tool to organize your thoughts and ideas for now or for later. By following accounts with similar interests as you, you can have a full feed of creativity. You can see some of our favorite hue selections here.

2. Wallpaper Hues

In the case of this coastal condo remodel, the wallpaper in the foyer was the inspiration piece for the color scheme throughout to entire home.

Wallpaper Hues

I love this choice because it invites all the colors in, and like a good party invitation, it sets the tone the minute you open the front door. Splashes of color combined with soft strokes of blues and a crisp white background bring a fresh and colorful union of elements. You can see more of this inspiration piece unfold here.

3. Design Seeds Color Palettes

Take the below Design Seeds image:

If you require some color inspiration, the Design Seeds site is another excellent resource. I love to use them as a library for extraordinary color combinations. How you put those combinations into action in your room is a whole different story!

To build a room around this image, I would start with the soft grey on the left as my wall color. You could shop for a deep-sea blue sofa, then add bright pink throw pillows.  This is a perfect example of how an image can inspire the design of a room. From there, layer in some textural neutrals, and you’d have a stylish living space.

4. Color Pool from a Photograph

What about the reverse situation? What if you have a room image and you’d love to know more about the colors there?  I have a lot of fun with the Sherwin Williams website.

You can upload a photo and select paint colors based on the image. You should always get a tester before going all-in with this method and painting your room, but it is a fun interactive guide to help get you started.

Color Pool from a Photograph

Here is a quick how-to on how to use the Sherwin Williams website. After you upload your image, you’ll see little circles populate that mark different color hues within your image. Drag the tiny spots around the photo to read the other shades, then add them to your final color palette. From here, you will be able to print a list of colors to try in your room based on an image that you love.

Sherwin Williams

5. Fabric Inspiration

Here is what happens when you create a room color palette around a piece of fabric. This Thibaut print has always been one of my favorites. 

Thaibaut

I can imagine a beautiful bedroom design based on this print!  I’d use the robin’s egg blue as the room paint color, then upholster a headboard with the fabric. I would add some neutral draperies with trim in the deep green and possibly some nightstands in the fresh spring green hue paired with a soft, comfy chaise lounge in the peachy shade on the far right. Girly, I know, and I’m not sure my husband would agree to such a room, however! You get the idea, though. Working off something like a piece of fabric that you can see and feel for yourself can spark your senses for even more creative color possibilities.

So the next time you are deciding on a color scheme for your space, take a moment to be inspired. Let your creativity take your interiors to a whole new world of color possibilities that support your life and celebrate what you love. If you need some guidance on color selection for your vacation home or your primary home, connect with us today. We would love to collaborate and be inspired with you.

Seaside Furniture
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Furniture for Seaside Vacation Homes

Melanie Morris February 24, 2021 Beach / Caribbean, Furnishings, Tips & Tricks 10


Living spaces are places where we gather with friends and family. They become the backdrops of many holidays, birthdays, and anniversary celebrations and set the tone for those simple days at home.

How we furnish these spaces lends itself to conversation, relaxation and supports our time together and time for ourselves. The choices we make in these spaces will influence how we experience our homes and will be seen for a long time to come in family photos. 

Seaside Furniture

If you have a coastal vacation home, especially one that you rent out short-term, AIRBNB style, then you know that the choice of furnishings is so important for so many more reasons. You know you need things that are durable, but they should also be stylish, comfortable, and easy to clean. That’s a lot to ask from a sofa!! Going shopping for all that “stuff” can be a little overwhelming as well. After all, this isn’t your full-time residence, and other people will be staying there when you’re not home. 

