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What would come to your mind regarding this style?

We're having a house built (few more weeks to go) and for some reason, I envision an overall view of Old Florida/Tuscan interior. All interior walls are a medium muted gold (it looks dif in dif lighting, but it never looks too gold nor too pale).

Furniture will be traditional style/dark wood, (Ashley's KEYTOWN collection) for master and living room. Light fixtures are dark bronze w/pebbly goldish glass globes.

I will add several lush fresh plants, art work, area rugs are still to be selected.

Any tips as to what would make you say "yes, that's an old Floria/Tuscan look".

Thanks!

I'm thinking West Indies/island style decorating...Am I making that up??

I grew up in Old Fl, and I don't think of that type decorating and Tuscan as anything alike???

The style that has been branded Tuscan is nothing like anything you would find in Tuscany. I'm not altogether certain what Old Florida style is but British West Indies style sounds more in keeping with your climate and surroundings.

I love that old style like an Ernest Hemingway style and old Miami Cuban styles (with some Spanish architecture). I love those styles along those lines in decor for myself.

I looked up your style and I like that type of furniture too! A mix with bamboo and or wicker is nice too.

anyone remember this fun cottage from Kitty B.show and also in several decor mags? Kindof a West Indies vibe.....

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Do you have inspiration pics of the two styles?

I am not sure how to pull off the two styles mixing either.

Florida seems like light, airy, wicker, etc. with tropical colors.

Tuscan just seems like a different decorating direction.

An example of FL style.

http://www.baers.com/tommybahama/

Another example for you.

http://www.yumyumtreefurniture...ew=wrapper&Itemid=76

Wicker is fun as you can easily change out the cushions with different covers.

Are you building in FL? You will love the year round nice temps!

Here is a place that sells the old Hollywood Regency style that was so popular in South Florida and Miami.
https://www.facebook.com/pages...84567?ref=ts&fref=ts

this style was always associated with West Palm Beach for years! Making a comeback!

Annie, LOVE Kitty's stuff, thanks for posting those pictures!

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Mary Ruth,

This is what comes to mind when I think of vintage Florida decor

Bamboo and rattan furniture upholstered in tropical print barkcloth with matching curtains.

Terrazo floors

kitschy items like pink flamingos and seashells mounted into a plaster of paris base.

artwork like Highwaymen paintings.

I think it is interesting, CJO, that you asked "what comes to mind" regarding the styles you are thinking about. That is key.

When I think of the homes in Tuscany that I have seen I remember a rural feel and rustic materials. I think of the warm beigy color limestone and the deep orangy red of terra cotta. There is a lot of texture in tuscan homes. I also think of the boxy Italian house shape. The feeling of real tuscany is old, casual, worn, heavy, and almost spare.

When you say "Old Florida" I am thinking you might mean Spanish Mission, or the architecture in Florida that is influenced by Spanish settlers. The boxy look of Spanish mission, with terra cotta tiled roofs look similar to buildings you might see in Italy in Tuscany.

It can be hard to translate a vernacular style of architecture into a new home. Sometimes you end up with something trite and silly, and nothing like the buildings that you are looking to for influence. American tuscan style is a good example of what I am talking about. Wrought iron bar stools, a wallpaper border with grapevines, yellow walls and an arrangement of sunflowers a Tuscan home does not make.

So then, what to do? I say research and make lists. Find pictures of real homes from the region you are using as an influence and pin them up. Study what is in the home. Really look. Compare photos to other photos. Start making a list of what you see. My list for Tuscan, or Florida Spanish Mission would be:

old
rural
rustic
worn
textural
heavy
country
casual
dark
beams
terra cotta roof and floor
stone
plain
sparse
carved
boxy
straight
etc.

Then when you are choosing furnishings describe the furnishings to yourself. If the descriptions of your furnishings don't match up with the descriptions of your architecture then you are on the wrong path.

For example a sleek modern chrome legged chair probably is not going to create the tuscan feeling I am going for. A heavy looking, carved, wooden chest in a worn paint finish probably will - even if it isn't italian or spanish.

That is my method for translating vernacular style into something for now, that is fresh and original. It is about capturing the essence and feeling without trying to copy something exactly.

I just read the Interior Designer quote of the day:

There is a common language that makes each style recognizable, but the idiosyncrasies that vary from region to region and house to house are what define its spirit.
- Susan Sully

Mostly people who move here to Florida BRING some of their treasured items with them and this helps to bring with them their style also. Then they find some of the items do not look good here, need too much maintenance in this climate, or the COLOR is all wrong. The sunlight is different here than other parts of the country so the color 'feeling' changes. For example, in the early 90's I brought a few items with my favorite 'Almond' color. The color looked like a yellowed, dog peed on, yucky color to me in Fort Lauderdale! NOT a good color for me any longer! I had not been a fan of BRIGHT WHITE, but in Florida, it looks great!

My house now (color photo attached) I had chosen colors in Virginia before moving to see if I would still like those colors when arriving in Florida. YES I still liked them, but a different version of them.

Photo attached is showing colors I ended up with

What I did (pic attached) shows color choices made in Virginia on the left and then I went to the paint store with a list of colors to choose from. We were visiting Florida to find a place to live for when we were to return as soon as the job move could happen...so I had not been too long since seeing those colors in Virginia.

You will notice the Va choices are similar (all from memory, did NOT bring samples with me from Virginia. But there are some differences.

The choices on the right were made in Florida within 2 weeks of first choices. That gave me a sample of the color changing when in Florida sunlight.

