Photos by Scott Amundson
When the colder weather begins to set in, many northerners choose to head south to wait out the winter in warmer climes. For midwestern snowbirds, like the new homeowners of this island colonial-style residence, the sunny seaside city of Naples, Florida, is a particularly favorite locale.
Designed by noted Florida architect Kasimir Korybut in 1991, the traditional two-level home had great bones and outside volume with a classic symmetrical form featuring a center entry, gables on either end, stacked porches, and a lovely waterside veranda—but it was due for a refresh. Its new owners enlisted the help of Jean Rehkamp Larson, co-founder of Minneapolis-based Rehkamp Larson Architects, who they had worked with before on several other projects.
“The home’s exterior was beautiful and asking for equally elegant interiors, but it hadn’t quite gotten that far,” explains Rehkamp Larson, who flew down to visit the property in person shortly after the couple bought it. “The circulation from the main entry to the kitchen was awkward and closed off, the kitchen and primary bath needed some love, and it was missing interior architectural details.”
The main goals of the project included alleviating the convoluted circulation to create a pleasing flow throughout the main level, redesigning the kitchen and primary suite to be more welcoming, and retaining and adding to the home’s original woodwork.
To start, the main kitchen wing was gutted and reorganized to improve the flow to both the dining room and main entry, the latter courtesy of a gracious paneled hall flanked by arched openings. Windows were shifted slightly, doorways finessed, and the sunroom (an ill-fitting remnant from a previous addition) was given new life as a breakfast room. A symmetrical composition of upper cabinetry, designed by local cabinetmaker Jon Frost, frames the range, while a two-person sink anchors the other perimeter wall.
“When you look at the kitchen, there’s symmetry in every axis,” says Rehkamp Larson. “Everything locks in place in a way that’s simple, clean, and organized—it was such a classic way to organize the space that feels so appropriate in a traditional house.”
Several layers of new millwork and finishes—such as the wood ceiling, paneled columns, and coordinating tile on the range hood—add subtle touches of luxury in the kitchen, as well as throughout the rest of the main floor. From refining the paneling in the foyer to adding dainty muntin details to the transom windows in the living room (a favorite design element of the homeowners), Rehkamp Larson was careful to make sure every new and improved detail would blend seamlessly with the existing house.
“It’s a fun challenge to dive into a piece of architecture that has really good parts and understand it well enough to be able to add to it and make everything look perfectly cohesive and timeless,” she says.
The second-level primary suite’s bathroom and closets were also extensively remodeled. Two zones were added to the bathroom (the first featuring a freestanding soaking tub and a pair of curved vanities; the second a series of integrated cabinetry and a spacious walk-in shower) along with his-and-hers dressing rooms and a dedicated laundry hall.
“Before, the primary bath wasn’t very pleasing to be in—it didn’t feel like a dedicated space so much as a big, long hallway with bathing components like a sink and toilet along the way,” says Rehkamp Larson, who incorporated a wood-hipped vaulted ceiling to create enough room for a stunning oversized lantern to gracefully hang overhead. “It transformed from what was essentially a functional hallway in the back of the house to a gorgeous space that’s now a great place to start the day.”
On the other end of the house, the guest wing bedrooms and baths were also reorganized with children and grandchildren in mind. Ceilings were reshaped and millwork was added, along with playful wallpaper and tile, charming cottage-style furniture and decor, and a handful of chic coastal motifs.
“The grandchildren’s bedrooms are just darling,” Rehkamp Larson comments. “The owners worked on all the interior design themselves, and their inspiration was Florida—they wanted it to feel very fresh and Floridian compared to their home in Minnesota.”
While some minor adjustments were made to the exterior, such as adding columns and details to one porch, refining trim, and replacing the front door and windows, the project was really a rework of interior spaces, Rehkamp Larson explains.
“The whole interior was re-loved,” she says. “Just looking at it, you might not know how much thought was put into each decision about how spaces are organized, furniture configured, and windows tweaked—if it looks simple and easy, it wasn’t!”
