OLDE FLORIDA CHARM
THREE DECADES OF FAMILY MEMORIES
PRESERVED IN A MODERN COASTAL RENOVATION
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AAfter 33 years of ownership and several renovations, the owner of this Naples residence had enjoyed decades of happy memories, from raising her children to now welcoming her grandchildren in the same home. She subsequently wanted a remodel that would reflect new design trends and her current lifestyle, adding more colorful and comfortable spaces.
“With the requirement for updating building codes, it is challenging to do a remodel for an older house,” says John Cooney, Partner of Stofft Cooney Architects. “Most people would have razed the home, but this owner had many sentimental attachments and did not want to tear it down. It was Mediterranean styled, dated, and lacked many modern amenities and architectural features. Tearing the home down was not an option for the owner. Our objective was to fulfill her wishes and bring the home up to today’s standards. In altering a home, we never want to compromise the architectural aesthetics and features.” u
Entry: After the renovation, a staircase in the foyer created a lower ceiling, which led to the new hobby room (not pictured) above the great room. The bottom half of the walls featured blue grasscloth wallpaper with the upper half crafted of a printed wall covering featuring a palm motif. The designer wanted the brass chandelier from Hubbardton Forge to be airy but grand in size due to the high ceiling. The brass sconce lighting gave a subtle nod to the chandelier with its curvilinear form.
Formal Dining Room: “The walls below the chair rail feature classic millwork detailing, further elevated with the use of silk wall covering in each recessed panel, repeated in the ceiling,” says Liz Brown, Lead Designer at Calusa Bay Design. “A gorgeous floral wallcovering above the millwork adds a pop of pattern to the space. The light fixture is fun and feminine, with hand-blown glass bulbs reflecting the light. The brass hardware is repeated on the metal base of the table with chairs upholstered in rich blue velvet.”
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Great Room: According to Radick, “The great room was enlarged by removing a wall and lowering the ceiling, giving the room a more homey, welcoming feel.” Matt Knauf, owner of Knauf-Koenig Group, designed the coffered ceiling to hide the AC vents in the middle vein, keeping a clean look throughout the home. After the remodel, the ceiling was opened to the second floor, creating space above the great room to be used as a hobby room (not pictured). The great room represented the homeowner’s unique and eclectic preferences.
Powder Room: The powder room, adjacent to the dining room, features a vessel sink and a bold blue and white wallcovering. The cabinetry was painted a perfect blue to nicely coordinate. “Wallpaper is clearly making a comeback as it adds depth, texture, and color. We are using it more and more,” shares Brown. A beaded chandelier with rope detailing adds a soft casual feel to this bathroom. The countertop material is man-made quartz with bold blue veining running through it to continue the theme.
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Kitchen: “We obtained large slabs of indestructible man-made quartz material for the island countertop,” says Brown. “The handmade ceramic backsplash tile was fabricated in a unique elongated diamond shape — repeated in different elements throughout the kitchen.” The custom tapered range hood above the Wolf stove was crafted in a distressed pewter and accented with brass rivets. Beautiful white perimeter cabinets are perfectly combined with a rich blue island. Sub-Zero and Wolf appliances throughout the kitchen are from Ferguson Bath, Kitchen & Lighting Gallery.
Dining Room: “This is understandably the home’s most popular gathering area,” shares Brown. “With the kitchen dining area seating 12, this is inherently more casual and welcoming than the formal dining room, with its rustic oak table and kid-friendly woven chairs. The rectangular beam detail in the center of the tray ceiling creates a double tray. We selected the three-pendant tapered lighting fixtures in clear glass, so they would not interfere with views into the great room.”
Calusa Bay Design worked with the architect and builder and was involved from concept to completion, creating a dynamic remodel team. Randi Scott guided selections for finishes, cabinetry design, and ceilings, choosing wide plank European White Oak flooring. Lead Designer Liz Brown was the wizard at pulling everything together, guiding the interior furnishings, wall coverings, and lighting. “The homeowner is extremely knowledgeable about current design trends and wanted to incorporate classic and timeless elements with furnishings that truly showed off her unique and eclectic taste,” shares Brown.