Slipcover Seating for Your Seaside Escape

TOP 3 CONSIDERATIONS

Vacation Home Furniture

  1. DURABILITY

    It’s true that vacation rental guests can be a bit hard on your furnishings. Some of our clients feel that they will go the route of buying the cheapest possible thing, plan on it falling apart and then get another. I disagree with this philosophy for two reasons:
    a.) Do we really need to plan to put more furniture in the landfill?
    b.) Every time you are doing a “project”, waiting on furniture delivery, and doing that “some assembly required” thing, you have lost a potential day of rental income, or possibly more. If you don’t live in the area now you are also paying someone else to handle that for you, on top of paying to ship multiple items. Spending a little more for greater durability at the outset can really save you money in the long run.

    Clean-ability for Furniture

  2. CLEANABILITY

    Even before the pandemic, it was important to be able to clean everything in a rental home easily and well. After all, it is essentially functioning as a hotel room.  We select everything for our clients with this factor in mind from the flooring to the bedding. When everything is easy to clean, the homestays looking fresh longer. It’s also easier for the housekeeping staff when one group checks out at 10 am and the next checks in at 3 PM!

    Pro Tip: If you have more than three bedrooms, install two washer/dryer sets so that the laundry gets done twice as fast!

    Seaside Comfort

  3. COMFORT

    Choosing a comfortable item doesn’t always mean the biggest sofa. Comfort comes from multiple factors. Yes, it should feel good to sit in, so pay attention to the seating dimensions. It should also fit the room well, and the room should be planned to accommodate the correct number of people. If you sleep 6-8 then there should be seating for 8 people in the living room. If you only have 4 seats in the living room, half the party will not be very comfortable!

    After years of designing rental homes, we definitely have some dos and don’ts and of course those go-to items. Here are just a couple of our favorites to help you get started below.

    DO:

    1. Choose soft seating pieces with tailored slipcovers.
    2. Look for pieces with cushions that come off and zippered cushion covers.
    3. Use indoor and outdoor fabrics for upholstery and even drapery!

    DON’T:

    1. Use embroidered fabrics for upholstery or drapery. It’s just too delicate for a rental environment. If you love it, have one pillow made and lock it in the owner’s closet for your personal use.
    2. Buy a mattress that you wouldn’t even want to sleep on just because it’s inexpensive.
    3. Buy core pieces like dressers and dining tables in particleboard or MDF. Look for solid wood dressers and tables with wood bases and glass tops.

    Want more details? You’re in luck, we have a new book out with the whole scoop on exactly how we set up a rental home. You can find it here.

    Vacation-Rental-Design-Guide

    Some of our favorite seating pieces for coastal rental homes are right here.

    Slipcover sofas that are super comfy, covered in washable performance fabrics, well made, and at a reasonable price point – yes, please!



Calypso Delight Before and After
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Calypso Delight Before and After

Melanie Morris January 28, 2021 Beach / Caribbean, Before & After, Color, Furnishings, Interior Design, Kitchens, Lighting, Outdoor Living, Portfolio 7

When you picture island living what comes to mind? Do you imagine the beach or the vastness of the open ocean backed by clear blue skies? These iconic moments that are native to the island hold so much meaning to those who grow up with them. Saint Thomas is home to many people who come from diverse backgrounds. One thing they all have in common is their love and appreciation for the island and the kind of lifestyle it offers its inhabitants. A client of ours came to us with a home renovation project for her family who has roots in the Caribbean. She grew up in Saint Thomas and now lives stateside. Our client wanted her children to be able to experience living and having their home here. A home base in Saint Thomas would mean more time with extended family during summer vacations and a long-rooted love for Island life.  The secondary goal for this project was to be able to rent the home out by the week to vacationers on Airbnb to provide extra income for expenses related to upkeep.

Calypso Delight Entry


The Backdrop to Life

Our focus is to create the backdrop to all of those special family memories while blending the style of St. Thomas with a little bit of the California lifestyle. Which is how they live when stateside. As you enter the space, you are immediately greeted by a big, beautiful island view. We accentuated this sight by framing the window with vibrant shutters. The view is absolutely breathtaking. As you move into the dwelling it offers you a sense of untouched majesty that could only exist in a special place like Saint Thomas. The addition of the turquoise bench catches your attention and it is as functional as it is colorful while playing off of the client’s family art piece. The colors and happy faces in the artwork set the tone for your stay in the home.


