Collins DuPont Design Group, a Florida-based premier interior design firm with 35 years of experience, was contracted to transform a home in Mangrove Bay, an exclusive and luxurious waterfront enclave nestled along the Gordon River in Naples.
“Our inspiration for the design for this home came from the high-end yacht clubs located throughout Florida and Hawaii,” commented Hailey Burkhardt, a designer at Collins DuPont.
Mangrove Bay was designed by MHK Architects and developed by Lotus Construction.
John Orgren, the Residential Studio Director at MHK Architecture and Planning stated, “Our goal with Mangrove Bay was to build a neighborhood that has a small-town character consistent with Naples. Each of the 53 luxury residences would have magnificent open-concept floor plans, as well as their own private boat slip.”
“We are proud of how beautiful Mangrove Bay has turned out and its contribution to the beauty and uniqueness of Naples,” said Jon Rubinton, Developer of Mangrove Bay and owner of Lotus Construction, LLC.
The fact the homes each have a private boat slip provided the inspiration for Collins DuPont’s designs.
“When Collins DuPont was initially given the opportunity to design the interior of the home on Lot 50, the goal was for it to become a spec home that showcased the elevated aesthetic these homes provide its owners,” recalled Burkhardt.
Many of the elements the design team explored were elements often found in and around yacht clubs.
“Large open sections expose the dining rooms and other prominent areas of the home to the waterways, all of which serve to display the river that Mangrove Bay was built upon,” Burkhardt said. “Also inside, sliding barn doors give the home a more casual feel and serve to open the guest room to the Gordon River.”
Collins DuPont has developed a reputation over the years for customizing its projects.
“We modified the layout of the home to accommodate a bar with a high gloss lacquer finish,” acknowledged Burkhardt. “The bar’s muted blue tone is seen consistently throughout the home. It’s calming and nautical in nature and the perfect contrast to the warm stained wooden floors.”
Hailey further stated, “We were able to repurpose space from one of the under-utilized bedrooms to make this possible, which ends up making the bar an exciting focal point of the main living area.”
Collins DuPont Design Group is also renowned for its custom ceiling elements. Their designers have found that oftentimes ceilings are disregarded when it comes to designing the space. However, to truly tie all elements together in a custom design for a luxury home, every surface must be considered to ensure all elements work in harmony with one another.
The co-founder of Collins DuPont Design Group, Sherri DuPont, commented on the new custom ceiling of the Mangrove Bay home.
“We created floating slab ceiling details to bring the floor color up to the ceiling, which helps highlight the height of the area,” said DuPont.
In addition to the bar and ceiling structural elements, adding a fireplace to the central area was important for the overall design of the home.
“We added an electric fireplace in the great room to create a warm, inviting area, which has an expansive wall of sliding doors that open to the large outdoor living area,” Burkhardt stated. “This cozy, yet beautiful element makes it easy to host parties while at the same time, keeping the doors open and creating an area where owners can gather with friends or family and still feel the fresh breezes off of the river.”
Collins DuPont team members not only wanted to showcase the architecture of the home but also to highlight an opportunity the space provided.
“We turned a guest room into the study and added barn doors that open to the Gordon River, which creates a nice view while working remotely,” recalled Burkhardt. “Over the past couple of years, as more and more people continue to work from home, adding a study to this particular home created the perfect work-from-home space with the serene waters of the riverfront as its backdrop.”
One challenge that the team had to overcome was finding a better solution for the layout of the master bath.
“The difficulty with a master bathroom was that most homeowners want dual vanities and still leave enough space for an oversized walk-in shower and tub,” said DuPont. “Thinking that a split layout might be best, the team decided on a design that did not make the room feel heavy on one side over the other. This was made possible by placing a vanity on either side of the bathroom vs. one lengthy dual vanity.
As a testament to the brilliant design work of Collins DuPont, this spec home was sold before its completion with the client having seen the design direction and mood boards alone.
Collins DuPont Design Group, now in its 35th year of operation, is a dedicated team of diverse professionals, experienced in multiple areas of interior design. From interior architecture and design to demolitions and custom art pieces, Collins DuPont happily takes on any project or challenge with enthusiasm and passion.
If those looking to redesign the interior of their home, elevating its functionality and its aesthetic, Collins DuPont professionals can be reached by calling 239-948-2400 or visiting the website at collins-dupont.com.
https://www.naplesnews.com/story/money/real-estate/2022/04/30/collins-dupont-designs-interior-mangrove-bay/9540613002/
