Smart Solutions: New setting allows you to reimagine your home
About a week before our long-awaited vacation, I came down with a nasty cold. Still, the doctor said she wouldn’t stop me from going to Miami Beach despite the medications required to fly with what had become a sinus infection.
In fact, she said the Florida sunshine would do me good and she was right. The warm weather was the best cure of all.
Although I had been to the Miami area before, I had never stayed there for long and there was plenty to see and do.
As soon as we landed, I was inspired by the casual and colorful locale, starting with our Uber driver who wore the signature clothing I associate with the setting in the form of a crinkly linen shirt and a pair of jeans.
That was such a refreshing sight to see after one too many winter coats.
The people-watching was fascinating everywhere we went as was the dog-watching that became my favorite pastime. I haven’t seen such a dog-friendly city since we were in Paris years ago.
Our friends’ townhouse where we stayed had me reimagining my own rooms to be classic and simple and bright.
Practicality also topped my wish list inspired by a pair of luggage racks that came in handy during our visit along with the sofa that doubled as a daybed where our daughter slept.
I also admired their iconic furniture like a tall book tower I might buy if I can find the right place for it.
With the feel of a modern treehouse, the view from our bedroom of the swaying palm trees and the yacht-filled marina were absolutely mesmerizing. The massive cruise ships were another sight to behold.
Just when I found myself falling for the minimal décor of our temporary living quarters, I was drawn to the salon-style art displays along the walls of the lobby in my mom’s nearby hotel.
Though we enjoyed many restaurants in the area, I especially liked one popular spot that serves breakfast all day. There, guests can expect coffee mugs the size of soup bowls and tasty potatoes in cups that make them easier to eat.
Our surroundings made me appreciate the brightness of white combined with vibrant colors that I would miss when we returned to Michigan. Although we were fortunate to come home on a sunny day, the next morning would bring steady rain, which is hard to take after all that sunshine.
Still, no matter how glorious the holiday décor, like the enormous tree in the lobby of our friends’ building, Christmas decorations never look quite right to me in a warm climate. When I saw a substantial Santa statue next to a nativity scene perched on the side of a pink building, they seemed really out of place.
Though I surely felt the lure of Florida tugging at me once again, I am happy to be back with our dog despite the winter chill. I can handle the cold. All I ask for is a little sunshine.
In the meantime, I try to remind myself how many snowbirds will be heading back to Michigan in a few months to escape the Florida heat.
Jeanine Matlow is a Metro Detroit interior decorator turned freelance writer specializing in stories about interior design. You can reach her at jeaninematlow@earthlink.net.