Calypso Delight Before and After


Color is a key focal point throughout the design and this living room design scheme is a great example of how to layer in color effortlessly. The area rug and artwork lay the foundation for a cascade of hues within the room. Without them, we would be left with a very neutral and basic look. When the core pieces of a design are done in neutral colors it is easier to update later. For instance, we could throw in a fresh new rug and throw pillows that would change the room completely. Everything can be tied together and built off of other design elements to pull off a truly cohesive design.

Calypso Delight Living


The Heart of the Home

What better way to make people feel welcome than by hosting them in a dining room that is able to accommodate up to twelve guests. We love the natural vibes of this dining area that is sturdy enough to last for years to come and gives everyone plenty of room to spread out and relax. The slipcovers on the chairs are made of a washable outdoor fabric that elevates the guest’s seat while also being practical for those little mishaps. The orientation of the home is situated on the island to where it has an amazing breeze all year round. This allowed us to lose the fan and replace it with a soft overhead light to create an intimate ambiance for those family dinners.

Calypso Delight Dining


Bringing Everything Together

The master bedroom is a masterpiece of solitude. We brought the various heights of the windows together by hanging sheer drapes on a continuous rod that figuratively and literally outlines the room as a private space. The sheer fabric hangs over the far back wall with the smaller windows to allow some light to shine through, but not so much that it would disturb someone’s sleep while also unifying the height of the larger sliding windows to the right. The drapery also helps to guide your eye up and around the space. Deep blues and various cool teals backed by clean sheer drapes make this master feel like a relaxing retreat, which is exactly what the family needed.

Calypso Delight Master Bedroom


The other side of the master bedroom features a magnificent view of a smaller island across the water in the distance. Parallel to that is an indoor balcony that opens up to the living room below. Maintaining privacy is important as well as finding a way to keep the room cool at night. We incorporated custom sliding doors made locally out of mahogany since the opening was not a standard door size. Their ease of use left it up to the family if they needed them to be open or closed for more privacy. Without the use of a traditional swing door on either side of the opening, we were able to incorporate a cozy lounge chair for those afternoon naps.

Calypso Delight Master Bedroom


Treat Yourself and Your Guests

The guest room in our client’s home is a treat for any of their visitors. This transformation was a seamless fusion of well-selected furniture groupings, fresh paint and window treatments – and of course an updated fan. The view from the guest room displays the pool and of course a view of one of the outlying keys that surround St. Thomas. What better way to enjoy your stay than in a guest suite fit for royalty, not to mention all the homey touches every guest appreciates.

Calypso Delight Guest Bedroom


The home was purchased with an unfinished pool, so of course, finishing the pool and making the most out of the outdoor real estate was a top priority. A covered portion of the patio allows for shade for those who need a break from the sun, while sunbathing lounge chairs are carefully placed close to the edge of the pool and the patio that opens up to a pristine view of the ocean. With views like this, the back patio and pool area are a great place to spend your afternoon during those summer vacations.

Calypso Delight


Reimaging a home for our clients and their families is part of what makes our work so rewarding. Where they start in their home does not mean that is where they have to stay. We love collaborating with our clients to see beyond what is given and modifying it to fit their family’s needs. Do you have some renovation ideas in the works? Share your plans with us so we can help bring you to your own little piece of paradise.

Colors of the 2021
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2021’S Colors Of The Year

Melanie Morris January 6, 2021 Beach / Caribbean, Color, Interior Design 5

A new year and the beginning of a new decade is what we all need. This year has taught us many things and one, in particular, being our need to find balance in our lives and the importance of home.  Our homes are our personal sanctuary, and when your home is the place to be, it nurtures your soul and supports your goals. Color has a HUGE impact on how a room feels and directly affects the moods of those who live there. 

