After Dori Guedj and her family moved into their South Florida home nine decades ago, all the walls were whitened and the landscaping was the first builder. “Ever since our first day in the house, the artist has touched every inch of the walls. I designed my own landscape,” states Guedj. The result? An eclectic but tranquil home that feels just like a relaxing resort, in earth tones with splashes of color. “It’s quite calm inside. There is that Zen, meditative sense,” states Guedj.
in a Glance:
Who lives here: A couple and their 3 children
Location: Pembroke Pines, Florida
Size: 3,200 square feet
That is Interesting: All the painted artwork in the house is by Guedj and her daughters.
Guedj’s house is a mix of influences and sources. “I don’t understand why I gravitate to teak woods, crazy patterns and Asian details, but I really do,” Guedj states. “I find my furniture and accessories in import boutiques in Miami and, believe it or not, on Craigslist.” Within this installment with Cesar, the king of the house, that the animal-print side chairs and hide rug are the stars of a mostly neutral brown living room.
The entryway showcases Guedj’s unique artwork, eclectic design taste and enjoy of bringing the outside inside through plants.
Rug: Anthropologie; golden eyeglasses: Pier 1 Imports; Paint: Home Goods; plant basket: West Elm
Guedj’s daughter’s room has a favorite Craigslist purchase: a teak headboard purchased for under $25. It currently sells on Etsy for substantially greater.
The retro decoupaged seat is always a talking point for guests. “Everyone comments on the seat when they view it in my daughter’s room. It really shows my love of decoupage,” states Guedj. She decoupaged her daughter’s old ballet pointe shoes and hung them on the wall.
Authentic Moroccan lanterns hang facing mehndi wall art in Guedj’s daughter’s room.
Lanterns: Berber Trading
Guedj gave their porch wall a classic finish. “My daughter wrote the poem for me personally, and we both did the stenciling,” states Guedj, who resides with her daughters through art jobs.
“My daughters and I really do mehndi on palms and feet with henna. One day it occurred to me how lovely it would appear on the walls. So we began painting our home’s surfaces, mostly ceilings and walls,” states Guedj.
Guedj’s teenaged son is a throwback rocker and guitar player. She states that his room is “a reflection of himself, together with all the guitars and vintage rock posters and record records,” adding that her eldest daughter’s art bits (blown glass and murals) are also in his chamber.
Along with painting, landscaping is Guedj’s other passion. “I love working with plants and garden design. My landscaping involved a tremendous amount of labor with rocks,” she states. The Buddhas and Eastern influences throughout her home reveal her love of Asian themes as well as her belief in feng shui.
“The weather in South Florida is amazing. We spend most of our time outdoors and eat most of our meals in our pergola virtually every day,” states Guedj.
More:
Underneath the Pergola
So Your Design Is: Eclectic
Treasures from Thailand