In an area known for excess, there is one thing we are dearly lacking—yard space. And that’s a big part of the appeal of Naples’ Pine Ridge Estates neighborhood: many of the properties stretch out over an acre and are right in the heart of Naples.

“It all starts with choosing the right piece of land,” says Richard Donnelly of ROI Naples, which developed the property. Here, the ROI team knocked it out of the park—the home’s greenspace could easily double as a community space.

Richard and his wife, Linda, kept the same siting as the previous home on the lot when building the new Brutalist-meets-farmhouse abode. The modern manse sits on the left, with a sports court (tennis, basketball, volleyball) and a detached guest house within view out front. Out back, there’s a sunken firepit, a play area for kids and a pool with a cabana.

Everywhere you look, there’s ample vegetation. “I wanted to incorporate the existing old-growth trees, like lychee, black olive, tamarind and oak, into the design,” Richard says. New landscaping was designed to complement the inherited specimens, with evergreen podocarpus, ficus for shade, and a perimeter made of areca palms. Zoysia grass makes for a low-maintenance carpet and completes the lush, mature botanical experience not often found in this area.

But lest you think some standout trees are all this property has to offer, a quick trip around back leaves jaws agape from the plethora of outdoor lounging options. Stone patios and slate gray stepping stones connect the fully stocked, indoor-outdoor lanai with a sunken fire pit—flanked by two water features— and a pool cabana, equipped with a bar, changing room, powder bath and an outdoor shower. Being in Florida, the home doesn’t skimp on its pool. In addition to the cabana, with a 12-foot bar, the splash pad has a swim lane, cold-water plunge pool, sun shelf and hot tub.

Everything’s illuminated with a sophisticated exterior lighting package, intentionally planned to make the entire estate shine. The suite of perimeter lighting, tree uplights and modern sconces is all conveniently controlled by phone. To emphasize the home’s striking architecture, the team placed sconces low on the exterior walls, creating a visually dynamic look that casts light up the facade and downward toward the landscaping.

Still, for Linda, the backyard takes top billing. “The sunken fire pit area is a standout,” she says. While most properties have the pool directly out back, this 1.23-acre estate has its pool off to the side. “It gave us the opportunity to have a unique feature [off the lanai],” she says. The firepit was engineered for relaxing and socializing—fountain features at ear level mitigate any noise from the busy road nearby. And, the set-up makes for a stunning visual moment when looking out from inside the home, with its Italian slate steps lit by LED ropes that set the entire section off in a spellbinding glow. The effect makes for a tranquil and luxurious guest-magnet during gatherings.

The massive lanai also gets plenty of use. The space essentially doubles the great room’s footprint, thanks to the 32-foot expanse of floor-to-ceiling glass doors that can disappear into their pockets. Remote-controlled screen panels at the outer perimeter enclose the cypress-clad lanai to keep bugs at bay. And, an outdoor kitchen with a barbecue, pellet grill, refrigerator, and teak and porcelain dining table and chairs from Casa Italia in Naples, help elevate the definition of outdoor entertaining.

Those wanting to stay alfresco after dinner can choose from two Casa Italia matching teak sofas wrapped in high-performance fabric and flanking a RH (formerly Restoration Hardware) coffee table in the center. A counter in gray Quartzite—matching a bar in the great room—is a fun place to post up on game days, especially given the lanai’s beer keg and 75-inch TV. Let the good times roll.

[ngg src="galleries" ids="429" display="basic_thumbnail" thumbnail_crop="0"]Photography by Diana Todorova 

The post The Ultimate Outdoor Oasis is in Naples’ Pine Ridge Estates appeared first on Gulfshore Life.

Beyond the turquoise waters and wide stretches of sugary sand, the charm of Boca Grande is sealed by the porched and columned facades that convey the bygone days of Old Florida—and its charming Southern drawl.

Sandy Stilwell Youngquist has been enchanted by the quaint town at the end of Gasparilla Island since she strolled under the boughs of Banyan Street, near the Downtown Boca Grande Historic District, in her early 20s (she says the tree-lined way is the perfect spot for photos—the street’s so scenic couples often choose it to exchange “I do’s”).

