Old Naples Winter Retreat Sets the Bar

1 of 10

It all started with a day trip more than a decade ago. Franziska Lienhard Nava and her family were vacationing in Sanibel Island when they decided to take a drive to Naples. “We were instantly enamored,” says Lienhard Nava, a Swiss native who spends most of the year at her home outside of Zurich. “Having the ability to walk and bike to the beach or to restaurants is what we are used to as Europeans, and the friendly small-town feel felt so special.” After a few more visits to the area, the family’s sights were set on Old Naples for their Florida vacation home.

As someone who is meticulously detail-oriented and had an extremely specific vision for the home, building it from the ground up was the only option in the homeowner’s mind, and finding a stellar team of design professionals to execute this vision was critical. Interestingly enough, Lienhard Nava was soon connected to Illinois-based interior designer Siamak Mostoufi via the owner of an Italian villa that the Lienhard Nava family had once rented. Upon meeting with Mostoufi, Lienhard Nava quickly realized that he was very rational, like her, but also immensely creative. “I like to get to the point and be efficient, so I already had many ideas for the home,” she says. “I handed Siamak a mood board and immediately appreciated that he didn’t try to change any of my ideas, but instead worked with them.”

Matthew Kragh of MHK Architecture and Jon Lawrence of Connor + Gaskins Homes signed on as the project architect and builder, respectively. With Lienhard Nava playing an active role every step of the way, Mostoufi, Kragh, and Lawrence collaborated to envision this two-story family escape, which features four bedrooms and four-and-a-half bathrooms.

With a background in hospitality design, Mostoufi is equipped with a diverse palette of materials and ideas for incorporating design attributes that are not typically found in residential spaces. “Whether it’s sourcing unique materials or custom fabricating one-of-a-kind features, I strive to bring depth, character, and opportunity to every project,” says the designer. “To me, great design tells a story and enhances our daily lives by creating meaningful experiences; in a home, this might mean fostering relaxation, entertaining, or enhancing our productivity.” For the Lienhard Nava clan, he endeavored to check off all three of these goals.

Over the course of 24 months—from the initial groundbreaking to putting the finishing touches on the interior styling—what emerged is a home that reads transitional with a contemporary Florida vibe. “In Franziska’s original narrative, she shared a photo of a mosaic sea turtle and vibrant imagery of Naples beaches and lush, tropical landscaping,” says Mostoufi. “That became our color story.”

With pops of sage green atop a primarily neutral backdrop and an ardent focus on incorporating varied textural elements, Mostoufi brought Lienhard Nava’s distinct vision to life. In the main living spaces, he used sintered porcelain tiles imported from Spain that have an appearance similar to terrazzo; the tile spills out from the great room to the outdoor living room and covered terrace, fostering a seamless transition to the backyard. In the kitchen, an oversized window floods the space with light and a view of verdant foliage. “To maximize the window, we dropped the sill low to the countertop and eliminated the backsplash,” says Mostoufi, whose strategy involved open shelving and lots of hidden storage for the custom-designed cabinetry.

To delineate the private areas of the home, Mostoufi employed large-plank white oak flooring. In the primary bedroom, which offers direct access to the pool area, “the walls are a shade of white with very subtle undertones of a blue-lavender, matching the cool color of natural daylight,” notes the designer. “Juxtaposed with the warmth of the white oak floor and coordinating furnishings, the contrasting hues make an impact.” For the pool area, Lienhard Nava had one primary request: that natural terracotta be used for the coping and deck. Looking to inspiration images of backyard gardens in the Florida Keys, the landscaping was designed to appear as if it is woven throughout the hardscape.

When asked about the overall experience of conceiving the home’s coastal modern design scheme, Mostoufi feels that one of the benefits of working with a client who is not from the area is that they aren’t chasing after any local trends or styles. “We had more freedom to find new inspiration and make interpretations for the family’s specific needs and desires,” he says. “Because of that, what amounted is a private, casual retreat that celebrates beach life.”

Story Credits:

Interior Design by Siamak Mostoufi, Design Smak, Evanston, IL

Architecture by Matthew Kragh, MHK Architecture, Naples, FL

Builder Jon Lawrence, Connor + Gaskins Homes, Naples, FL

Landscape Architecture by Architectural Land Design, Naples, FL

Text by Mallory Jacobson

Photography by Lori Hamilton, Naples, FL

Open to see Interior Design Sources: