Little did Ashley and Dino Petrone know when they arrived on vacation on Anna Maria Island that they would find their next project flipping an inn.
The fuel behind @arrosandbow on Instagram, the Petrone’s were no strangers to renovating spaces in a few months. When they fell in love with the island and a rundown motel fell into their lap, they knew what they had to do. Before their vacation was over, they had secured the property.
Cozy Counts
Ashley’s main focus as she planned for what became Joie Inn was to create a space where her own family would feel comfortable and welcome. Kid-friendly creature comforts like highchairs and fun decor were always a part of the plan. And for the grownups, beverages of choice are provided upon arrival.
Additionally, color was a guiding factor for Ashley as she imagined the interior design of the four unit inn.
She drew inspiration from the vibrant, beachy colors on Anna Maria but also wanted to create a cozy warmth that made the space feel like home. Each room is named for its feature color.
The Terracotta Room
One of Ashley’s color choices, terracotta, was a perfect reflection of the rosy tones of a sunset on the beach—a sunset their guests could watch every night by taking a few steps down to the beach. The warmth of sun soaked terracotta was the perfect complement to the island vibe but still maintained a contemporary palette.
Terracotta is splashed across the 750 square foot unit (the largest of the units) from the decor, bedding, shower tile, and kitchen backsplash tile. Speckles of terracotta in the terrazzo floor tie the different elements together.
Why Terracotta?
Ashley and Dino worked on the inn during the pandemic when just about everything was changing. People were at home much more than before and they began to really live in their homes.
This prompted a lot of renovations. That combined with a desire for more comfort in design produced a totally different paradigm. Even design colors were shifting from cool and clean to cozy and warm. That meant less gray and more beige. More muted reds and oranges and fewer brassy brights.
The toned-down red-orange-brown of terracotta is not only comfortable, but conjures up the warmth of sunny patios filled with pots of flowers drinking up the sun. It’s the perfect color for producing a sense of comfort and warmth.
Terracotta is also one of those colors that can act as either neutral or feature color. It stands out in the design when called upon to do so. But can also blend into the palette and create a harmonizing effect. It’s just one of many trending colors that can perform this same magic trick, like sage, blush, mustard, navy, charcoal, and others.
Want to find out what other colors Ashley chose for the Joie Inn? Keep reading.