[caption id="attachment_70924" align="alignleft" width="200"] Boca Grande’s historic charm, seen in places like the circa-1911 The Gasparilla Inn & Club, has beckoned Captiva Island restaurateur Sandy Stilwell Youngquist since her early 20s.[/caption]

It’s no surprise the Captiva Island queen—who owns an inn, five restaurants and a shopping center on the nearby barrier island—chose Boca Grande to expand her epicurean empire in late 2022. A love for preservation and exalting Old Florida is at the heart of Sandy’s ventures.

On November 1, weeks after Hurricane Ian wreaked havoc, she opened her second Keylime Bistro in Boca Grande’s old train depot, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. (Look out for her third locale in the new terminal of Southwest Florida International Airport in 2025.)

“To this day, it’s a breath of fresh air when I go over the bridge in my car or pull up to the docks in our boat—it feels like stepping back in time to a place that is not overdeveloped or overcommercialized,” Sandy says, emphasizing how Boca Grande offers a perfect blend of nature, small businesses and beautiful homes. 

She wants others to discover the town’s appeal and how it’s possible for an area with blocks upon blocks of multimillion-dollar estates to remain unpretentious. Much of it starts with the people who frequent the island, a quiet-luxury crowd that likes to drink their sweet tea rather than spill it and ride around on golf carts before a few rounds of backgammon with a Gulf-inspired Boca Punch in hand.

No visit to the town is complete without seeing one of Sandy’s favorite spots, The Gasparilla Inn & Club, notably a longtime winter retreat for the Bush family. The restaurateur urges venturing into the striking Colonial Revival main building on Palm Avenue and booking lunch or dinner at one of the inn’s iconic dining venues, such as The Pink Elephant—called “The Pink” by locals.

[caption id="attachment_70930" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Mom-and-pop shops like Boca Blooms florist give the island its character. The canopies of trees that envelop thoroughfares like Banyan Street make for ideal photo-ops.[/caption]

In a time and place where anything goes sartorially, the inn clings to tradition, with a formal dress code that requires whites on the croquet lawns and collars and/or jackets throughout most other spaces. Sandy recalls a few years back when she and her husband, Tim, invited friends to celebrate the Kentucky Derby at the inn. While Boca Grande’s ‘season’ was long over the first weekend in May, they dressed to the nines to take in all the pre-race coverage at main floor lounge BZ’s. The inn indulges Sandy’s penchant for history and Old Florida charm. “It’s beautiful and exudes elegance with its white rattan furniture, pinks, greens and turquoise,” she says. “It’s very reminiscent of Southern hospitality.”

As she ventures deeper into the island, Sandy loves how innately walkable—and bike- and golf-cart- friendly—the community is (rental spots abound, but there’s not a single gas station). “You can park your car and bike all over the island,” she says.

Her favorite trail, the Boca Grande Bike Path, transformed the old railroad tracks, dating from the Gilded Age, into a verdant rail-trail that flows into Gasparilla Island State Park, home to the Port Boca Grande Lighthouse and Museum (a unique, two-story, square-shaped, shingled structure with a light nestled in a widow’s walk).

You can ride the trail to and from the historic train station that’s now home to Sandy’s Keylime Bistro and Loose Caboose ice cream parlor. The depot, which ushered industrialists and winter residents until its closure in 1958, still marks the heart of Boca Grande. “You can shop, you can dine; you can even bring a picnic. But to me, the dining is half the fun,” Sandy says.

Aside from her place (known for crab cake benedicts, grouper sandwiches and cocktails), she cites a tiny spot called The Temptation Restaurant that has a great wine list and a sign urging “Please, no profanity.” The bar Miller’s Dockside at Boca Grande Marina also draws her and Tim when they dock their boat after a day of exploring. The couple often opts to spend the night aboard their vessel, and Miller’s provides a lively scene in the evenings.

