Embracing A European Coastal Feel In A Florida Retreat

As far as renovations go, designer Dwayne Bergmann was pleasantly surprised by the starting point of the early-2000s Bonita Springs house his clients had purchased on a lush lakefront site. “The home had an extremely well-detailed original concept,” he remembers. “It had been beautifully done for the time period in which it was built.” In fact, although the new owners favor an eclectic style, they didn’t want to lose too much of the structure’s Mediterranean vibe—just introduce a modern European aesthetic that wouldn’t fight against the existing look.

For the initial plan, the couple engaged with general contractor Shane Klepko and builder Alexandra Brennan, whose firm had constructed the residence. “They wanted to open it up as much as possible to see the nearby preserve and lake,” Brennan recalls. The team expanded the sliding glass doors and windows in spaces such as the family room, bringing in views of the double-lot property, while ensuring all interior adjustments flowed within the original framework. For instance, they updated the main floors and stained any existing parts a matching tone. “They had an oak floor and changed the sheen, so we sanded some sections back to the bare wood,” Brennan notes. “That was quite a task, blending new and old.” Pecky cypress ceiling accents—like the dining room’s detail and the primary bedroom’s beams—were also refinished. Introducing this material in other areas made dark wood a prevalent feature throughout the home.

One spot that required a heavy lift was the kitchen, where a wall partitioned the space from the living area. Out went the wall as well as the perpendicular stainless-steel island—and in their places, to still delineate the zones, came two oval-shaped islands in a fluted material. “Once we replaced the wall with an island,” Klepko says, “the space transformed.” The team also maintained the bell profile of the range hood, swapping the finish from a faux travertine to a smooth stucco. “The kitchen has an artistic element now,” Bergmann observes. “The overall aesthetic has a more creative feel.”

Decisions made in the kitchen prompted the overall decor scheme. “For the most part, we kept to traditional, transitional styling for the background and architectural details,” the designer notes. “When the clients embraced our oval-island concept, it triggered shapes and forms for the furniture.” Rounded pieces soften the interiors’ 90-degree angles—such as the curved seating in the living area, which boasts a formal salon arrangement thanks to low-back items that don’t obstruct the water views or connection to the kitchen.

For color choices, Bergmann leaned into soft neutrals: ivories and golds alongside light blue for an oceanic touch. “It’s a slightly more masculine palette, which works well with the dark wood elements,” he observes. “The owners didn’t want beach-inspired looks like driftwood, but they did favor elements that remind them: This is a coastal environment.” The designer channeled that feeling through material selections such as the kitchen’s wavy-textured backsplash. “The tiles look like sand underneath the ocean when you see the water come back up—that ripple effect,” Bergmann muses. He carried the wave motif into moments like the living area’s chandelier and coffee table, a subtle detail that evokes tranquility. “Repeating shapes, forms and colors is calming,” the designer comments. “The more your eyes have to process change, the more opportunity there is for conflict.”

Prints appear sparingly, such as the dining room’s abstract wallcovering and the bluish-gray geometric paper that lines the primary bedroom’s headboard niche. “This pattern spoke to the landscape,” Bergmann explains. “We thought it represented what was happening outside—like organized chaos.”

The wildness stays outdoors, though. Inside, the mood is best summarized by the clients’ motto for the house: “Every day is Sunday.” The designer concludes, “The owners wanted a relaxing place. This is the feeling they have when they’re at home in Bonita Springs.”