By Jaimee Preston
As the stately glass door swings open to the Hays’ Viera home, out spill Scooter and Skittles, an adorable Maltipoo and Havanese. Lisa Hays and her beloved pets convey an instant warmth and elegance that is evident in every aspect of this home design. “A house should be warm, welcoming, and functional. But … it should still always look fabulous!” explains Lisa, interior decorator and owner of Lisa K Hays, an interior design service.
True talent is instantly recognizable. And one glance from the entryway into Lisa’s formal living space demonstrates this beautifully. Here, the careful hand and eye of an artist who is well versed in her craft unfolds.
Bubbled, circular, two-story glass windows invite the outdoors right into the formal living space. With what seems to be an intuitive ease, Lisa has selected luxurious furniture that optimizes this sweeping view. On either side of the window, oversized florals, designed by Lisa, frame this outdoor oasis. Her subtlety creates an illusion of the pool meandering right into this open living space.
But it wasn’t until Lisa came back to view this house for a second time that she realized they had a dream home within reach. “I decided to bring my paint and tile samples along with me. It was then that I discovered that I could transform this house into a spectacular place to call home.”Back in the fall of 2012, when Lisa and her husband Ron Hays, CFO at Globe Wireless in Palm Bay, learned they would be returning to Florida from Denver, the hunt for the perfect house began in Vero Beach. Lisa remembers viewing over 50 houses in one weekend. “We knew we wanted to find a place that felt like a real community,” Lisa explains. Unexpectedly, they found the community they were searching for in Viera.
A tour of her vision and design scheme begins with the master suite. “I believe in color,” Lisa says when explaining how she chose the color palate for this space. “I like warm and welcoming tones that will transition seamlessly throughout the house.”
A powder room reveals glass mosaic tiles from Island Tile. Lisa selected these tiles to enhance the glass bowl sink that was already in place when they purchased the home. “I think a powder room should be dramatic,” she exclaims with a smile.
Next, Lisa describes the formal dining room. There, a chandelier from Fine Art Lamps in Miami presides over the room. “This chandelier moves with us from home to home,” she says as she looks upon it fondly. This timeless statement piece is just one way Lisa skillfully defines and inspires the décor of a room.
Moving into the west corner of the house, Lisa sets the stage. “I like a little drama and glamour in my kitchen.” A Moroccan desert blend of black, iridescent pewter and bronze tile shimmers from the surface of
the granite counter tops all the way up to the high ceiling. “I needed to work off these beautiful Wood-Mode cabinets.” She motions to the walls and island. “It took several different paint tones to get the black and gold just right.” A mirror-fronted cabinet reflects the palm trees and views of the outdoors, while her oversized island is personalized with sentimental pictures of her husband and pets.
Here, the family room flows seamlessly off the kitchen. The same Moroccan tile that glamorizes the kitchen has been designed as a backdrop to their flat screen TV. Venezuelan glass vases and plates, treasured art from their year and a half stint abroad, adds interest to the bookshelves.
It is evident that Lisa envisioned the family room as an ideal space for entertainment. Two walls of windows roll open to the outdoor living space. There, an outdoor kitchen with a Fire Magic grill backs up to the pond where Lisa often sees the neighborhood alligator sunning in the lawn.
Their pool is a tropical oasis complete with a waterfall, cave and spa back dropped by a view of the golf course. “Wait until you see the upstairs family room,” Lisa grins. “It has even better views.”
True to her word, the upstairs family room seems to drift right into the skyline. The porch offers views of the golf course, rocket launches, and fireworks from Space Coast Stadium, not to mention those gorgeous Florida sunsets. Lisa has reserved this family room as a place of serenity. “We sit up here, sip wine and just unwind from our busy day.”
The second story also hosts four bedrooms, one of which Lisa has revamped into a fully functional office design space. Here she stores a broad range of décor samples that she utilizes when guiding clients in individualized and custom designs. Just as her own home reflects a passion and love for crafting beautiful interiors, Lisa believes that style always should reflect a personal taste. “A home should look individualized,” she says. “Your house should not look like the one next door.”
Lisa K. Hays offers a broad range of services, including custom and luxury bedding, color and wall coverings, finish and material selections, floral design, finishing touches, furnishing selections, home and condo staging and a Renew, Revive and Refresh! service. You can learn more about Lisa at LisaKHays.com.
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