The Florida choices for my house (last post showing with flooring) show my choices 1 yr after being here... and finding a house and then putting the samples in the actual rooms they would be in.

The experiment for me showed me that you cannot choose colors ahead of time for a house, because there are many factors that affect the color, direction of sun, etc.

So, it also makes it HARD to choose the fabrics as well. I am looking at fabrics for my furniture that is not anywhere near what I thought I would like. I have to let the house evolve and tell me what goes.

I hope that helps some in having a feeling for the changes in what you like that will come ahead in your move.

Since I had chosen the first samples on the left only a few weeks ahead of the samples on the right, my memory was fresh. My criteria was red, greens, blues, yellows, reds (one from each family) in case I needed to go that direction.

Coral: a color I always wanted to live with, turns out that outside my pantry and laundry room windows I can see (Dec to Feb) bright coral color of a flame bush on our shared fence with neighbors. So, my laundry room got the color paint and it matches with those flowers! When the bloom is gone, I can remember the color explosion outside even when not there!

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Mary Ruth,

I was thinking British Colonial or West Indies style as well. It seems most homes I look at in Florida all have white everywhere and lots of beachy items. I like that, but would tend to gravitate more towards the British Colonial style. I'm not sure where "Tuscan" would come into play, although I love that look too.

I think the Tuscan look is great, landscaping can be done as well with this type of greenery. Of course it is an interpretation of Tuscan as anything else since one cannot experience the actual feeling unless you are there. But we all take home bits and pieces of the things we love about where we have been. I myself, carry the US NE, England, and Nova Scotia with me wherever I go. I try and recreate the feeling I had when I was there... That is one of the most endearing things about Ernest Hemingway, his things were from his travels all grouped into one house, becoming one look.

And gathering items at the beach happens naturally as you walk along the shore and visit local shops and absorb the local color.

And the Spanish style homes in new developments with this style are all over Florida. So, I am sure you will find a way to get your style into the house... then you can MAKE IT YOURS with your own tweaks and additions.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Mary Ruth,

Using key style descriptions, try searching Houzz or Pinterest for ideas: British Colonial, Spanish Mission, Old Florida, etc. Decide which appeals to you more and then go from there.

I found this photo from Destin, Florida (resort) and there are lots of housing developments named Tuscan or Tuscany. So, a lot of ideas can be gleaned from this type of Architecture.

I like the look of Mizner park in Boca Raton, Fl. That shopping area has a great feel to it (with palms) and I have spent a lot of time enjoying it in the past. We stop in sometimes to sit for a while to check out the window shopping on our way to visit my daughter who lives in Fort Lauderdale.

I was going to recommend that you Google Image "Addison Misner". He built many beautiful Mediterranean style homes in Florida in the 1920's. I have gotten many great ideas from him.

Like Mary Ruth mentioned Misner Park in Boca is a beautiful place, and if that's to over the top, The Villages in central Florida are a little more budget friendly.

I tried to find just one photo to capture the essence of Mizner Park, found one to show its vastness...
(mall link: http://www.miznerpark.com/ )

and another shot taken during the day with the great Barrel tiled roofs and stucco that was an INSTANT hit with Floridians!
Named for prominent Florida resort architect Addison Mizner (1872-1933), who brought Mediterranean influences to Florida architecture, Mizner Park is a lifestyle center

I didn't read through all the posts so I may be repeating other posters input.

I think the "Tuscan" reference come from Addison Mizner's work in Palm Beach. These days all of the shopping district in downtown Boca Raton is based on Mizner with all the yellow stucco and terracotta tiles.

If that's the look you want, wrought iron,travertine,tapestry fabric and large tropical florals would be a must.

I agree that "Old Florida" is more like the cigar makers cottages in Tampa and Key West.Which I think of as a tropical British Colonial style with bead board, ceiling fans,raffia, and mid 19th century style furniture in dark mahogany.Like The Raffles Hotel in Singapore.

Lots of gorgeous photos of homes and interiors here:
http://www.google.com/search?q...dfc&biw=1280&bih=552


Like Charles D. posted, I like that old Key West style too, it's so breezy and tropical looking.

DH and I love the Mediterranean look too. Which can include Tuscan, Spanish, French Country, Grecian, Morrocan etc. I think we have a little bit of each in our home. I just wish I could afford pecky cypress ceilings!

This message has been edited. Last edited by: zone9alady,

Charles D,
Ijust went to view that hotel (Raffles Hotel in Singapore) and it is wonderfully done.

I also like the old Cuban houses in Cuba (not about to go there to view).

Of course not much to do with Actual Hemingway, but always liked the Thomasville collection they had called Hemingway and its large scale. I liked this desk and the 'adventurous' style it is. I remember viewing the collection in the Thomasville showroom and sat in the huge chairs and wanted it ALL!

I think of old Florida as white walls, darker floors cozy furniture. I don't think Tuscan goes with that at all... http://st.houzz.com/fimgs/e6f1...ical-family-room.jpg

There was an episode of this old house with Bob Vila. It was a white house in florida they fixed up. Wish I could find some pics

I stayed at The Pelican Grand in Ft.Lauderdale a few weeks ago. The room decor was awful, but the lobby decoration was a great example of old Florida. Pecky cypress ceiling, large plantation chairs, and a very large old looking oil painting of the Everglades in a huge gold frame. They had the coolest game table covered in raffia with leather steamer trunk type details and lots of different palms. I think the furniture was from Bauer International.

Love that last photo!

CJO,
did we scare you with all our descriptions? See how personal preferences can alter a 'look' and we each made it personal?

What do you plan on for the setting for your beautiful furniture?