[caption id="attachment_70927" align="aligncenter" width="300"] “To this day, it’s a breath of fresh air when I go over the bridge in my car or pull up to the docks in our boat—it feels like stepping back in time.” —Sandy Stilwell Youngquist[/caption]

When it comes to dressing for days out (or picking up a souvenir), Sandy mines hidden gems. Sunsets of Boca Grande is her stop for cute handbags and resort wear; or, she’ll head to The Palm on Park - A Lilly Pulitzer Signature Store to channel the preppy-pretty Florida look. She wouldn’t let you leave town before swinging by the 1916 emporium Fugate’s and the town’s oldest marina, Whidden’s, which covers all your bait-and-tackle needs, along with offering a solid dose of local color via old photographs and artifacts.

[caption id="attachment_70923" align="aligncenter" width="199"] From the recently renovated The Gasparilla Inn
& Club to The Palm on Park — A Lilly Pulitzer Signature Store, Boca Grande suits Sandy’s love of history and preppy-pretty Florida style.[/caption]

Sandy delights in Boca Grande’s history and many singularities. Though the entrepreneur’s well- traveled through Gulf waters, she says there’s something special about witnessing the leaping silver-back tarpon that make the deepwater Boca Grande Pass renowned for sportfishing. She recalls springtime tournaments so packed with boats that you could hop from one deck to another, and likely be welcomed aboard by each new host.

[caption id="attachment_70934" align="alignleft" width="199"] Weeks after Hurricane Ian tore through Southwest Florida in 2022, Sandy persevered, opening the second location for her long-loved Keylime Bistro in Boca Grande’s old train depot.[/caption]

In many ways, Boca Grande is ideal for mariners, and that speaks to the core of this ocean-loving gal. Only boaters can access the island’s best beach—a crystal-clear swatch surrounding a sandbar at the former rail bridge on the island’s north side. It’s only fitting the best beach evokes nostalgia in a town that celebrates its cherished past.  

[caption id="attachment_70925" align="aligncenter" width="300"] The longtime Captiva Island businesswoman likes to visit Miller’s Dockside bar at Boca Grande Marina after a long day—or night—on the water with her husband, Tim.[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_70935" align="aligncenter" width="200"] Sandy says there’s something special about witnessing the leaping silver-back tarpon that make the Boca Grande Pass renowned for sportfishing.[/caption]

Photography by Anna Nguyen

The post An Insider’s Guide to Boca Grande appeared first on Gulfshore Life.

When landscape architect Pat Trefz first saw his clients’ home in Naples’ prestigious Royal Harbor area, he knew there was a lot of work ahead for his team. The Tuscan architecture, with ornate columns and yellowed stucco walls, didn’t just cramp the facade; it also foiled one of the property’s best assets—the view. 

The homeowners enlisted Pat’s landscape architecture firm, Outside Productions International (OPi), to head the task of revamping the nearly half-acre lot’s outdoor spaces and landscaping. In tandem with contractors of the Knauf-Koenig Group (KKG), the team got to work opening up the backyard, updating the flow and look of the living areas, and unlocking those stellar, clear shots of Naples Bay. One of the first action points was removing the oversized stucco arches that connected the two-story screens, framing the pool area and interfering with the centerpiece vistas of the waterfront lot that faces eastward and gets stellar sunset views most nights.

After removing the obstructive screen, archways and columns, OPi and KKG demoed the existing pool and replaced it with a sleek infinity-edge design with Agate Moyou glass tile (color Portofino with a pearl finish) for the waterline. Shellstone lines the perimeter, connecting the patio to the fire pit. 

The new layout created separate yet cohesive outdoor living spaces that accommodate intimate socials or larger groups. Working from the two lanais out, Pat designed the pergola-covered outdoor kitchen (complete with a pizza oven and 60-inch SunBrite TV) closest to the main interior living area, so the homeowners could have easy access.

A small set of stairs off the kitchen leads to the fire pit and a turfed lounge area that encourages gathering with its modern, U-arranged sectionals with built-in teak tables. The low-maintenance artificial turf breaks up the scene and softens the look of the extensive Turkish shellstone that weaves its way through the backyard.

The landscaping was equally important in the layout for opening up the backyard. “We try to keep a green fringe on the back of the property where the land meets the seawall,” Pat says. “The planting is a tropical, manicured design and the turf is an important element that emphasizes the manicured nature of the design.” OPi layered in Sylvester palms, hibiscus (for color), tidy coniferous trees and shrubs, and native yaupon hollies to create the feel of a pristine, tropical resort.

