Natural Nuances Abound in Kalea Bay Condo

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Designer Kelli Esposito has a long history with Kalea Bay, a luxury residential building complex in North Naples. Before starting her own studio, Harper Haus, she worked for the firm that designed Kalea’s common areas, and since going on her own, she’s overseen the interiors of eight residences in three of the community’s various towers. 

“It’s been a pretty cool evolution,” says Esposito. “And everything happened by word of mouth.”

Esposito’s most recent Kalea Bay project is a residence purchased by an Iowa couple who asked her to center the design around their love of Southwest Florida’s natural elements. In response, Esposito looked for ways to use texture and organic materials to make each space interesting, no matter how small. “The wallpaper in the butler’s pantry is made from actual banana leaves that are layered on top of each other,” she says. “The white is the wall behind it, so it’s not a printed paper. It’s made from leaves.”

Another small space that Esposito made memorable was the powder room. She replaced the standard white vanity and sink with a custom-made solid marble sink from Turkey—clearly the room’s showstopper—but she didn’t stop there. “We offset the pendant light because the mirror has this super funky organic shape, and you want to take in that beautiful mirror,” she adds. “The dark wallpaper is actual wood veneer that’s stained black, so you can see the graining and rings.”

While the small rooms received some amazing touches, Esposito also gave the large, open plan kitchen-living-dining space her full attention. “The couple really love white, but they were open to these pops of dark to anchor the room and give it more depth,” she says. “The dining room is a calmer, cleaner moment that allows you to really focus on the statement piece, which is the media wall.” Esposito chose fluted wood paneling and overlaid it with a dark stone with white veining to give the room its focal point.

A similar layering strategy was employed on the terrace, where the fireplace and TV wall is finished with shou sugi ban-treated timber, which Esposito calls a “perfectly imperfect” material.

In the primary bedroom, metallic grass-cloth wallpaper framed by dark walnut sets the stage for the velvet-upholstered bed. “We installed beams to add interest to the ceiling but painted them the same color so they wouldn’t take away from the beautiful headboard wall and drapes,” Esposito explains. “The drapes went in last, and while I loved the room before, they added just the pattern the space needed.”

For the couple, who love golf and frequently invite friends to come and stay with them for golf weekends, the study is a place for evening entertainment. “We created this moody room where you could sit and have a glass of whiskey in,” says Esposito. “It has lots of layers of texture that really fit together.” Those layers include a leather patchwork wall behind the sofa as well as plaid drapery and a delicious chocolate brown sofa.      

Looking back, Esposito says the design process worked so smoothly because all parties involved refused to play it safe. “These clients gravitated toward elements and decisions that were off the beaten path, and that’s how I work as well,” she says. “This project was all about surprising ourselves.”

Story Credits:

Interior Design by Kelli Esposito, Harper Haus Interiors, Naples, FL

Text by Laura Hine

Photography by Amy Vischio, Naples

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