View From The Top

Surrounded By A Sea Of Blue,
A Naples Penthouse Imparts Understated Elegance

Text By: De Schofield
Photography: Kim Sargent, Palm Beach Gardens, FL

"This apartment is all about relaxed detailing where nothing is overdone,"
says Ferwerda, who collaborated with architectural designer Anthony Weldon to
create an interior that conveys classic "'barefoot elegance."'

Situated on the 21st floor of a luxury condominium in Naples, this penthouse lends new meaning to the phrase "view from the top." From this perspective, the cloudless sky meets the azure waters of the Gulf of Mexico, becoming a mesmerizing sea of blue.

"Our starting point was the views, which in turn inspired the palette throughout," interior designer Peter Ferwerda says. "The major impact is outside, so we wanted nothing to compete with - and everything to enhance - this compelling backdrop."

Architectural designer Anthony Weldon, who collaborated with Ferwerda, reconfigured some of the rooms to maximize the views. " We had carte

blanche to do the overall design but could only make subtle changes because of the high-rise construction," Weldon says.

His clean-lined approach to the interior architecture sets the tone for Ferwerda's classic, timeless interpretation. The owners, who use the penthouse as a vacation retreat, sought an understated look with "barefoot elegance," Ferwerda says. "This apartment is all about relaxed detailing where nothing is overdone."

In the spacious living area, a misty-blue painted ceiling reflects the color of the Gulf waters, while silver travertine flooring alludes to the sparkling sand on the beach. "The colors we e deliberately chosen to incorporate the shimmering, sand and horizon line," Ferwerda says.

Ferwerda tamed the grand scale of the space by creating two conversation areas. A Persian area rug in tones of melon, beige and indigo blue brings together the main grouping, which comprises twin sofas covered in quilted beige velvet and bergeres wrapped in champagne velvet with a basket-weave pattern. A glass-topped cocktail table with an iron base introduces the "X" motif that recurs throughout the penthouse.

Opposite the bergeres, Ferwerda placed an upholstered ottoman in front of a window, and directly behind it a 200-year-old carved rosewood altar table that acts as a console.

Nearby, a screen draws the eye toward the secondary grouping. Also incorporating the "X" pattern, the screen features alternating squares of antique glass. In this area, the furnishings comprise caf6 au lait-colored leather chairs and another upholstered ottoman that doubles as a cocktail table. The space also features the owners' baby grand piano and a bar area for entertaining.

A mood of understated elegance prevails in the formal dining area, where an inlay of chien green marble and silver travertine is accented with amber glass tiles. Modern velvet chairs surround a table composed of an alder-wood top and carved-stone bases. A display cabinet with a heavily distressed, antique white finish and wire-mesh doors injects a touch of Country French styling.

Crisp indoor / outdoor fabrics, raffia wall covering and island-style furnishings convey a carefree ambiance in the cabana, which was originally a secondary master bedroom.

In the family room, the atmosphere becomes more relaxed. Casual furnishings covered in tactile fabrics and glove-soft leather rest on a sisal area rug. Custom cabinetry sculpts one wall, carving out display space as well as the fireplace surround and mantel. To the left of the fireplace, a doorway opens to the billiard room, while a curved breakfast bar at the opposite end unites the family room with the kitchen.

A custom-designed divider with the home's signature "X" motif delineates the family room from the hallway, which accesses the media room.

For the media room, Ferwerda and Weldon used meticulous millwork and comfortable seating to impart the feel of a library rather than a home theater.

A private elevator entry separates the penthouse from the guest suite, whose sunny yellow and white wood-planked walls bring to mind a New England cottage.

"We wanted to create an enchanting environment in the guest suite," Ferwerda says.

An iron canopy bed draped with silk panels and dressed in crisp white bed coverings stands as the room's centerpiece. Carved-wood ebony finished chests flank the bed. Nearby, a rustic pine console serves as a desk.

From the guest suite, sliding-glass doors open to the cabana, a delightful area that reflects the owners 'desire for an "elegant yet relaxed getaway place," Ferwerda says. Originally a secondary master bedroom, the space now encompasses cozy sitting areas - one with a fireplace and one with a kitchen.

The cabana flows into outdoor terraces when the sliding-glass doors are pushed open and hidden from view in wall pockets. "When the owners come home from a day at the beach, they can continue to enjoy the view from their own private 'back yard' and have a casual barbecue," Weldon says.

Soothing neutral hues wash over the master bedroom, establishing an aura of tranquility, while melon and red accents enrich the palette. Crown molding underscores the room's geometry and canopy over the bed.

Scaling the heights of luxury, this vacation retreat offers a uniquely different perspective on waterfront living.