The language of symbols speaks to us all day long. And while sometimes we’re aware of this, like when we see hieroglyphics on the pyramid walls in Egypt, other times the language of symbols works on us more quietly, subconsciously. In this home, I used the language of shapes, patterns and repetition to design a harmonious, peaceful environment. The overriding theme is one of relaxation, of refuge and safe harbor. Of sanctuary.
The tranquil colors of water and sky and the inviting textures of natural elements all serve to elicit a peaceful state of mind. Organized squares in the bookcase and in the fireplace molding surround, circles in the shape of the mirror and in spheres throughout the bookcase. While I may not be able to design inner peace, I truly love to create a place where it beckons.
The family room has high ceilings. Wood beams break up the vaulted space. I used a horizontal band of raffia just below the clerestory windows to further bring the room down to a human scale. Rectangles, squares, triangular shapes repeat and reverberate throughout the space giving pattern and rhythm to the room.
The back of the house opens to the east, flooding the rooms with golden morning light and making the deck and pool a shady retreat from the heat and glare of the tropical afternoon sun.
Standing in the kitchen, you can see the water of Naples Bay beyond the family room. The same raffia wall covering that I used in the family room is repeated in the trays of the kitchen ceiling, tying the spaces together. White cabinets are topped with Cristallo countertops on the perimeter and a black walnut wood top the kitchen island. The backsplash is a basketweave mosaic of sea glass punctuated with white onyx dots. Basketweave patterns have meaning in many cultures from Hawaiian to Celtic, referencing the interconnectedness of things and life.
Large windows flanking the range bring in light and a view of tropical leaves and plants.
The breakfast nook has a pass-through bar countertop that is shared with the dining room.
Inspired by the pattern on the base of this beautiful dining room table, we designed a custom moulding design for the dining room ceiling. The linked rectangular shapes reference stability, groundedness and honesty.
I brought the outside in by using the exact colors of the water on fabrics used for the headboard, bedding and chairs. This effect erases the boundaries of walls and windows and uses the view as artwork.
I commissioned an artist to take the pattern from this gorgeous wall covering and recreate it around the ceiling light fixture in this guest suite bath. The circular shape of the light inside the circular shape of the ceiling represents the divine nature of sacred energy. A universal symbol, it also stands for infinity.
I find that partner desks are well-suited to today’s families and homes. Painted raffia on the walls kept this space light while providing an interesting, textural background.
The floor of the Wine Room is crafted from reclaimed wine barrel staves, some still bearing the stamps of the wineries in which they were used. The arch in the doorway is a symbol of community and togetherness – something that good wine always inspires.
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