Walls: B.M. Goldtone (because of north light) and I like only one of your choices. The other pieces don’t compare.

Thank you Judy. That is a beautiful example. Any thoughts on a Sherwin Williams paint color? Glad you like the credenza. The chair and table you suggested are beautiful. My concern with the chair is cat claws so I want fabric that holds up to class but does not hold fur. With the table, my husband is the king of wonder and I thought glass top would survived well.

Congrats on your new condo,hope you keeps us posted on your progress. Count me as another who loves that credenza. And I like the table...pedestal rounds are always so accommodating:-) Judy, can you please share a source for that chair?

edit: I found the chair :-) Kinda dim that I recognized the "caracole-ness" of the table but didn't of the chair.

Thanks Holly. The pedestal table comes is many finishes. Thoughts?

Smoda...well, my thoughts are mixed. Basically do you wish to echo the existing dark woods one more time (EZ-er and elegant choice)) or let the credenza be the start of a lighter look overall? Since you mention that you love beachy and whitewashed, I would probably explore more of that direction. Of course,I'd likely be allocating part of the budget to paint or replace the living room built-ins. But,honestly, at the end of the day, with that incredible view, you could put in a couple of plastic lawn chairs and be living in paradise.

your condo HOA May have something to say about painting the outside a (lanai) a different color. Their goal is consistency through out the building exterior. At least it should be!

If I had the good fortune and funds to purchase a condo in that location, I'd be looking to design a home in the 'trees' and it wouldn't include an dark cabinets or black granite in this fairly contemporary envelope.

smoda61:

Be ready for extreme sticker shock when you do any remodeling please.

I can't imagine what I'd have to charge to work on a project where every night's stay cost me $500.00 and had to wait for the servant's elevator every time I needed a tool from my truck. I'd go hourly plus expenses and it would really sting.

Joe, you reside in Florida. People rehab the dated.......and every dime of it, if well DONE..... comes back. Having done four in the last few years, and set not a foot in any of them courtesy of great synergy with client and contractor. even I'm astounded at the gobble up when someone moves "up" to yet another fixer. A water view........$$$$$$$$

The time tables are tight, you attack between May and November. A war plan and a drill sergeant and a good freight elevator you pray.

As far as extreme sticker shock ... that will also depend on what state someone is coming from. For us coming from CA, the west coast FL remodeling prices are quite a bit lower. We met a couple from the DC area and they have also found that they are paying quite a bit less for projects in their recently purchased FL home.

Hey all, sorry i have been so quiet. I am at the condo as I type. Nightmare getting here monday night and we fly back out tomorrow am. Met with three painters, a woman who will maintain property when we are not here and met with a decorator. Each will have a key to the property to do what they need to over the next months. Pretty much everything I listed with pretty much throw out at this point. Spaces are longer or shorter than I interpreted off photos. I have spent hours measuring and mapping and also assembling furniture for the lanai. I will try to put together individual responses tomorrow at the airport. I still have more to so before we head north again. Not back here for at least 3 months.

The decorator should be measuring................

following

Going to work through replies:

JudyG - now that I have been down there I am pretty much back to square one. The credenza is too large for the wall or how I would want to use the wall. :( I am going to check into the "goldstone" paint and try to find the SW equivalent to test out.

HollyBar - The cabinetry in person is so very nice, I really feel that I need to embrace it and figure out how to lighten the mood while utilizing the built-ins. I do agree (and the decorator mentioned it as well) that I need to echo the tone of built-ins strategically.

Jan Moyer - The decorator did measure and we provided him a key to our condo. He can do in any time he needs to re-check a concept. I am not a hands off person, so the measurements are for me. I will be testing out any of his suggestions while continuing to look for ideas myself. I want to be sure the end result with the decorator is "me".

Tootsie - Your thought is logical and in our Maine vacation condo, that would be blocked. At this condo, the previous owner already had a wonky color. That being said, after being there, I am not going to get clever with the color and will keep the ceiling classic white like the interior of the unit. I concluded that waiting white inside and blue on the lanai, breaks up the flow between inside and outside when we open the invisible walls.

BeverlyFLADeziner - I understand your point. That is just not in the budget. I need to embrace and incorporate.

Joseph Corlette - Plentry of contractor options. No one paying $500 per night. Also, there are beautiful exterior stairs that I used the whole two days. We are up only two flights. There is also an elevator. There are only 16 units in the building. I never had to wait for the few times I preferred the elevator to the stairs.

I think I covered it. It was an exhausting few days - two travel, two working on the condo, but we are excited. I appreciate every suggestion provided. As I wrap my head around things, I am sure I will be posting more, here or in a new thread depending. <3

Love the space hate the dark cabinets and that entertainment center needs to go for sure .This is always where my head goes for Florida condos

"I am not a hands off person, so the measurements are for me. I will be
testing out any of his suggestions while continuing to look for ideas
myself. I want to be sure the end result with the decorator is "me"."

Several thoughts. No designer really wants a hands off client. EVER. They aim to please. Actually, they aim to thrill.. That happens with a dialogue certainly, with images of things you like, of rooms that in one way or another push your buttons.

But then? You stand back a bit. Give that designer some generous elbow room to take you to that spot that is exactly what you wanted, and also what you may not ever have imagined you wanted. You don't need to be equally in love with every selection to be absolutely ecstatic with a space on the whole. Trying to keep that in mind can be hard. But that is why you have the help. For a total vision......and one that is very much you. The thrilled "you".

The nuts and bolts of dimensions and possibilities should be evident on a floor plan he provides you. It should suit the budget, and if it crosses lines in that regard, should have great explanation as to why. A very honest fiduciary discussion happens at the onset, realistic expectations are set.

The purpose of help, always, Is to get what you want - better than you'd have ever gotten on your own. Anything else is secondary : )except having quite a bit of fun.

I agree with everything you said. Where it is long distance and won’t be back for over three months, I want to have the info that would be available to me had I been there. Our first impromptu meeting in the condo was great, we made awsome progress with the functionality of the space and I think he understands that. Now over the weekend I will be sending him examples of my tastes. From the few things he initially picked out, i know I have not conveyed that yet. (We are also dealing with father in hospital atm - short notice surgery while we were in Florida). He listened well but I also made it clear that “yesing“ does us both no good. I want a two way conversation (three way it I allow my husband to have opinions :p ) :)