Winter Garden interior designer, shop owner shares tips for home aesthetic

WINTER GARDEN  Anyone can be a decorator, but it takes someone with an eye for creativity to take a house and transform it into a home.

That is exactly what Winter Garden resident Anne Fanelli does as an interior designer. Fanelli owns her own shop in downtown Winter Garden on Main Street, called Anne’s Art and Design, which focuses on the artistic interior and caters to customers looking to spruce up their living quarters and create a comfortable home atmosphere.

“Interior design is an art, and art is a key component of interior design,” Fanelli said.

Fanelli has been an interior designer in Central Florida for 25 years and is licensed by the State Board of Architecture and Interior Design. She is a member of the American Society of Interior designers and a licensed realtor. The seasoned interior designer has background in a multitude of industries that use interior design strategies, including hospitality, residential and commercial interior design with projects such as model homes, hotels, yachts, spas and restaurants. 

“The love of art is what sparked my interest in interior design,” she said. “It was a good avenue to go into that ended up being a very lucrative career for me. Art plays a huge role in interior spaces — it sets the mood, the colors and the atmosphere.”

SHOP AROUND THE CORNER

After working at Disney as an Imagineer and at Berkshire Hathaway, among others, Fanelli’s love for art and interior design in turn sparked her interest in opening her own shop. With a small, cottage-like atmosphere, she uses brightly colored artwork and knickknacks to bring color and light into it and to contrast against the neutral-colored furnishings. Painting is another love of hers, and some of her pieces are on display. 

In her shop, customers will find a range of decorations and unique centerpieces. A large turquoise vase sits as a centerpiece on the front table, surrounded by kitchen utensils and dishes emblazoned with clever sayings, such as a fondue dish that says “Just in queso.” Along one wall is a collection of dish towels, also embroidered with witty phrases that make people laugh. In the back of the cottage is a small kitchen area and a wall covered in wooden canvases, white-washed with a dry paintbrush for that rustic look. One canvas reads, “We lose ourselves in the things we love. We find ourselves there, too,” a quote by Martz. Another is a tribute to John Lennon, reading, “You may say I’m a dreamer, but I’m not the only one.”

PERSONAL TOUCH

Clients who might not be as familiar with interior design are always encouraged to come to her for help. They describe their goals and vision for the space they are working on, and Fanelli instructs them to begin by telling her things they are interested in and what they love.

“I listen to what’s important in my clients’ lives, and if there’s a particular piece of art or furniture they can’t part with, I will include those items in the space and accentuate the things that will work in a space,” she said. “If it’s a piece of art, I’ll build a room around it. I can (even) go from construction documents and houses that aren’t built yet and help design spaces that will fit the furniture, design-reflected ceiling plans (and more).”

Some suggestions Fanelli has for those looking to personalize their living spaces include choosing a color palette for the home that looks good on you, much like choosing clothes based on colors that work for you. And with this busy, fast-paced life Americans live — between working and raising families — she encourages clients to make their home a relaxing space by bringing nature indoors. 

In fact, some of the top design trends she has seen with clients currently includes minimalist themes and colors, nature-inspired earth tones and pieces, rustic and country-chic, clean lines and simplistic designs. No matter the theme, though, Fanelli said the No. 1 thing that is most important in designing a home is creating something that is comfortable and relaxing.

“I love putting it all together and making people happy,” she said. “(The best part is) creating spaces that my clients love, feel comfortable in and are happy in.”

Contact Danielle Hendrix at [email protected].