The new year is the perfect time to take a step back and reassess what is most important to us and where our priorities will lie in the coming months. We are kicking 2021 off with a bang and have decided to change things up a bit from the typical color of the year story. We are sharing a little about the colors selected to set the tone for 2021 by a few different sources. Later, we will reveal our favorite selection with you and how to incorporate our favorite color selection into your interiors.

Colors of the 2021
 

PANTONE’S COLOR SELECTIONS FOR 2021

Pantone really started the whole color of the year “thing” and has been publishing their annual forecast for many years. Difficult times call for complex measures, which is why Pantone not only selected one but two colors for the year 2021. 

Pantone's 2021 Colors
 

ILLUMINATING | 13-0647
Illuminating is a bright, cheery yellow shade and is associated with optimism, vivacity, and joy. This vivid hue sprinkled throughout your home can help lift your mood, especially in these unprecedented times.

Bringing light to your life is a therapeutic consideration the color authority recognizes and supports their reasoning behind this vibrant yellow. Pantone makes their careful selections to spark conversation and encourage the will to reinvent ourselves and our surroundings into cheerful havens where happiness and warmth can be seen and felt throughout a space.

ULTIMATE GRAY | 17-5104
Ultimate gray marks the first achromatic shade and marks only the second time two colors have been selected. That’s right, folks, Pantone has broken the rules only one other time before. In retrospect, it makes sense, considering the manner and time we have found ourselves in. The thought behind ultimate gray is to encourage a sense of composure, steadiness, and resilience. Ultimate gray is considered a moody tone, which gives it a heavier presence and stability to anchor those pops of illuminating yellow.

BENJAMIN MOORE’S COLOR SELECTION FOR 2021

Benjamin Moore Aegean Teal
 

Our favorite color choice for 2021 comes from Benjamin Moore, Aegean Teal. The use of Aegean Teal is a response to our search for peace and tranquility as we move toward the next decade. The stillness, in its sunbaked hue, fills us with the feeling of order and stability. Aegean Teal is warm and viewed as an elegant addition to any design color scheme.

NATURAL HARMONY

This is a color we have embraced in the Caribbean for years. It reflects the color of the sea and brings back memories of relaxing at the beach. Aegean Teal is welcoming as an accent color and refreshing in lighter tones for whole rooms. 

2021 Ben Moore Color of the Year Wallpapers
 


SHERWIN WILLIAMS’ COLOR SELECTION FOR 2021

Sherwin William's Color Selection for 2021
 

Are your four walls starting to blend after seeing them every day this year? If you are looking to renew your interiors in 2021, consider tapping into a color that will bring you and your family a renewed and inspired energy. This hue is grounded in calm and rooted in biophilic design. Urbane Bronze is Sherwin William’s color selection for 2021. The idea that nature is never far away from our tech-heavy world and that your down to earth sanctuary can be a place of relaxation and serenity. Urbane Bronze can bring a warm and comforting aura to a space. Its natural organic appeal makes it effortless to live in. The use of this color can help accentuate design elements within your interiors while providing a tranquil and reflective zone to live and be.


GLIDDEN’S COLOR SELECTION FOR 2021

Glidden's Color Selection for 2021
 

2020 has brought firsts for many, and Glidden is no exception. Their color selection for 2021 marks the first-ever accent color chosen to represent the upcoming year. Aqua Fiesta is Glidden’s color choice and is a response to a year of feeling uncertain and anxious. Aqua Fiesta celebrates the positive and fresh things in life that make our homes sing. Have the confidence to break the norm and accentuate parts of your home that offer a welcoming surprise to you and everyone who witnesses this vibrant glow. 

SMALL, SIMPLE MOMENTS

As we journey into the New Year, we will see interior color palettes moving toward these color hues and incorporate palettes that embrace them. Inviting these new colors into our homes will help us keep that balance in our lives, to lift us up, and keep us on a steady course.