Part of the homeowner’s remodel decision was based on other projects she had seen in her Pelican Bay neighborhood, completed by KnaufKoenig Group and Stofft Cooney Architects. In researching the builder, she learned that Knauf-Koenig Group has a solid reputation for excellence in building and remodeling luxury homes in the Naples area. They have been quietly leading the transformation of Pelican Bay during the last few years, frequently partnering with Cooney in the creation of award-winning designs. u
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Primary Bathroom: The primary bath previously contained dated round windows with ceramic shower tiles. The new bath features square windows and straighter lines with a paint and glaze finish in a taupe-colored gray, sharing similar hues from the primary bedroom. The cabinetry along the sides of the soaking bath and beneath the sink have pulls that add to the contemporary lines seen throughout this space. Walls in a rose hue vinyl grasscloth add texture and offset the grayish tones in the cabinetry, and at the same time complement the plush pink cushion on the vanity chair and in the area rug.
Primary Bedroom: “The primary bedroom was furnished with soft tones of pastels and pink, the client’s color of choice,” says Brown. “A hand-knotted rug with saturated colors is a fresh take on traditional patterns and adds great juxtaposition against the classic and more traditional furnishings.” The chandelier from Visual Comfort is crafted in a brass finish and adorned with delicate brass butterflies, providing an eclectic take on a starburst chandelier. The ceiling is an effortlessly coastal combination of white painted beams with tongue and groove. The stools were reupholstered in a whimsical Kravet fabric. Lamps by Regina Andrew feature a marble base with brass accents.
Director of Marketing for Knauf-Koenig Group, Nick Radick, adds, “The homeowner wanted updated features for her home, which had some Tuscan flair. We gave the home a refresh and brought it up to modern-day styles, including every window and door replaced with Andersen Windows & Doors 400 Series windows, sourced through Florida Wood Window & Door. The remodel took about two years. Part of that was during the pandemic and its related supply chain issues. Today, the home boasts a coastal elegance with design features now seen throughout Naples.” u
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In reflecting on Naples’ remodeling trends, Matt Knauf, Builder and Owner of Knauf-Koenig Group says, “A shift has been occurring where the early 2000s Tuscan-style is long gone, and homeowners are wanting clean, straight lines with light colors. The coastal style will always be a Naples favorite.”
The total renovation of the home magically transformed it from a traditional, partial Tuscan style to a home with Naples’ Olde Florida charm. The revitalization of this well-lived-in and much-loved home, built in 1987, was a team effort by Naples’ top architectural, construction, and interior design companies, who combined their talents to breathe comfort and happiness into each room while elevating the home’s design to today’s current styles. n
Guest Bedroom: With frequent visits from growing grandchildren, it was important to furnish the guest bedrooms in practical kidproof materials and colors. This blue and white-themed bedroom is completed with two metal twin beds in a classic theme from Four Hands, and a coastal gray woven rattan dresser with brass hardware — all ideal furnishings for the grandchildren during their visits. The dresser not only offers practical storage, but also provides a surface for the homeowner to display some of the many notable accessories she has procured throughout her travels. Nightstands and lighting are crafted in clean and sleek lines, while natural wood and rope details add a subtle coastal flair to this guest bedroom.
Guest Bathroom: Classic white cabinetry with a unique beveled door style is paired with natural marble stone to create the countertop. The base cabinetry is further elevated with tall storage, and a bold white patterned wallcovering from Schumacher adorns all of the walls for a fun and whimsical feel.
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Rear Elevation: “While the shape of the pool and spa remained the same after the renovation, a full resurfacing and tiling added a burst of renewed energy, along with new landscaping surrounding the home and pool area,” says Radick. The new pebbling of the pool in a Tahoe Blue color gives off a tropical flair, rounding out the outdoor area’s makeover. Motorized hurricane shutters and motorized insect screens were installed by Castle Services of Southwest Florida.
Written by Marge Lennon
Luxury Home Builder: Knauf-Koenig Group
5640 Taylor Road, Suite 3
Naples, FL 34109
239.592.9900
www.kkgbuild.com
Interior Designer: Calusa Bay Design
5121 Castello Drive, Suite 2
Naples, FL 34103
239.325.2800
www.calusabaynaples.com
Architect: Stofft Cooney Architects
111 10th Street South, Suite 308
Naples, FL 34102
239.262.7677
www.stofft.com
Resources: Castle Services of Southwest Florida
3963 Enterprise Avenue
Naples, FL 34104
239.304.4620
www.castleservices.net
Ferguson Bath, Kitchen & Lighting Gallery 38 Goodlette-Frank Road South Naples, FL 34102
239.963.0087
www.build.com/ferguson
Florida Wood Window & Door
Andersen Windows & Doors
5691 Halifax Avenue
Fort Myers, FL 33912
239.437.6166
www.fwwdinc.com
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Photography by Venjhamin Reyes Photography