Florida Blues
With a refreshing color palette and sharp dressmaker details, T. Keller Donovan, a designer based in New York and Miami Beach,
transformed a master suite in Delray Beach, Florida, into a cool, comfortable retreat.
WHAT MAKES THIS ROOM WORK
• A custom-colored chinoiserie toile. "The color had to pop to feel new and right for this locale," says Donovan. The pattern was printed on a white
matelassé with a pin-dot texture to give the fabric greater durability, since it would be used on upholstery and exposed to the bright
Florida sun.
• Bold scale. "A smaller-scale toile would look country, while this looks more sophisticated and dramatic," says Donovan.
• The settee. It reiterates the main fabric and also serves as a bench for pillows, blankets, or clothes.
• Plenty of white. On the walls, headboard, linens, lamps, mirror, and even prints framed with wide white mats in simple white frames, it lessens
the intensity of the intricate toile pattern.
• A sea grass carpet. It adds neutral texture and underscores the oceanside location of the room.
BEDROOM BASICS: Bedside tables should have closed drawers and doors. Everyone has clutter next to the bed, so invest in a good nightstand
to store these items neatly.
RESOURCES: T. Keller Donovan, Inc., 212/760-0537; toile fabric by Scalamandré (to the trade), 800/932-4361, www.scalamandre.com.
