Making a House in Florida Feel Like Home
Some of you may know that before Nestia, I worked as a creative director for Little Miss Party- and event planning company founded by Seri Kertzner. Seri was more than just a boss to me, but a friend and a mentor who eventually felt like family. When she moved to Florida this year to create a better environment for her family, I was sad to see her leave NYC, even if only temporarily.
Luckily for the both of us, we have continued to find excuses to work together, share our creativity, and keep in touch regularly. Seri has incredible taste, and found many amazing pieces for her house on short notice. She used all our favorites, like Wayfair, Target, and Ikea to secure solid furniture quickly. Since this house is a temporary solution, there was no sense in shopping for high end items, but she still wanted to make it feel like home.
That’s where I came in. Seri had the large items taken care of and the house was looking great, but it felt like it was missing those personal touches that pull the space together. She needed some flair, some coziness, and personality. First, we tackled her office space. She needed some bright artwork to compliment the mini clock and white deer head she already owned. I designed a gallery wall using decor I found on Society 6. To be totally transparent, we were not impressed with the service as multiple items were missing and broken in the order, but in the end, the wall came together nicely.
Next, Seri asked me for help to pull together the front entryway. She found a fabulous bench and round mirror, but wanted to fill in the gap from there to the door. Seri has never been a “plant” person, but I told her if she’s living in Florida with beautiful sunlight, now is as good a time as any! I found a stunning planter (similar linked here) and suggested an umbrella plant because I knew it would be an easy one to care for.
Next to the kitchen, Seri found a beautiful bar cart but wanted to fill in some space above and beside it. Again, I suggested an easy plant (snake plant!) and a tall planter. We found this record pop art print and a simple poster hanger for a casual look and to bring a pop of color and contrast to the space.
Finally, we focused on a cute little nook she had near her back door. The space was open and screaming for us to do something in the opening above the ledge. Seri found a rocking chair she wanted from Article, and I took care of the rest. I thought the area could use some pampas grass, which I sourced from AFloral. I found an oversized vase for the grass, figuring it would fit nicely in the deep set opening. I also found a large beachy print to fill the wall space and a gorgeous, mosaic side table (similar linked here.)
It was so fun to help Seri bring her space together, and I had even more fun seeing it in person for the first time! We even did a little video tour on her TikTok and more to come on Instagram reels this week.