FLORIDA ORANGES
1980 was the last time I set foot in the beautiful sunshine state of Florida. I had (naturally) bleach blond hair, wore bright orange Izod shorts, I couldn't drive (after all I was only six) and thought everyone shuffling around looked like the cast from Cocoon. After spending the better part of last week setting up a beach house for clients in southwest Florida, I realized not much has changed since 1980; No one can drive but if they do it isn't over 19 mph, the median age is 80, and the color wheel consists of two shades: bleach white and orange. From the airport in Tampa to the lobby at IHop in Sarasota, color and fabric trends were reminiscent of the set of my favorite 80's sitcom, "The Golden Girls". While it is peachy to be beachy, not every home has to look like Tommy Bahama meets Grandmamma! One of the challenges I faced was designing the 800 square foot living room whose main focus is the sunrise which casts gorgeous hues of orange over the morning sky. While the couple was pleased they found their dream home, they begged me to fill the rooms without emptying their checking accounts. With a deadline of 48 hours and budget equivalent to a basket of oranges, I headed out to comb the local flea markets and antique stores. After a day of running around in the humid Florida sun, with rosy cheeks I headed back to show them what I'd done. By googling "furniture thrift shops" I found a wonderful organization called the Women's Exchange (http://www.womansexchange.com/) a thrift store (located throughout the country) which takes donations of mostly furniture, using the proceeds to provide high school and college scholarships for local teens. With less than $2,500 I was able to furnish the entire house. A new twist on the old Florida orange, I found a pair of chairs for $45 which were the inspiration for the room, draped in fabric with shades of pink, purple and orange. So, if you're shopping for furniture but lost your shirts on Wall Street, check out Main street in your city and the local shops for deals that will make your friends green with envy!
TIME TO COMPLETE TASK: One Day
COST: Chairs:$45/pair at the Woman's Exchange, Sarasota, FL. http://www.womansexchange.com/
STRESS LEVEL: Feeling Beachy Keen: LOW