In our work in the Caribbean, we’ll be using these colors in creative ways. Aegean teal and aqua fiesta are colors we find easy to love as they reflect the beautiful waters around us. Our clients regularly request teal shades in all forms! Grey has been a sturdy, go-to neutral for the past few years. I confess I prefer it in a lighter shade. A grey-tone like a weathered pier is usually my go-to version of the shade.

Urbane bronze is an excellent substitute for black. Although black is a staple accent worldwide, I’ve felt that I prefer something a little softer under the Caribbean sun. Something that’s a little less definite, and color that can still have attitude! I love being encouraged to use more yellow in the coming year, and Illuminating is a fantastic shade of yellow. It can be seen in beach umbrellas, tropical flowers, and all things sunny. Brighter and lighter things are definitely a vibe we can lean into! I’ve put together a little mood board to inspire new projects in the new year below.

Color of the Year Mood Board
 

If you are looking for creative ways to add these colors into your home, below are some of our favorite products.  We love to introduce great color through accessories and rugs. It’s an easy way to try out a color without a massive DIY project!

Are you looking for ways to refresh your space for the new year? Are you not sure how to apply these colors to your interiors? Look no further, my friends. Lagnappe Custom Interiors offers expert interior design services. Connect with us today! We would love to chat with you about your next home project.

Happy New Year, and let’s make 2021 the best year yet!

St. Thomas Christmas Traditions
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St. Thomas Christmas Traditions

Melanie Morris December 15, 2020 Beach / Caribbean, Furnishings, Interior Design, Niceties 0

Christmas time is a special time all over the world. The twinkle of lights and joyous music in the air make spirits bright and call loved ones together to celebrate. Family traditions take center stage, and the razzle-dazzle of the season makes every day brighter during this festive time. St. Thomas has its share of celebrations during this delightful display of Christmas cheer with music, culture, and pageantry that are native to the island and its people. St. Thomas is home to a Caribbean fusion of food and culture that can all be experienced and enjoyed, especially during the holiday season. The varying cultural influences have helped shape how Virgin islanders come together to bring the magic of the holidays to life in their island way.


St. Thomas Christmas Traditions

 

When you think of Santa Clause, do you automatically think of Santa and his reindeer? In St. Thomas, Santa often arrives by boat to various festive gatherings. Reindeer are not native to the Virgin Islands, so the donkey-drawn cart tradition has taken on this iconic custom of the holidays with island style.   

Island Traditions

Traditions like the Old-Time Crucian Christmas are an annual holiday event that includes the inkberry tree lighting, a colorful parade, festive music, and authentic food and drinks. 

There is also the Miracle on Main Street holiday event that is one of the most anticipated affairs with arts and crafts, shopping, and plenty of holiday cheer. This tradition dates back to 1992 and has established itself as THE premier event that brings thousands of residents and visitors to the island. Attendees can indulge in culinary delights, fine music, and a one-of-a-kind shopping experience you can only witness from this marine community. This night is usually accompanied by the lighted boat parade on the waterfront.  Local vessels decorated with lights, trees, and many merry makers pass by the quay and toss candy to children onshore.

Holiday Cheer

Over on St. John, the big holiday party is the All Island Holiday Party. This event is hosted at Mongoose Junction and is the centerpiece of the holiday season. This tradition originated to help rebuild the community after Hurricane Marilyn in 1995. Since then, it has become a highlight for many and has served as a homecoming for seasonal residents. What better way to celebrate unity and the diversity that the Virgin Islands has to offer than by coming together and dressing up to be part of the pageantry.  

My daughter looks forward to fresh Johhny cakes during the holiday season.  Each year one or more of her teachers at school will bring supplies and cook for the kids in the morning.   They all enjoy the indulgence of some delicious deep-fried salty dough that can be eaten as bread or a biscuit and is authentically made using cassava flour. Johnny Cake can be eaten hot or cold and enjoyed while singing the infamous Mama, Bake that Johnny Cake, Christmas Comin’. 

 

St. Thomas Spirit

 

We have prepared our very own Holiday Gift Guide to help inspire your gift ideas. Christmas is coming indeed, and we hope you and your family will enjoy your traditions with your loved ones. Having everyone home for the holidays is always a treat and making sure your visitors feel welcome and comfortable in their home away from home is a gift you don’t have to wrap. Contact us today and let us help you prepare your home for your holiday guests so you can spend your time feeling the love and joy of the season. 

Island Christmas
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A Remote Christmas Holiday

Melanie Morris December 1, 2020 Beach / Caribbean, Furnishings, Interior Design, Kitchens, Lighting, Outdoor Living, Tips & Tricks 0

A St. Thomas Christmas
How do you and your family celebrate the holidays? Does everyone gather at a family member’s home to enjoy great company and great food? Or is it a time for an annual dining experience at your favorite local restaurant? What about a Christmas getaway kind of custom? Many families spend their Christmas holiday with a classic Christmas family vacation filled with luxury and tradition. This take on Christmas makes it one to remember every year with new adventures and joyous memories made in paradise. There are a few things to consider for your vacation home with an added island style for a magical experience during the most magical time of the year.

A Remote Christmas Holiday

 

Exotic holiday vacation spots can bring the festive yuletide, minus the snow. The culture, seasonality, and entertainment of your destination will make for a memorable adventure. With these vacation rental tips, your home will be the perfect place to “sleigh” the holidays.

1. Comforts of Home

Coming home for the holidays does not mean you have to go to your family’s permanent residence. Coming home for the holidays can also mean coming home to your family’s holiday island excursion. Spending the holidays in a home away from home still leaves a yearning for those little things in life that bring us comfort and cheer during this joyous season. Leaving plenty of room for holiday décor is one way to help make a holiday retreat extra special. Let those lights, tinsel, and holly fly! Ample amounts of kitchen space for families to gather in and make memories together to prepare all of their favorite decadent holiday delights is a sure way to make sure everyone’s spirits are bright. 

 

A Remote Island Christmas

 

2. One of a Kind Design

Unlike your typical hotel and resorts, vacation homes are much more personal and family-friendly. The amount of control you have over your vacation rental allows you to create a one-of-a-kind design for your guests to enjoy. Whether you are renting a beachfront or a villa that overlooks the island’s twinkling lights, your vacation rental will be the perfect home base for island visitors. Capitalizing on design elements that make St. Thomas a memorable and exotic experience is another way to make your guests’ accommodations unique. Gathering places that go beyond the living room, such as fire pits or outdoor seating areas that face the ocean’s grandness, offer memorable Christmas moments that you can only enjoy in a place like St. Thomas.

 

Island Christmas

 

3. Family Friendly

Not all vacation spots are the same. After a long year of COVID and many other hurdles, families will be planning on reconnecting to close out this year together. Family-friendly spaces will be environments for more intimate events but allow plenty of wiggle room for those larger families who have survived this year together. Open kitchens, sofa filled lounges, or roomy decks overlooking the beach are all ways you can prepare your home for plenty of space to play, dine, and celebrate. 

To pull off a St. Thomas Christmas holiday experience, give us a call. Our perspective and well-experienced team know island vacation rentals inside and out. We can weave the holidays’ magic with the prestige of island paradise, so the only question will be where you want to spend the holidays this year?

