Theory Design’s Vice President of Design Ruta Menaghlazi and interior designer Cynde Thompson have completed a new interior design for a remodeled condominium in the Remington high-rise within Bay Colony at Pelican Bay. The residence was built in 1996. The original designer created a Tuscan style interior with heavy, ornate furnishings, a color palette that included golds, greens, and russet reds, silks and tapestry fabrics, bullion-fringed pillows, and swag silk valances, draperies, and sheers. Many areas of the home featured heavily textured wallcoverings with traditional prints that included dark backgrounds and gold accents. Dramatic lighting fixtures, ornate chandeliers and sconces with gold and bronze finishes, and accessories such as heavy iron and onyx stone bowls in the dining room contributed to the visual weight of the design.
The objective of the remodeling project was to update and lighten the entire residence in two phases. The first phase was completed in 2019 and included remodeling the entire master bathroom, the baths in the two guest bedrooms, the powder bath, installing new wood flooring in the bedrooms, replacing the lighting with more modern fixtures, lightening the look of the home with a refreshed color palette and new wall coverings and window treatments, replacing the original furnishings, and changing the flooring on the outdoor balcony areas. Completed this past October, phase two included remodeling the entire kitchen and breakfast area and installing new wood flooring in the main living area and hallway to match the new flooring in the bedrooms.
“The residence offers views of the Gulf of Mexico,” said Thompson. “The clients requested that the new color pallet include neutral backgrounds and asked that we use Sherwin Williams’ modern grey throughout the primary living area. We used that as a starting point and added smokie blue hues with grey, taupe, and black accents. The color scheme blends right into the sky and the waters of the Gulf.”
In the entry foyer, Menaghlazi and Thompson replaced the existing wallpaper with a neutral woven grasscloth wallcovering that includes hints of silver blue tones. A new chandelier is presented in black with an off-white drum shade and Lucite hardware details. Decorative sconces are positioned above a custom console table with a matte black finish and pewter hardware with a silver finish. A decorative mirror placed between the two sconces provides additional light as well as a reflection of the space. On the facing wall, a custom Pearson bench also has a matte black finish contrasted by an off-white linen cushion.
In the living room, a built-in wall unit, large vases, and gold metal accessories were removed and replaced by a sleek entertainment credenza in a two-tone wood finish that includes a walnut frame and linen beige door fronts with circular hammered pewter hardware details. The new furnishings include two custom sofas in a natural woven linen fabric with Asian inspired pagoda print accent pillows in smokie blues, greys, and white. A pair of lounge chairs facing the sofas feature thick cushions and a smokie woven fabric. In the center of the space, a rectangular cocktail table is finished in a woven linen fabric in a neutral light grey tone. A matching square end table is positioned between the sofas and graced by a John Richard hand-glazed lamp with a grey-blue finish and a linen shade. A modern sofa table in a painted black finish provides space for decorative lighting. An accent nesting table includes a mix of stone and metal finishes. Custom woven net style fabric drapery panels are set under new custom crown molding drapery pockets.
The existing dining table base was painted in matte black and outfitted with a glass top. Upholstered host and hostess armchairs feature a geometric block pattern fabric in smokie blue and grey tones. Four side chairs have circular open carved wood backs and seat cushions in a solid soft blue/grey fabric. Menaghlazi and Thompson also completely gutted and redesigned the adjacent wet bar to make it more conducive to accessory display and storage. The wet bar now features a custom, square-shaped pewter hammered metal sink, all new fixtures, glass upper cabinetry with lighting, and a white quartz counter surface with a silver shimmer. The existing light wood breakfast area furniture was favored by the client, so Thompson updated the dining chairs and barstools with new cushions.
A heavy wall unit in the family room was replaced by a sleek entertainment credenza in a taupe woven pencil rattan finish with brushed pewter hardware. An existing circular cocktail table, end tables, a recliner, and a leather accent chair were incorporated into the new look along with a new blue woven linen 85-inch sofa, new lamps, artwork, accent pillows, a ceiling fan, and a hand-knotted area rug.
Menaghlazi and Thompson replaced the carpeting in the master suite and guest bedrooms with eight-inch wide Legno Bastone wide plank European white oak flooring. The new look master bedroom will provide an inviting, relaxing sanctuary. Two new Taylor King lounge chairs and ottomans were mixed with an existing antique end table and a more modern lamp style. The space was further updated with modern linens, including crisp white sheets and pillows and a tone-on-tone layered loft-style coverlet with natural leaf print shams. New Asian inspired artwork presents waterlilies in dusty grey and blue. A 9 by 12-foot knotted wool area rug and open weave draperies on the windows and the slider leading to a beachside balcony complete the look.
In the master bath, new silver and blue grey accents include Romo wallcoverings with a silver/grey tone-on-tone modern leaf pattern in the dressing area and water closets. New custom vanity cabinetry and quartz counter surfaces with a bit of a shimmer were installed in the master bath. The shower was updated with light 12 by 24-inch shell stone and a mosaic stone detail on the accent wall and floor. The vanities in the guest bedroom baths were replaced and outfitted with quartz countertops and modern fixtures. New fixtures, a pewter hammered metal oval sink, and a custom cabinet with a matte black finish created an entirely new, updated look in the powder bath.
Menaghlazi and Thompson replaced the flooring on the home’s Gulf front balconies with a 12 by 24-inch non-slip porcelain tile in a neutral grey tone and installed in an interesting basket weave pattern. The client preferred to keep their beautiful outdoor furniture that has been updated with woven dark navy blue weatherproof Sunbrella cushions and pillows to resist fading and the effects of the outdoor elements.
The entire original kitchen was ripped out. The new look includes a custom paint finish in a linen tone, new 36-inch high countertops fashioned with hand-picked slabs of Taj Mahal quartzite, all new appliances, new windows in both the kitchen and breakfast area, and custom four and a half inch plantation shutters. New polished chrome cabinet hardware and lighted upper cabinets for displaying accessories were also installed. Phase two also included re-doing the tub deck in the master bath, and the installation of a new bathtub, new artwork, and additional accessories to spice up a dresser and a cocktail bar.
Theory Design is also nearing completion of other remodeling projects, including a beachfront condominium in Naples, a high-rise residence at Bonita Bay, and the total remodeling of a grand estate residence at Quail West. To learn more about Theory Design, visit TheoryDesign.com.