Interior Designers from Collins DuPont transform Mangrove Bay in Naples, FL

Mangrove Bay, an exclusive, luxurious waterfront enclave nestled along the Gordon River in Naples, was designed by MHK Architects and developed by Lotus Construction for individuals seeking an active lifestyle. Each of the 53 luxury residences have their own private boat slip as well as magnificent open-concept floor plans. The Lot 50 Mangrove Bay home epitomizes an “outdoors-in” approach and comes with a gazebo as well as a private pool. Unique wall-length windows help to blend each room seamlessly with nature.

When Collins Dupont was initially given the opportunity to design the interior of Mangrove Bay Lot 50, the goal was for it to become a spec home that showcased the elevated aesthetic these homes could provide its owners.

For a little more insight behind this transformation and incredible designs from the Collins DuPont team, several of our designers were queried about the details and the work that went into bringing this luxury spec home to life.

What was the inspiration behind the design of Lot 50?

“We took inspiration from high-end yacht clubs throughout Florida and Hawaii.”

Many of the elements the team explored were various yacht clubs’ exterior attractions. 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 around. Sliding barn doors, which gave the home a more casual feel, open the guest room to the Gordon River.

“We pulled from this inspiration due to the fact that the home is directly located on the Gordon River and our desire to incorporate the boat garage as part of the home on the first level.”

Were there any custom pieces or custom structural elements added to the design of the home?

“We modified the layout of the home to accommodate a bar with a high gloss lacquer finish. We were able to recoup some dead space from one of the bedrooms to make this possible, which ends up making the bar a focal point of the main living area.”

The bar’s high-gloss lacquer finish is in a muted blue tone, the color of which can be seen consistently throughout the home. Calming and nautical in nature, it’s a perfect contrast to the warm stained wooden floors.

 

We also created floating slab ceiling details to bring the floor color to the ceiling, which helps highlight the height of the area, which is 14’.”

Collins DuPont Design Group is renowned for its custom ceiling elements in past projects they have completed. 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 keep all elements in harmony with one another.

“We added an electric fireplace in the great room to create a warm inviting area central to the home, which has a large wall of sliding doors that open to the large outdoor living area.”

Adding a fireplace to the central area was important for the overall design of the home thereby making it easy to host parties while 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.

“We turned a guest room into the study, which has barn doors that open to the Gordon river to create a nice view while working.”

Collins DuPont team members not only wanted to showcase the architecture of the home but also to highlight an opportunity the space provided and therefore adjusted the guest bedroom to add a study. 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 workspace with the serene waters of the riverfront as its backdrop.

“The cohesiveness and the open nature of Lot 50 was our main goal and I think we achieved that.” 

What were some challenges you had to overcome during this design?

 “This project started right at the beginning of the pandemic. We had a few original selections that we had to go back to the drawing board for and find new, available pieces that still fit the original design intent.”

Due to many constraints resulting from supply chain hold-ups, Collins Dupont was forced to rethink some of its decisions on furniture and other various elements of the home including finding additional suppliers and local craftsmen to create pieces needed for structural elements. Procuring new pieces was definitely a challenge, they said, but although their initial vision required some alteration, the outcome was significantly better than expected.

“We were tasked with finding a better layout solution for the master bath for a custom home. Finding a delicate balance that bridged coastal and nautical design without being too trite.”

The difficulty with a master bathroom is that most homeowners want to accommodate dual vanities and still leave enough space for an oversized walk-in shower and tub. Thinking that a split layout might be best, the team settled on a design that did not make the room feel heavy on one side over the other. As for it’s aesthetic, Collins Dupont combined coastal elements in the textures of the mirrors and continued the wood look tile flooring up onto the wall behind the tub to add interest to the room while also keeping the color and texture consistent.

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.”

“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.

Mangrove Bay Lot 50 was the culmination of talents by one of Collins DuPont’s brilliant founders, Sherri DuPont. As a testament to the brilliant design work of Collins DuPont, this spec home was sold before its completion with the client only having seen the design direction and mood boards.

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 you are looking to redesign the interior of your home, elevating its functionality and its aesthetic, contact the Collins DuPont professionals at 239-948-2400 or visit our website.