Southern Elegance Charms in Port Royal Home

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Think southern-inspired design, and a hanging porch swing almost always comes to mind. Designer Jett Thompson’s client was raised in Alabama, so it’s no surprise that she wanted to bring that brand of Southern charm to her new primary residence in Old Naples. “There are elements that are special to her from growing up as a kid in the Mobile area,” Thompson says of her client. 

Thompson, a Naples-based interior designer and owner of an eponymous local home boutique, had done a refresh for the client’s previous home. They teamed up again—this time with architect Stofft Cooney and builders Knauf-Koenig Group for a newly built home in Naples’ Port Royal neighborhood. “From the woodwork (a specialty of Matt Knauf’s, who is a carpenter by trade), to the uniqueness of…the master suite’s entry doors procured from a former celebrity-owned home, this estate exudes distinctly Southern understated elegance,” says Nick Radick, director of marketing for Knauf-Koenig Group. 

The home’s neutral interior palette made incorporating key pieces the couple had in their previous beach cottage easy. Layers of texture, natural materials, and vintage items give the home a curated (but not overly decorated) vibe. The interior light fixtures are one-of-a-kind, many sourced from France and Italy. A French oak wire-brushed floor flows through most of the home. The result is a balanced space that moves flawlessly between formal and comfortable. “We didn’t want the house to feel too ‘new,’” says Thompson.

The master suite blends the best of Southern living and beachy elegance. The pitched ceiling and hemp rug give the room a coastal cottage feeling that’s offset by the antique panel behind the bed. The homeowner’s affinity for shorebirds is captured in the drapery fabrics that feature herons and lilies. 

To accommodate the homeowner’s appetite for entertaining, Thompson embraced the kitchen design. “It doesn’t matter what you do. When you have friends over, they gather in the kitchen,” she says. “We decided to address that and have comfortable seating areas where you can have coffee or a glass of wine.” The kitchen is outfitted with three seating areas, each with comfortable chairs. The dining room is nearby, offering a fourth sitting area where guests can gather. 

The kitchen was originally designed with the cabinets and sink on the home’s east wall. Thompson moved the sink to the island and opened up the wall with a large steel window that drenches the space with light. “It feels more like a solarium rather than a kitchen,” she says. “It is open, bright, and inviting.”

Directly opposite the new window is the outdoor terrace, decorated with natural and indigenous materials. “The feeling we were after was to allow the two areas to flow easily and be inviting and comfortable as if it were a family room,” says Thompson. 

The outdoor fireplace is made from tabby—a beloved Southern building material composed of crushed oyster shells, sand, and water. Pecky cypress (another Southern style staple) is used as the mantle. Bahama shutters allow for a constant breeze to flow through the alfresco dining space. 

“This family are outdoor enthusiasts. They love the flexibility of being outdoors most of the year,” Thompson says. Those outdoor spaces gave Thompson extra room to bring the homeowners’ Southern dreams to life. “The master bedroom has French doors that open to the terrace, and there’s a swing, a water feature, and a garden that speak back to the Deep South,” she says. “This home has this real feeling of Southern hospitality.” 

Story Credits: 

Interior Design by Jett Thompson, Jett Thompson Home, Naples, FL

Architecture by Stofft Cooney Architects, LLC., Naples, FL

Builder Knauf-Koenig Group, Naples, FL

Landscape Architecture Exteriors by Koby Kirwin, Inc., Naples, FL

Text by Lola Thélin

Photography by Sean Murphy, Neptune Beach, FL

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