Converting inspiration into a final product is best accomplished when your design team is involved from the very beginning of the project. In this case, the bond with this client actually started several years ago when this homeowner hired sisters Denise Ward and Michelle Perry of Denise Ward Interior Design to furnish their first condo on Captiva Island.
“She’s great with people — reads them and figures out exactly what they want,” says Ward referencing her sister and design partner. “And she’s incredible, designing intricate architectural details and backgrounds.” Perry says proudly of her sister.
It’s fitting that this modern day ‘Designing Women’ duo would turn an expansive Gulf-to-bay property on Captiva Island into one ultimate family-centric compound for their repeat client’s growing family.
Builder Todd Zamniak echoes the same relationship with his clientele on this close-knit island. “It’s incredible that we’re tearing down the small houses we built years ago, all to build these large family homes and guest houses on the their land again,” says Zamniak in amazement of his own tenure.
What started with a single picture of a Polynesian home in Hawaii, had Ward and Perry searching tirelessly for exclusive fabrics, one-of-a-kind trims, and furnishings for their discerning client.
“This homeowner wanted everything to be unique. Nothing too mainstream would work for her,” says Ward. Nearly every inch of this home is custom-finished, hand-applied, or personally crafted, from the color on the garage doors to the ergonomically designed bathroom vanities (with pull out toe kicks to give the grandchildren an extra inch or two at the sink).
A colorful media room is located on the other side of the living room fireplace wall, where the homeowner’s collection of esteemed mortar and pestle sets are on display. Textured, geometric, hand-carved stone spans the entire wall — a visual throwback to the metal, beehive wall hangings and rippled-carved stone in the great room.
The homeowner’s love of fully saturated teal and purple with vibrant pink and orange, contrasts the dark wood elements throughout the home. Each family member has their own color scheme, ceiling treatment, custom-designed furnishings, and coordinating en suite. Every room is distinct from one another yet stays within the modern island style.
Ideal for entertaining, the kitchen and adjacent bar cabinets are charcoal-finished rift cut oak with linear, horizontal stainless steel accents and upper door panels. The kitchen island is a work of art featuring different mediums for form and function. The countertop has quartzite on the prep-side and luxurious walnut on the dine-side. Hot pink fabric on the counter stools is repeated from the adjacent living room. The double-dropped ceiling over the island gives dimension for general, task, and ambient lighting.
The kitchen cabinets extend into the dining room, which features its own unique look: A different, yet harmonizing, glass tile backsplash and similar stainless steel motif.
“Our client loves color and her favorite combo is teal and gold,” Ward emphasizes, referring to the master bedroom and en suite. Sharp, linear elements are bounced around the two spaces and softened with luxurious quilted velvet and silk fabrics. A Pan-Asian inspired multi-dimensional and floating wood ceiling treatment anchors the space, establishing a mold-breaking theme for each room in the residence.
“Homeowners want a house that reflects them, not their designer’s ‘look’ or personality. Some designers showcase only one style, we don’t,” Ward humbly explains. Perry adds, “Everyone has something they are inspired by, and it’s our job to help pull that out of them.” Well said, sisters, well said.
A contemporary, exterior elevation features landscaping by R S Walsh Landscaping. Guest bedroom’s balconies overlook the grass-paver, circular drive. Stacked stone cladding encases planters and entry staircase risers.
One of the many picturesque views seen from this Polynesian-inspired home on Captiva Island is framed here by floor-to-ceiling metallic sheer and silver thread drapery panels. The great room introduces several bold and bright colors seen throughout the home, such as hot pink, teal, gold, and silver.
“Upon entering the great room, your eye is drawn to the magnificent two-story fireplace wall, featuring rippled-carved stone and a linear fireplace. A colorful media room is located on the other side of the fireplace wall where the homeowner’s collection of mortar and pestle sets are displayed. Textured, geometric stone spans floor-to-ceiling, with a painting that conceals the TV when not in use,” describes Ward.
The staircase surrounds a custom-designed, multi-strand light fixture with amber and smoke glass shades. The floating staircase and glass panels allow light to filter through the entire home.
Keeping the homeowner’s extensive family in mind, Ward and Perry carefully considered each material when designing the kitchen. The dining room’s bar countertops are concrete with colorful, polished agates embedded on the surface. The kitchen hardware is a combination of Touch Latch, integrated pulls, and large stainless-steel handles.
With functionality a key factor, Ward and Perry thought of how each space would be used when preparing, cooking, and transferring food and drink to the eat-in kitchen, dining room, and outdoor living spaces. A floating ceiling is illuminated with LED lights, as well as decorative pendants and recessed lights.
The media room design provides an intimate seating area for family members to view movies or their favorite television show. The artwork conceals the television and retracts when viewing the screen. The fireplace wall is a convex-and-concave-etched faux stone tile that creates a beehive pattern, similar to the metal sculptures displayed in the great room.
Sharp, linear elements are bounced around the two spaces and softened with luxurious quilted velvet and silk fabrics. A Pan-Asian inspired floating ceiling treatment completes the space, establishing a mold-breaking theme for each room in the residence. Teal and gold colors sweep from draperies to en suite. The champagne-colored metal king bed is flanked by oversized bedside chests in a coordinating color.
A show-stopping master bathroom of teal and gold is the homeowner’s favorite color combination. The soaking tub takes center stage before the walk-through shower. A brushed-brass metal trim ceiling treatment suspends over the length of the space in most-unique fashion. Bathroom vanities are perfectly lit with coordinating brushed-brass sconces in the mirror and overhanging pendants.
All the guest bedrooms and baths are designed to perfectly reflect their individual occupants’ style. “Homeowners want a house that reflects them, not their designer’s ‘look’ or personality. Some designers showcase only one style, we don’t.” Ward humbly explains.
A custom-designed bed has connecting posts at the headboard and two rush panels. Natural texture is reflected on another custom wood-beam ceiling with woven wallpaper inside the angled coffers. Ocean blues contrast a rather neutral palette in the bedroom and on bathroom walls.
Vibrant colors, borrowed from throughout the home, along with polka-dot and pinwheel motif fabrics, make for a lively bunk room for the homeowner’s grandchildren. The bright colors continue with a custom glass mirror and blue-glass vessel sink in the bunk bathroom.The cabinet — complete with a pull-out step which gives the kids extra height at the sink — is distressed whitewash with orange-colored glass knobs and its countertop is concrete with shells and multi-colored recycled glass.
The Polynesian theme is most celebrated outside with the oversized resort-styled pool and sundecks. Unlike many beach-front properties, this home’s backyard is expansive. Beyond the pool’s infinity edge, R S Walsh Landscaping created a lush perimeter of tropical foliage, reserving the majority of the backyard as field space for fun and games.
Written by Tye Davis
Photography by Blaine Johnathan
Interior Designer
Denise Ward Interior Design
9220 Estero Park Commons Boulevard, Suite 2
Estero, FL 33928
239.949.9777
denisewardinteriors.com
Landscape Designer
R S Walsh Landscaping
13723 Jet Port Commerce Parkway, Suite 14
Fort Myers, FL 33913
239.768.5655
rswalsh.com
Resources:
Design Studio by Raymond
990 1st Avenue North
Naples, FL 34102
239.278.1334
designstudiobyraymond.com
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