Cozy Charisma in Old Naples Bungalow

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There’s nothing like a casual stroll through an Old Naples neighborhood to inspire a home purchase. Just ask a Midwestern couple who were searching for a low-maintenance retreat where they could experience the city’s lively culture, boutiques, and restaurants. Upon discovering a 3,800-square-foot bungalow surrounded by lush mature trees and situated just blocks from the beaches and the downtown pulse of Fifth Avenue, they knew they had found their Gulf Coast sweet spot.

“These clients wanted to be in town and part of the charming historic Naples scene,” says John Cialone, an interior designer with the Chicago-based firm Tom Stringer Design Partners. “We have worked together on several projects before and have become close over the years, so I knew their preferences.”

Built as a spec property, the house embodied a contemporary, coastal cottage aesthetic. Cialone expanded on this concept by adding accents of bold color and textural furnishings. He upgraded and added to the existing lighting and installed patterned and textured wallcoverings in a few key areas. For the design concept, he strove for a tropical-inspired oasis built around comfort and ease of entertaining. His primary goal was to enable the home to accommodate a large crowd without sacrificing coziness when it was just the owners. A crisp blue and white color scheme transitions into tones of sage green, coral, aqua, melon, and raspberry, creating a vibrant coastal vibe.

“I had been in Paris a few months prior and pulled two beautifully embroidered fabrics from Pierre Frey that reminded me of the textiles you see in Mexico and Argentina,” says the designer. “I knew these would appeal to the clients for their handcrafted beauty and intense use of color, so I built the design around them.”

With multiple grandchildren and dogs, the homeowners aspired to combine elegance with longevity without worries of wear or stains. The foyer’s indoor-outdoor woven sisal rug offers a stylish yet durable solution for this high-traffic area that doubles as a mudroom. In the dining room, bamboo-style McGuire side chairs upholstered in a deep blue indoor-outdoor Pierre Frey striped fabric bring vibrance to a neutral custom banquette covered in an all-weather woven. The watery blue Island Raffia wallcovering creates textural contrast against the room’s crisp white plantation shutters.

“The color palette and design style are very much a Florida theme,” says one of the homeowners. “John’s choice of fixtures adds to the beauty and complements our many art pieces.” 

Bridging the pool courtyard and great room, an open-air loggia with a television, fireplace, and spacious seating features pocketed sliding glass doors, allowing an authentic indoor/outdoor experience. “While I knew the house had great bones, my goal was to introduce elements that felt warm and collected,” says Cialone. “But the best part about this house is the warmth of the clients. My aim was to channel their exuberant and gracious personalities into the design, and we achieved that.”

Story Credits:

Interior Design by John Cialone, Tom Stringer Design Partners, Chicago, IL

Text by Jeanne de Lathouder

Photography by Scott Wiseman, Palm Beach Gardens, FL

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