Collaborative Approach

SET WITHIN THE ESTATES AT BAY COLONY Golf Club in Naples, a newly completed residence by interior designer VaNita Laurito and builder Drew Hemmer of Connor+Gaskins Homes represents a thoughtful collaboration shaped by trust, longevity, and an exacting attention to detail. Spanning 7,724 square feet under air (more than 11,000 square feet in total), the home, a single-level structure with open rooms and soaring ceilings, marks the first teardown and new construction in the neighborhood.

As architect John Cooney sees it, the residence is ideally suited to its location. “This community is known for its Old-World architecture, so I was excited to design a tropical contemporary dwelling that would blend with the ones surrounding it,” he says. “The result was clean lines with some traditional details.”

When it came to the home’s look, Laurito and her team wanted a sophisticated ambiance to begin upon arrival. “The house has incredible presence,” she says. “Our main goal was to establish a  language of modern luxury.” Water shaped that vision from the outset. “The main thing the owners wanted from the very start was water features,” adds Laurito. “They wanted to make sure that  Cooney understood that coming in the front door they wanted to see water and only water.” The team listened. From the entry to the pool gunnel, there are fountains and bubblers, and a front stone wall doubles as a waterfall.

Throughout the interiors, Laurito layered texture to balance minimal furnishings. Bent walnut radius beams in the living room conceal air systems, eliminating visible registers. “It keeps the look sleek and takes away the ceiling acne,” says the designer. Venetian plaster, dimensional ceiling panels, curved walnut built-ins, and textural wallcoverings create depth without excess. As one loves into the residence, the wine room emerges as a centerpiece. “We knew we wanted the wine room to be a dramatic feature,” says Hemmer. “A backlit Cristallo stone wall anchors the space, and we installed an antique mirror that creates the illusion of endless depth. Custom doors and uninterrupted hardwood flooring reinforce the sense of continuity.”

Other areas of the home are equally impressive. Rich walnut grounds the dining room, bringing warmth and depth to balance the light-filled architecture and crisp white walls, which provide an ideal backdrop for the high-end transitional furnishings. Outside, the aforementioned water features bring extra flair to alfresco spots while landscaping by Outside Productions incorporates trees directly into the surrounds, softening the architecture and reinforcing a resort-like calm.

For Laurito, Hemmer and Cooney, the success of the project came down to smooth collaboration. “It was about teamwork and truly working together,” says Laurito. “We all put forth the best versions of what we offer and got the very best results in return.”