Now completely unobstructed, the backyard is open to the horizon—and the view is just as charming looking in. “We want the views from the water to be equally beautiful as from the land, so when boats drive by or the homeowners return from a day on the water, it’s a beautiful sight,” Pat says.   

[caption id="attachment_68651" align="aligncenter" width="850"] Separate entertaining areas (outdoor kitchen, lounge, fire pit) are connected by the Turkish shellstone that weaves its way through the backyard. Lowmaintenance artificial turf and tropical foliage combine for the manicured look of a five-star resort. (Photo by Santiago Zabaleta)[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_68654" align="aligncenter" width="850"] (Photo by Santiago Zabaleta)[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_68653" align="aligncenter" width="850"] The team removed an obstructive two-story screen and Mediterranean columns and archways to open the backyard to the water views. They replaced the dated pool with a sleek, infinity-edge design. (Photo by Santiago Zabaleta)[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_68652" align="aligncenter" width="850"] (Photo by Santiago Zabaleta)[/caption]

The post You’ll Want to Spend All Day in This Naples Waterfront Backyard appeared first on Gulfshore Life.

Old Naples still looks like it’s ripped straight from a postcard. Gable roofs and lap siding evoke historic charm, colorful bougainvillea and fragrant gardenias climb up latticed trellises, and native beautyberry bushes and coontie plants lend a touch of wild, local flair to the manicured lawns. Down here, it’s just as much about what’s on the outside as what’s within, and this corner lot on Third Avenue South and Central Avenue masters the art of tony appeal with abundant lushness.

Matt Kragh, of MHK Architecture, applied his hallmark style to the cottage facade. Philip McHenry, of Architectural Land Design, focused the vegetation on plants that grow well in the area, including the clusia hedge and the red-tipped native cocoplum hedges that add texture and color. Out front, coconut palms and a turf-cloaked driveway create a verdant setting. Pavers underneath ensure tires don’t dig into the yard and help manage stormwater runoff.

Lushness continues from the front to the back, where a faux living wall, designed by Naples' Betsy Pesek, takes center stage above the pool. The outdoor living area takes the form of a secluded courtyard garden, bordered by the main residence and a guest house, the lanai, and a garden wall blocking out busy Central Avenue.

Developer Dante DiSabato says the feature wall softens the scene and creates a soothing sound as water trickles down. Starburst plants and pink flowers on the living wall mimic the color palette of the front yard. The greenery frames the water feature against the garage wall, which was covered in the same tile lining the pool. Shell-infused precast decking from Naples’ Earth Surfaces of America borders the water and tiled wall, creating a cohesive look and tying into the Southwest Florida setting. A flush spa anchors the pool’s entrance, and pavers stretch the length of the pool, connecting the lanai and garden. The team opted for custom material to create the ombre, shell-infused stepping stones to nod to the color of the surrounding high-performance Geolam decking and the wood floors inside.

The lot’s location encouraged the Naples-based teams’ ingenuity. The pros placed the pool on the south side for maximum light exposure, and Philip enclosed the area with 8- to 10-foot ligustrums—the dense trees shroud the sanctuary and buffer sound from Central Avenue. Philip added ground covers, like Neoregelia 'super fireballs,' layered for color and texture.

Bordering the pool, the covered lanai has cream-colored couches, sited to encourage conversation around the fireplace and an RH table with a tree trunk-like base. The shaded area—with walls and wood details that pull from the pool’s speckled tile and Geolam deck— separates the indoor kitchen from the L-shaped outdoor cooking space. The layout creates intimacy and an easy flow. Visitors can enjoy the alfresco space without disrupting the owners since the guest cabana above the garage has a separate staircase. The intentional design provides privacy and togetherness—the best of both worlds. 

[ngg src="galleries" ids="408" display="basic_thumbnail" thumbnail_crop="0"]Photography by Dan Cutrona

The post This Cottage Landscape Melds Old Naples with Modern Elegance appeared first on Gulfshore Life.

