The Warm Place - Feb 2026

Building our Urban Tropical Base

I began before it was mine.

Up in New York I watched videos. I searched images. I narrowed the feeling down to something specific: Palm Beach chic with a touch of urban Hollywood Regency. Blues. Greens. Pink against crisp white. Gold and glass for luster. Oliver helped me make some mood boards.

The rules for the apartment are different. Furniture deliveries had to be scheduled. Nothing could sit in a garage. The easier delivery options were expensive and I’m on a budget. The budget sharpens decisions.

I ordered what would make the apartment immediately livable: three mattresses, a queen and two twins, and a $300 couch from Lowe’s. Not a usual place to buy a sofa, but they allow pickup and the price was right. I needed a place to sleep and a place to sit. Everything else could follow.

We arrived at one in the morning and went straight to a hotel. J had already picked up the keys. The next day we rented a U-Haul and loaded the beds and couch from Lowe’s. Jay assembled furniture while Serge and I hunted.

Constant Packages

TJ Maxx. Local stores. Facebook Marketplace.

One of the best finds was a cream and blue chinoiserie sofa table with touches of gold. I bought lamps, cleaning supplies, a plant. I did as much shopping as possible while we still had J’s huge SUV.

After they left, I worked during the day and furnished at night. Amazon. Wayfair. Etsy. First the practical pieces: dining table, chairs, bedding, towels. Then the decorative: lamps, vases, art. I accepted pieces from friends’ storage only if they fit the color story. Dusty blue. Tropical green. Cream. Gold. Teal. A little pink in the bedroom.

Constant Shopping

I always need a partner when I build a room. I have the vision, but I can’t execute everything alone. In New York I have Reggie who builds what I design. I needed a Florida Reggie. Those people are hard to find. Many advertise. Few show up. Fewer know their tools. Word of mouth is the only way. I mentioned I was looking for help to Andre at Auto Karma. He said he rarely recommends anyone, but he had a handyman who was reliable. His name was Berdy.

Berdy came the next day. He hung the floor-to-ceiling drapes across the east-facing window. He mounted the art. He assembled the furniture that arrived after Jay and Serge left. He worked carefully. He knew what he was doing. He is my Florida Reggie.

Two twin beds went into the second bedroom. They can push together for a couple or stay apart for sisters and friends. The apartment is built for hosting. Bedrooms flank the open living space. Guests have privacy.

You walk in and see a marble and gold entry table. A blue straw hat with shells hangs above it. A ceramic lamp. A cream and gold bowl for keys. Jay’s digital calendar.

To the left, a white tulip table from Facebook Marketplace. Slim white leather chairs.

The $300 sectional sits opposite the TV. It looks like what it cost, but it works. Over it hangs a blue and cream hydrangea painting Joe found in storage. It is temporary. I will find something wider.

Floor-to-ceiling drapes frame the window. Cream panels inside. Blue and white outside. Full and soft. In front of them, the chinoiserie table and two wicker chairs with blue cushions. A tall bamboo in a blue ceramic pot stands in the corner.

The TV rests on a wicker credenza and doubles as a frame for art and music.

In the second bedroom, tropical quilts in green and blue. A dresser on order. A table between the beds for guests. Plenty of closets. A deep tub in the bath.

My bedroom holds a pale seafoam quilt. Green dressers as nightstands. A jewelry tree. A desk with monitor and chargers organized. Tropical shower curtain. Wicker storage.

The laundry nook is black inside with wood shelves and woven baskets. Everything has a place.

The apartment began as a mood board.

Now it feels like home.