Jones - Retired in Style!

The Family

When newly-retired Doug and Heather visited Knoxville, they fell in love with the lush green surroundings, the warm weather and the peaceful life of this Southern town, so they decided to sell their house in Florida and move to Tennessee.  They found a newly-constructed home with a view of the Tennessee River in West Knoxville, with the perfect porch for the outdoor-loving couple to enjoy the sunset over the water and the nearby park.

The Project-The Designer's Challenge

The Jones' wanted the new house to be completely finished and furnished before their arrival in only EIGHT weeks!  They could not and did not want to do this from Florida, so they asked their real estate agent, Donny Singleton, if he knew someone who could help, and he referred them to Angelique Medow and Building Ideas.  The Jones' had never met Angelique, but after talking with her on the phone, they felt comfortable trusting her to deliver the perfect result for their homecoming.  Angelique welcomed the blank canvas and went to work immediately, managing to deliver a completely re-done home to match the new owners' every desire ... and then some.  

Aside from the short time frame, the Jones' had several requirements that provided a challenge.  Among these elements, were remodeling the butler's pantry to include a top-of-the-line icemaker and wine fridge, researching and purchasing entertainment and appliances for the living room, kitchen and laundry areas, and finding two, attractive recliners for the living room.

Since the eight-week deadline did not allow enough time to order furniture and guarantee delivery, Angelique knew that all furnishings would have to be in-stock, since no special-orders would arrive in time.

After an arduous search for attractive recliners, two, premium-luxury, cucumber-skin-green recliners were found.  With such an unusual color, Angelique knew she'd have to plan the rest of the room around those chairs to make them look like they were the perfect fit.   A faux marble finish with green veins was painted above the large fireplace in the living room, and luxurious drapes in shades of green and beige softened the space to make the chairs the crowning accent to the functional and beautiful space.

Doug's viewing experience was also enhanced by the selection of a flat screen TV instead of Doug's original choice.  The flat screen was HD, bigger, (always better!) and a good fit for the custom-made entertainment center.   A built-in surround sound system, was also added, which provided a great deal of superior technology.  And, the kitties weren't left out, they got kitty chaise lounges that fit right into the living room, bedroom and office décor.  From their front porch, the Joneses can enjoy not only the sunsets but also the custom-colored and stamped concrete, while resting assured that the kitties are safe inside the custom, wrought iron railings, made in the perfect dimension so no curious kitty can squeeze through.

The Results

The butler's pantry/wet bar is now complete with top-of the line, filtered icemaker and wine refrigerator fit for the grandest of gatherings.  Intricate custom painting and faux finishes are throughout the home, enriching and enlivening their feeling of home.

Heather's wish for a royal bedroom was more than fulfilled.  Angelique  complemented the black marble fireplace with lush, rich textures, combining the drama of black velvet with the coziness of natural linen to create comfortable decadence.  A nine-process metallic faux finish in the trey of the master ceiling creates the depth and drama of old-world theatrical ambiance.

The entire home has grand and detailed luxuries, such as an impressive tapestry to accentuate the cathedral ceilings, mirrored chandelier trays, custom shelves in the guest bedroom to accommodate a prized vintage baby crib, and beautiful wall stencils throughout the dining room, hallways, and bathrooms.  Angelique delivered an unexpected touch of royalty by refurbishing two antique deacon's chairs from the 1800s, which are now proudly used in the dining room.

Upon arrival to their new home, Heather and Doug found complete accommodations for living: clean linens over luxury mattress pads and pillow-top mattresses with cloud-like pillows, comforters, towels, hangars, soap, professional and spotlessly-cleaned house inside-and-out, silverware, glasses and goblets for their favorite wine and liquors that were pre-stocked in their butler's pantry, handmade chocolates on the nightstand and Heather's favorite flowers, gardenias on the dining room table.

Fun Facts:

Doug loves to take off his shoes and feel the coolness of the floors while cooking a good meal.  Heather loves shoes and enjoys filling her walk-in closet with only the best, Milano Blahnik's included!

Doug's favorite room:  the living room, perfectly equipped with his favorite chair and TV.
Heather' s favorite room:  the master bath with its cathedral ceilings and fireplace aside the Jacuzzi tub.

Heather is now a spokesmodel and provider of the dazzling Park Lane Jewelry.  You can see and purchase gorgeous jewelry from Heather at http://myparklane.com/hjones.

Designer's Tip:

If you have a large piece of furniture with sentimental and/or practical value, such as Doug's green recliner, use paint and accessories in different tones of the same color to complement that piece.  Soften the space and create visual balance by intertwining neutral colors and different textures of fabrics.  If you have sentimental pieces like Heather's large, vintage baby crib or collection of dolls, creating a custom armoire to perfectly accommodate and organize the various sized-pieces can be just the trick to making them look valued instead of like clutter.