EXPAND YOUR LIVING SPACE OUTDOORS
It’s that time of year we live for in Naples and Boca Raton, the perfectly cool yet delightfully warm sunny Florida weather that invites us to spend as much time outside as possible soaking it all in. In one word? Lovely. Given the large amount of home time we’re also still involved in at the moment, it’s also a fine reason to make sure your luxury, high-end home is outfitted with up-to-date, comfortable outdoor accoutrements. The Clive Daniel Home interior design team has you covered.
POOLSIDE TECH
There’s a certain allure about enjoying the game or streaming TV while floating on a raft, drink in hand. Aquavision now makes a TV custom-built to withstand the elements, even the most challenging ones presented by Florida’s tropical environment. Its Horizon television is sealed and protected from water, dust, sand, moisture and yes even those annoying Florida pests that somehow make their way through even the most fortified lanai screen, no-see-ums.
OUTDOOR KITCHEN
Never miss a moment of the outdoor party when you can cook and prepare dishes outside as well. Utilize your porch’s overhang to build out plenty of counter and storage space with ample lighting, and appliances like wine refrigerator, smoker, griddle, pizza oven and gas cooktop. The pizza oven often proves to be the biggest crowd pleaser, be it the wood fire or gas-powered version. Your outdoor kitchen can be built out in stainless steel, stacked stone, or granite for a beautiful effect.
…the perfectly cool yet delightfully warm sunny Florida weather that invites us to spend as much time outside as possible soaking it all in.
OUTDOOR LIGHTING
Consider landscape lighting to not only guide vehicles along the driveway and the peace of mind and security of a well-lit area, but also to highlight your yard’s design for nighttime walks and peeks out the window. Keep in mind to choose fixtures that can hold up to Florida’s tropical climate during that OTHER season. Fernando Wong, a landscape designer whose clients include the Surf Club in Surfside, Florida and the Institute of Contemporary Art in Miami, insists on LED bulbs wherever possible for your outdoor lighting, “They use 80 percent less electricity and you never have to change the light bulbs,” he says. “When they first came out, we shied away because the light was too harsh, but the technology has caught up and now many nice soft lights are available.”
LED goes one step further for your outdoor living area with a Smart and Green Globe lamp featuring 20 white LEDs and 15 colored LEDs within this oversized portable, rechargeable giant ball. You can link a bunch of them together using Bluetooth technology to create ever-changing individual displays. These lamps also last at least six hours between charges.
FLORIDA LANDSCAPING
Once a certified professional begins design plans for your yard, you can work with them to choose the most effective irrigation system for its needs, one that can be easily adjusted to suit our tropical Naples and Boca Raton climate of heat, rain and often months-long drought. Consider which plants you’d like to see out your window as well as those that work in a sustainable setting to maximize their growth and health. A myriad assortment of beautiful native plantings exists, from succulents, orchids and bromeliads, to hedge flowers like fichus, cocoplums and Indian Hawthorne with its beautiful pink flowers. Then there are the many varieties of native Florida palm trees, including the fanlike Bismarck palm and stately royal and coconut palms that reach a potential 60-100 feet in height.
FENCE/SECURITY GATE
In your choice of a defining outline for your property, tall hedge shrubbery can accomplish the task, but most homeowners of luxury high-end homes decide on a fence as well for that added layer of privacy and security on top of aesthetics. Your architect can weigh in on this decision, be it an ornamental metal or brick fence, vinyl, aluminum, or even upscale chain link. The style of your home’s architecture plays a pivotal role in your fence and security gate choice.
Clive Daniel Home is local to Florida, with experienced interior design advice and knowledge for your luxury high-end Florida home. Award-winning designer Lisa Mettetal has some great ideas. Give her a call in our Naples showroom at 239-261-4663, or email [email protected].