When interior designer Dwayne Bergmann was brought in to reimagine this home in Fort Myers’ Pinehurst Estates, this space was covered in a two-story pool cage. There was no dedicated outdoor living area—just a dated pool and spa with some struggling outdoor furniture scattered about.

And there certainly was no asymmetrical cantilevered outdoor breakfast nook off the primary suite. “I’ll have to give all the credit to my client, who was traveling and saw something similar at a Four Seasons,” Dwayne says. The steel and concrete structure features a linear fireplace, wrapped in a textured, almost woven-like tile by Porcelanosa. 

After Dwayne redesigned the home’s interior, he moved onto the exterior, capitalizing on the home’s new layout, which included swapping the family room and kitchen. With the kitchen at the far end of the home, it made sense to add an outdoor kitchen and living space to extend out from and connect to the indoor cooking area. “That side of the outdoor space wasn’t integrated into the footprint of the home,” Dwayne Bergmann adds. You now access the approximately 600-square-foot alfresco area via a covered porch and media space. The pool sits on a lower level, with decking and coping in a gorgeous, thick, white statuary marble with light gray veining that was sandblasted to prevent slipping.

The outdoor kitchen features a grill with a black granite counter surface. The furnishings are primarily Barlow Tyrie Aura Collection and made of marine-grade stainless steel and teak. Just off the outdoor living space, Dwayne added a built-in banquette conversation area with a gas fire pit, where guests can take in the entire area. The two kidney-shaped couches by Vondom allow for easy conversation.

Though the pool shape didn’t change, Dwayne modernized the space with a black-and-white scheme and added a dynamic pixelated mosaic tile for the waterline and spa area—an edgy contrast to the yard’s green lushness. The varying platforms create layers of interest, while the raised spillover spa—another excellent vantage point—incorporates the original glass block that Dwayne Bergmann chose to keep along with the glass block wall off the primary suite. “It was a closet originally, but it let in so much light I decided to make it a small office instead,” he says.   

The outdoor space takes on a sculptural feel. “We often forget about architectural elements in our outdoor spaces,” Dwayne adds. “We focus on ceilings or angles or curved walls and forget that we can build in a very cool exterior element, often creating an even bigger impact.” He says there are always opportunities, and they don’t have to be functional: “They are just meant to be looked at.” 

The post Incredible Backyard Transformation in Fort Myers appeared first on Gulfshore Life.

For some, the kitchen is the heart of the home, but for this Naples family of five, the central hub is the backyard. The husband-and-wife homeowners wanted a backyard that was a relaxing sanctuary and an exciting playground for their three young children. They fancied a home that felt like a lush haven, a sort of island retreat without having to actually go away. Lucas Lagoons, along with MHK Architecture & Planning, Adelyn Charles Interiors and Potter Homes, delivered with a home reminiscent of a luxury Caribbean resort.

The couple loves Animal Planet’s Insane Pools: Off the Deep End, which follows Englewood-based Lucas Lagoons’ owner, Lucas Congdon, and his team as they build unbelievably whimsical pools for clients throughout Florida. So, when the two decided to demolish the existing house on their 3.23-acre lot, they turned to Lucas to create a 360-degree design for the river-adjacent property, which also includes a front yard fountain and zen garden overlooking the bathroom in the primary suite.

The backyard is anchored by a large pool with a grotto. Lucas traveled to Tennessee with his clients to select the stones—150 tons of Tennessee fieldstone boulders, designed to accommodate the commercial, 38-foot-long waterslide and eight-person hot tub. The rocks also provide a jumping-off point over the waterfall and into the 8-foot-deep turquoise water. Swimmers lounge around the grotto’s secluded, eight-person seating and the sun shelf with white Tropitone chaise loungers. A sunken fire pit, made from natural limestone and Tremron pavers, sits adjacent to the pool overlooking the putting green, a playful domain for kids and adults. “They didn’t want this to look like your typical Florida pool,” Alex Thies, owner of Adelyn Charles Interiors, says. “They wanted to embrace the natural environment of the house and feel like it was a part of the natural landscape—and also make it really fun.”

