Text: Eleanor Lynn Nesmith
Photography: Spacecrafting Photography
With a perch high along Pelican Bay in Naples, Florida, this sixteenth-floor condominium offers a bird’s-eye view of the wonders of nature. White sandy beaches, shimmering emerald waters, pelicans in flight, and breathtaking sunsets are daily reminders of the joys of spending time along the gulf.
Those panoramic vistas were enough to convince a Minnesota couple it was time to find a permanent roost and head south for the winter. “They were in the process of downsizing from their longtime home to a loft in downtown Minneapolis,” recalls interior designer Lucy Penfield. “At a meeting about that project, they pulled out a set of drawings and announced they had just bought a condo in Naples and wanted to be in by January—this January, and it was already September.”
It was time to design, full speed ahead. Fortunately, Penfield had worked with the couple over the years, so an established understanding was in place. Penfield quickly teamed up with Build, a respected local company. The luxury condo was nearing completion, so Penfield was able to customize the shell and select finishes in keeping with the lifestyle of the newly retired couple.
NEUTRALS, NATURAL TEXTURES, AND WICKER AND RATTAN FURNISHINGS LAY A FOUNDATION REMINISCENT OF SAND DUNES, WHILE ART, ACCESSORIES AND ACCENT PILLOWS REFLECT SUNSETS, TROPICAL LANDSCAPES, AND THE GULF OF MEXICO.
—LUCY PENFIELD
“Ten-foot-tall ceilings and expansive floor-to-ceiling windows made for a dreamy starting point,” says Penfield. “Granted, a vacation home with an open plan is more casual, but there needs to be intimacy, separation, and a sense of scale.”
New five-inch-plank oak floors and custom tile finishes lay a timeless foundation, while beaded and sculptural chandeliers, patterned wallpapers, and decorative fixtures add character. But it’s the art and accessories with their punches of vibrant colors that instill the ever-important element of fun.
“We played with scale,” recalls Penfield. “We wanted a big impact, but we didn’t need precious art. Our goal was playful and joyful with a coastal vibe.” Two complementary blue abstract canvases, measuring six by seven feet, anchor the foyer as a fitting introduction of things to come.
With beauty and permanence as the guiding principles, Penfield used natural materials and tactile finishes along with a mix of linens, cottons, and performance fabrics throughout. Taking a spin on the color wheel, rooms easily flow from one to another, illustrating how a varied palette works with continuums of color when the level of intensity is the same.
The two gathering areas, the great room and library, bookend a central dining room. In the slightly more formal great room, a soft blue sofa and natural rattan chairs are the starting point, while a trio of seashell prints and throw pillows add coral and pink accents. As the centerpiece, the dining room, with its pops of green and orange, is a welcoming interchange between the two gathering spaces and puts Penfield’s flair for mixing—not matching—on full display. A simple farm table invites the whole family to gather around, and the circular foyer table can be pulled in easily for extra seating.
Essential to any beach retreat is a friendly kitchen and generous island designed for a casual coastal lifestyle. A pair of ornate blue lanterns complement a contemporary range hood. At every turn, the home is poised to create welcoming transitions, and the “good morning” breakfast room delivers. A round table atop a round sisal rug and a leaf motif chandelier allow a small space to come full circle.
The library provides a second, more casual, gathering area. A low-profile gas fireplace and television are incorporated within a marble-and-glass tile wall. A sliding glass pocket door system and a comfy sleeper sofa affords the space privacy when doing double duty.
The two guest en suite bedrooms embrace color with confidence and composure, while accommodating friends and extended family. In the adult bedroom, the mood exudes simple sophistication with a layering of fabrics with bold palm prints and coastal blues and greens—and even pops of orange and yellow—accents. In the twin room, pinks and greens and everything in between rule the day with a more youthful stance.
A place at the beach means different things to different people. But with three generations gathering in Florida, most everyone agrees a relaxed attitude, welcoming stance, and sense of the place are key. Out with the rules and in with the joys of playful spontaneity and a mindset of making memories to last a lifetime!