Season Living Virtual Showhouse
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Seasonal Living Magazine’s Virtual Showhouse

Melanie Morris November 20, 2020 Beach / Caribbean, Interior Design 13

Take a Tour into the Future

2020 will forever have its place in the history books as the year that everything changed. Life, as we knew it earlier this year, seems so far away now. Just look how far we have come. I don’t think any of us anticipated the magnitude or the lasting impact COVID has had and will continue to have on our society going forward. Your home base has become even more essential to survive the day to day and navigate life effortlessly. Our homes’ experiences will continue to adapt and change to provide havens for those that dwell within them. Thanks to the so-called limitations of social gatherings, we have all been incentivized, and perhaps required, to get creative. People and companies’ perseverance have brought so many extraordinary events and innovations this year despite the pandemic. This upcoming virtual showhouse is no exception. We are thrilled for the unveiling of Seasonal Living Magazine’s Virtual Showhouse coming soon on December 3rd, 2020 at 6 p.m. ET.

What better way to tour a virtual showhouse than from the safety and comfort of your own home? Having the showhouse accessible right at your fingertips gives you the flexibility to quickly reference what is working in your home and what you may need to adjust in the months ahead. How is this possible? Seasonal Living Magazine’s Virtual Showhouse is being brought to you with virtual reality! Prepare to be inspired by the beautiful design work of 11 top designers from all around the US. You’ll be able to see how they style this massive 20,00 sq ft. Malibu beach home and find out about the featured products and how you might use them in your own home. You can zoom in, zoom out, and all-around to gather inspiration for your living space.


Season Living Virtual Showhouse

 

LIVE in 3-D

Seasonal Living Magazine’s Virtual Design Showhouse also allows you to walk around and experience every room from every angle. This immersive environment will be broadcasted LIVE and at no charge. The 3-D walkthrough features the world’s first 20,000 square foot luxury home experience all in the virtual world. Thanks to 11 nationally known interior designers, they celebrate the architecture and interiors of this beautiful creation. Their goal is to bring product discovery, shopping, and key highlighted products directly to you. This stunning modern residence stands proud on 20 acres in Malibu, California. With the click of your mouse, you can take everything in at your own pace. You can witness the exquisite architecture and layout of the residence representing how homes will function in the future with considerations like COVID and today’s homeowners’ forever changing needs. This designer showhouse’s realization is an indication that we all need to stay on top of home interior design trends to keep your homes running smoothly and beautifully.

 

Get the Full Experience

Excited to be part of the unveiling? Get your complimentary registration here, to join in the YouTube festivities. You can also check out the video here to take a glimpse into this breath-taking experience. See something you like? Here at Lagnappe Custom Interiors, we use the same software to form virtual models of your home plans. This helps you get the full experience before it even breaks ground. Please drop us a note to see how we can help you incorporate these futuristic ideas into your home today.

 

Kitchen Design Tips
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How to Design the Perfect Kitchen

Melanie Morris November 15, 2020 Beach / Caribbean, Interior Design, Kitchens, Lighting, Tips & Tricks 2

The kitchen is the heart and soul of many homes. There is something special about having all of your favorite people in one place to enjoy some delicious food and lasting memories. As you and your families begin to plan and prepare for the holiday season, you may find yourself spending a lot more time in this area of your home if you haven’t already been this year. In our previous blog post, How to Design Your Vacation Rental, we talk about the kitchen arena’s importance. Because of the kitchen’s larger footprint, we thought it would be best to devote a blog article to include anything and everything in its own entry. If you plan on remodeling or updating aspects of your kitchen, there are quite a few things to consider. 

Kitchen Design Tips

APPLIANCES

How many people do you anticipate having in your home at any given time? This will help you decide on the size of furniture and appliances to purchase. If you have a group of 12 or more in attendance for a gathering, you may want to splurge on a larger fridge, (or multiple refrigerators) to store larger quantities of groceries and any prepped dishes that require refrigeration. If you are limited on space, an extra outdoor fridge or dry bar area could take care of any overflow items you may accumulate. If you own a seaside location, consider an ice maker as well to keep island cocktails cool and water fresh.

