To get an idea of what’s to come, we browsed thousands of home design photos, spoke with countless home design professionals, consulted the latest Houzz data and research, and looked at past articles to create a snapshot of home design trends we think will excite homeowners in 2020. It’s not only a new year but a new decade. And what the months and years ahead will bring is anyone’s guess. One thing is for sure, though: The modern home and how people choose to live in it will constantly be … [Read more...]
Staging your Luxury Home to Sell
Staging for Success According to National Association of REALTORS® 2017 Profile of Home Staging, seventy-seven percent of agents representing buyers said that a staged home helped their buyer visualize themselves living in the home and forty-nine percent of those agents said that staging a home impacted their buyers’ impression of the property. Staging a home for sale has also shown an effect on buyers’ offers to purchase the home. Offers are augmented between one to five percent for a staged … [Read more...]
The New Useppa Island
The wind whips through your hair as a ferry zips through the mangroves that line Pine Island Sound. In the distance, a small island appears on the horizon. It’s a place where cars are forbidden, where croquet is king and where, each morning, children are instructed to be home by sundown. Welcome to Useppa Island. Once frequented by pirates and captains of industry, Useppa Island has long been a place for people looking for respite from the hustle and bustle of the mainland. But as the … [Read more...]
Support Native Wildlife & the Environment with Natural Beauty
Including nectar- and pollen-rich plants in potted displays, or in your garden, can help support the native birds, butterflies and bees where you live. While pollinators require more than just a food source for survival — they’ll also need water, native plants for laying eggs, habitat for roosting and more — supplying our winged friends with a place to stop for a meal can help support them. Include at least one flowering plant guaranteed to attract bees, butterflies or hummingbirds — or even … [Read more...]
The Quiet Side of Florida – Discover Useppa Island
Discover Useppa Island - Southwest Florida's Paradise Coast provides a stark contrast to the I-95 corridor and high rise beach development of some of the more populated areas of Florida's east coast. Just imagine, 25-miles of pristine barrier islands, from Sanibel north to Boca Grande, with a 3-story height limit, and an ecosystem largely preserved as it was 100 years ago. Now, imagine forever views of sea, sky and foliage, to the north and south along Pine Island Sound. A protected area … [Read more...]
The Perfect Nature of Useppa
Have you ever wanted to live in the pristine heart of nature? Then Useppa Island should be your home. Located in the north sector of Pine Island Sound, 3 miles south of Boca Grand Pass, the Sound is a designated Aquatic Preserve. Florida’s highest ranking, it is one of six aquatic preserves that make up the Charlotte Harbor complex of preserves. The Gasparilla Sound-Charlotte Harbor Preserve is located just north of Useppa and extends easterly to Burnt Store and Punta Gorda. Wildlife Pine … [Read more...]
Decorating to Welcome Family & Friends for Thanksgiving
A TIME TO CELEBRATE Thanksgiving finds our homes dressed in full finery: candles lit, silver polished, favorite fall centerpiece pulled from the cupboard and linens pressed to crisp perfection. It gives us the rare relaxed moment to focus on the blessings we've received in the past year and to welcome family and friends for the sheer pleasure of their company. Timeless Tradition, Contemporary Flair Timeless tradition and contemporary embellishments are equally at home on a well-dressed … [Read more...]
Stay Safe Before and After the Storm
When hurricanes strike land, they can wreak havoc on homes, communities — and sometimes your vacation plans. Stay safe and learn more about protecting yourself and your family in the event of a hurricane or tropical storm. What Is a Hurricane? A hurricane, also called a tropical cyclone, is a rotating low-pressure system that forms over tropical or subtropical waters. It’s generally accompanied by severe thunderstorms with strong wind speeds. Heavy rains and flooding are also … [Read more...]
USEPPA ISLAND GETAWAY
By Nadine Welch Mike and I decided it was time to get out of Dodge and take a road trip with our flats boat. The hustle and bustle of south Florida makes this kind of trip a stark contrast and welcome break. We ended up on Useppa, a small island between Pine Island and Cabbage Key, on the southwest coast of Florida. These places are almost due west of Fort Myers, near the mouth of Charlotte Harbor. The path that led us there was anything but ordinary. It was as if we were being … [Read more...]
Find Your Secret Hideaway on Useppa Island
Do you remember when you were a child, with your own secret hideaway? It was that place where you always felt safe, calm, warm and protected. A place where you could dream and imagine….anything! Under a blanket as a fort, in a closet, behind a chair, beneath, or up in a tree; wherever that place was, it was your “secret escape.” Now, you’re grown and you haven’t thought about that childhood secret place for a very long time. It still may be your secret. Busy with life, work, children and … [Read more...]