In step with the landscape’s effortless luxury, low-key maintenance was also essential for the busy clan. The backyard’s artificial turf eliminates mowing needs and holds up in high-traffic areas. The home’s interior neutral palette plays off the surrounding nature and extends outside with the outdoor kitchen’s driftwood-hued cabinets and the island’s quartzite countertop with delicate black and gray veining. To create a seamless flow to the exterior, Alex used a durable wood-like tile that matches the interior’s wood flooring. Finishing off the backyard’s living area, Alex used a mix of Serena & Lily and RH pieces in neutral shades with pops of navy blue and installed a mister system for ultimate cooling.

At the end of the day, the home’s design team created more than a stunning poolscape. They delivered a tropical paradise where they can make endless memories.

[ngg src="galleries" ids="283" display="basic_thumbnail"]Photography by Blaine Johnathan

The post Lucas Lagoons transforms a Naples backyard into a resort-style hub for all ages. appeared first on Gulfshore Life.

“I don’t know how to put it in words, but I have a deep connection to this house,” Laura Martin says about her abode in Naples Park. “After all these years, I’m still in love with it—especially the beautiful backyard.” Laura, a former flight attendant from Argentina, relocated from Miami to Naples three years ago with her commercial pilot husband and two children. Miami’s notorious freneticism had become too overbearing for the young family, who looked to the Gulf Coast for a much-needed change of pace.

In Miami, the Martins lived in an extravagant 1920s Italianate villa in Coral Gables, but in Naples, they nabbed a whitewashed, metal-roofed bungalow. The home was more than an aesthetic foil to their previous residence; it was also nearly half the size. But downsizing wasn’t an issue for Laura—in fact, with her daughter heading off to college, it was partly an objective—as long as the new property possessed one non-negotiable feature: a veritable oasis of a backyard. 

Occupying a south-facing double lot with ample sunlight, the 1,800-square-foot home was designed by New York City- and Stockholm-based architect Solveig Fernlund. Her affinity for clean Scandi minimalism has wooed clients such as Sofia Coppola (Solveig designed the Academy Award-winning filmmaker’s Napa Valley retreat). With industrial poured-concrete floors, stark white walls and ceilings that soar 12 feet high, the open-concept bungalow could be dropped into any cosmopolitan hub and feel right at home. “Inside, it looks like a New York loft,” says Laura, who stripped away the previous owners’ ornamentation to restore the home to its blank-canvas feel. “I am a total minimalist and no longer like to hold onto material things.” The walls remain free of art; instead, large windows look out onto the masterfully landscaped backyard.   

While the interiors recall New York City, the backyard channels Montego Bay. Impact-resistant glass sliding doors open onto a sprawling concrete patio, shaded by a wood-slatted pergola. The original homeowner, nostalgic for his childhood years spent in Jamaica, created his a mini-Antilles. He erected an 8-foot-tall concrete-block privacy wall; planted a wealth of tropical botanicals, like the Madagascar jasmine that climbs up the pergola’s wooden pillars; and installed lotus rain chains from the roof, which empty into colossal barrels. 

It’s a Zen escape. “[The previous owner] told me he wanted to hear the bamboo sway in the wind,” Laura says of the thatches of the plant found along the garden’s perimeter. “I had no idea what he meant at the time, but I hear them now, and it’s just gorgeous.” Laura also put her green thumb to use, adding a smattering of large, herb- and flower-filled planters on the patio and grafting orchids to the trees in the back. 

Then there’s the showstopper: a 62-foot solar-heated lap pool and water fountain surrounded by a border of pebbles. Laura ensured all the alfresco seating areas and nooks directly overlook the pool. She furnished the porch with a set of teak chairs on one side and a wooden dining table with benches on the other. Toward the back of the garden, she placed a pair of sunbeds underneath a string of Nepalese prayer flags (a gift from her brother) and nestled a statue of Buddha in between. “It’s where I sit every morning—my favorite place,” she reflects. 

After flying the globe for a living, Laura feels she’s finally landed in the right place: “If I had the opportunity to build a house from scratch, I would have built it exactly like this.”   

Photography by Dan Cutrona:

[ngg src="galleries" ids="248" display="basic_thumbnail"] 

The post A Minimalist Naples Park Home Embraces Biophilia appeared first on Gulfshore Life.