Heating elements in your kitchen are another important appliance piece of your kitchen. We recommend induction cooktops for preparing a fantastic dish. They heat quickly like a gas stove but do not have an open flame. This set up is also super easy to clean. If you are one who has family members with dietary restrictions, multigenerational families, or if you are hosting your family’s holiday gathering this year, here is our favorite kitchen appliance piece to help you cook your traditional favorites. While this appliance is a little on the expensive side, this microwave/convection oven is a huge space saver that can hold a larger size pan.

No matter what your appliance choices are, it is always best to choose your appliances first. They are the functional part of the design, and appliances have very limited size options. Cabinets can be made in any size so it’s best to fit the cabinets around the appliances. 

CABINETS 

Your cabinets should be paired with the heart and character of your home. If you are thinking of updating your cabinets but unsure what options to go with, we recommend hiring a professional. There are many trends and styles out there to filter through and having a professional’s perspective can help you make choices that will suit both your home’s style and your family’s needs.

Cabinets are lasting fixtures in your home and a big investment so tapping into a pro’s knowledge even if they charge a fee is usually worth it! You can opt for custom cabinetry tailored to your home’s exact size and style and equipped with extra organizers if the budget allows. You could also explore pull pantry or trash units to help increase storage and make navigating storage even easier for you and your family. Here is our favorite cabinet style, hands down. The enduring classic, the Shaker cabinets. These cabinets can be dressed up in various ways and have many subtle variations to help you style them for a specific look.

COUNTERTOPS

When it comes to countertops, quartz is our go-to. This man-made material is durable, affordable, and gives a fresh, clean look to a kitchen. There are an infinite number of styles, colors, patterns to choose from in the world of quartz surfaces. If you’d prefer a more luxurious countertop, you could opt for granite or quartzite. These natural stone options are beautiful and well worth the investment. When you are designing your countertops, make sure you have plenty of counter space that maintains the room’s flow. If the room feels a little tight, don’t feel like you have to have a piece that does not fit your space. A countertop fit for a breakfast bar or a built-in banquette dining makes for perfect space savers that still allow everyone to gather in for a casual lunch.

LIGHTING

Ample lighting in the kitchen is essential. With all the activities in your kitchen, it will serve you better to have plenty of light for any task or event. Your space should include overhead and under-cabinet lighting to allow for easy use and overall warmth in the space. That homey feeling can also be brought in with decorative pendant lighting to accentuate the room’s overall look and feel. 

COLOR CHOICES

Color choices can amplify the personality of your kitchen. Dropping a brightly colored kitchen backsplash to your cooking area is a great way to add a little extra flair. This small area is not too hard to change out or add in later, and it can make a massive difference to your master chef environment. Here are some other ways to add color to your kitchen:

  1. Colorful Dishtowels
  2. Serve-ware
  3. A Fun Toaster
  4. Coffee Maker
  5. Colorful Dinnerware
  6. Cookware

DINING ROOM AND SEATING

The more, the merrier! Make sure you have enough seats for the maximum number of people you plan on having in your home. Another thing to remember is the purpose of the gathering. Is it meant to be more of a formal dining entertainment event or a fun come and go setting where swimsuits are welcome? Family is family, which does not mean you all must sit together to enjoy the others company. Whether your guests are seated at the breakfast bar or dining table, as long as everyone is together in the same house, and they can feel the love, you are good to go. For dining table selections, glass is always super easy to clean. However, if fingerprints will drive you nuts, maybe a rustic edge wood table would serve you better. Remember, seating for guests should be comfortable and relatively easy to move if anyone needs to be squeezed in. It is okay to spend a little more on a chair that will hold up better and provide sturdy support for all of your guests.  

 

 

We hope this discussion helps you start thinking of those essential elements needed for your kitchen renovation or update. We are happy to provide our expertise in the transformation and would love to discuss your kitchen project details. Going through the process will significantly impact yours and your families’ quality time, where so many activities and memories are made.

Book here, today! 

Are you looking for the perfect kitchen accessories for the holidays? Check out my latest guide on items that all ship to the VI!