This Caloosatchee collaboration from MHK Architecture & Planning and Jinx McDonald Interior Designs brings riverside living to a new level. It’s a fun, personalized home—built by Sawgrass Construction—with a British West Indies feel, situated on a more than 10,000-square-foot lot, hugged by a natural lagoon. The team was determined to make the most of its aquatic setting and unique, pie-shaped lot. “It comes down to solving a simple math problem,” architect Matthew Kragh says. “Where are the owners going to spend 90 percent of their time, and how can we maximize it?”

The answer, as for many living in our paradisiacal setting, was the outdoor living area. The house maintains a symmetrical layout—keeping the entrance as the focal point—and incorporates a maintenance-free stucco facade, horizontal siding and a flat, concrete split-pitched roof. An open-plan interior creates contemporary coastal vibes, and a second-floor wraparound balcony offers understated Caribbean embellishment that sets the stage for unobstructed views of the waterway below.

The homeowner called in landscaper Hunter Booth of St. Petersburg-based Booth Design Group to fill the grounds with blooming bromeliads, fanning monsteras and swaying palms to highlight the region’s subtropical climate while keeping the vistas free and clear. A wall of windows along the back of the home showcases the pool, which appears to spill into the river, interrupted only by four distinctive fire features along the sloping edge. Custom porcelain pavers and limestone coping create a seamless expanse along the edges and a subtle sensuality that aligns with the rhythm of the undulating river. In the center of the pool, there’s a sunken conversation area to gather around the fire. And, off to the side, a spa and sunning deck are shaded by towering palms.

Designers Minka McDonald and Beth Walker-Fenton fine-tuned the home’s finishes with natural materials. Minka calls the house “extremely sensual and tactile.” She chose exterior materials that mirror the elegant indoor palette, such as Carrara marble-inspired Dekton counters and backsplash for the outdoor kitchen and a natural coral stone-clad fireplace. A kitchen and lounge casually flow around a central TV focal wall and the fireplace for resort-living vibes. The result is an alfresco space that embraces its natural surroundings while maintaining modern comforts. 

Taking advantage of the curved lot, the team tucked a private, three-hole putting green off the side of the house. And boaters swoon for the dock, on the opposite end of the property, perfectly aligned to drift into the backyard with style. The space quite simply amplifies the pleasures of being outside at home.

The post The Ultimate Backyard Playground appeared first on Gulfshore Life.

Come rain or shine, Kathryn and Rodney Woods’ outdoor living area is now fully outfitted for whatever the day brings.

The Naples couple already had a stunning backyard, complete with a waterfront pool (wrapped in tile from top glass mosaic producer Bisazza) and an expansive lanai. When they decided to add a tech-enhanced Renson Camargue pergola from GWT Outdoors to their adjacent patio, they got one step closer to harnessing the elements. The sleek, powder-coated aluminum structure features automatic louvers and solar shades that adjust to make weather fluctuations almost nonexistent.

Taking advantage of current technologies by updating outdoor living areas is a great way to bring your backyard into the 21st century. Plus, in our warm climes, it helps to have a space that shields you from harsher weather while beckoning with stylish, comfy lounge areas. This was something the Woods were missing in their Port Royal home. “All we had before was a gas grill,” Kathryn says. “Nobody ever went out there.”

The Renson pergola, which meets Miami’s stringent wind-load requirements, has louvers that can rotate 150 degrees and be shut through a phone, remote or smart home system. “When you close it, it’s watertight,” Stuart Sheppard, the owner of Naples-based GWT Outdoors, says. The louvers are designed so that when you open them after it rains, water is redirected into the built-in gutters and you don’t get splashed. On the sides, automatic solar shades open and close to adjust the airflow and sunshine throughout the space.

Sitting right off the kitchen and the lanai, the 17-by-14-foot pergola serves as the home’s primary outdoor dining area, extending above a custom table with handpainted Gervasoni ceramic bases and eight JANUS et Cie chairs. Box planters were moved from the main lanai area to surround the new outdoor dining space, seamlessly integrating greenery into the design and serving as a protective perimeter, so guests don’t accidentally step off the ledge. Another 6-by-4-foot Renson structure juts off the side, housing a German-made Cook-N-Dine teppanyaki grill, which itself is an aesthetic and engineering marvel: When it’s shut off, it appears as a sleek sheet of stainless steel; when it gets hot, the center depresses, creating a wok-like area for cooking. The grill is surrounded by Renson’s Linius louvered cladding, and its front columns feature integrated LED lighting. For can’t-miss sporting events, there’s also a television surrounded by the same cladding.

[caption id="attachment_43933" align="aligncenter" width="850"] Adding a Renson pergola maximized the Woods’ outdoor living space, with an alfresco kitchen and dining room. “It’s also a garden room,” Kathryn says. The automatic louvers and shades protect her orchids. (Photo by Robin Hill)[/caption]

The Woods’ interior designer, Chandra Payne of CPayne Interiors of Dallas, loves the modern lines of the pergola juxtaposed with the more traditional home: “We talked about copying the lanai with the wood ceiling, but we wanted a lighter space that wasn’t going to make that side of the house heavy.” As inspiration, she thought about I.M. Pei’s Louvre Pyramid and how it modernizes while not detracting from the original French Renaissance building.

And while the space is mainly used for dining, it also functions as a garden room, providing an ideal weather zone for Kathryn’s plants. Every fall, she fills the home with orchids, which would wilt after season. Now, with two open sides and an adjustable roof covering for light, “my orchids will thrive over the summer months,” she says. Her flowers sit on dueling custom racks between the pergola and lanai, while a rolling herb garden and potted ferns add greenery.

Two Philippe Starck-designed Kartell Bubble Club chairs fill out the pergola, which overlooks the backyard, dock, pool and water. It all connects beautifully to the pool deck that stretches across the backyard with a wood pergola that offers partial shade when the couple is sunning on their Sutherland loungers and sets the stage when the sun shelf is covered by Plexiglas for parties. The Woods’ new backyard is truly a space for all seasons and occasions. 

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Mariah Bakke, of Viva Landscapes, has a knack for creating verdant outdoor spaces that deliver on beauty and function. In her own Fort Myers home, she and her fiance, fishing guide and photographer John Landry, transformed the grounds from a grassy plot into a verdant botanical garden. With its tropical monsteras and alocasias that blend seamlessly with the native cabbage palms and pines throughout, the backyard showcases her knack for tropical modern design and honors the region’s subtropical climate with a healthy mix of native plants. “There’s something to be said about having your own private backyard oasis, where you can just relax and not worry about anybody around you,” she says. 

Though the yard was mostly barren when Landry purchased the lot about six years ago, the previous owners had built an 8-by-8-foot deck into a more than 50-year-old Cuban laurel that stands on the property. Though the previous owners hadn’t done much beyond installing the platform, Bakke was inspired to finish the job. Rather than creating a standard kids’ fort, the couple wanted to design an elegant lounge area that wouldn’t detract from the tree’s stately presence. The first order of business was to ensure the space would be easily accessible for grown-ups. For that, they added a sloping staircase, made of pressure-treated pine, and Bakke poised a pair of wooden Adirondack chairs (built by Landry) on the deck, leaving just enough room to walk around the perimeter or lean over the wooden railing to peek down at the foliage. A massive pothos (a common vining household plant) scales the trunk and wraps around the tree’s branches, which are also adorned with dangling pieces of driftwood. Down below, she filled the gaps between roots with an assortment of fanning alocasias, heart-shaped philodendrons and rainbow crotons—many of which Bakke planted after they outgrew their indoor pots. One day, she hopes to build onto the treehouse, enclosing the space to create a biophilic guest room or outdoor office. “We use this space so much more now,” Bakke says. “We’re always having people over.”

Extending throughout the backyard oasis, the landscape architect created walking paths, conversation areas and an alfresco dining area, with direct access to the main house through sliding glass doors. A wooden pergola, which her fiance and furniture maker dad built and installed, provides shade, and the wooden dining table (which Landry built with his own father) is often decorated with clippings and coconuts found throughout the yard. “The living environment can create a sense of calm,” Bakke says. “If my backyard was all gravel, it would have a completely different mental effect.”

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