Usually, a secondary Southwest Florida home is all about carefree family days and a blasé attitude when it comes to sandy feet. This one is different. Interior designer Jenna Getchell’s clients—a couple from Buffalo, New York, who have been married for 40 years—wanted an upscale destination for just the two of them. “The kids are grown, so this is our private getaway,” the husband shares. Their new abode reflects their elevated approach to living—and especially their appreciation for contemporary art.
Their Gulf-front Naples condo, complete with terraces and a screened lanai, was just what they were looking for. “I love this building, because it has open-air balconies, allowing the large sliders to open and pocket—giving the place a much larger feel,” the wife says. “It presents an infinity view.” Yet the pair needed help reimagining the modest interiors. “Space is limited,” the husband notes, “so we had to make it seem bigger and the sight lines as broad as possible.”
Home Details
Interior Design: Jenna Getchell, J. Lynn Design Group
Home Builder: Manuel Monteiro, Professional Contractors Group
With this vision in mind, the owners brought on Getchell, who worked with general contractor Manuel Monteiro to gut the unit. “That allowed us to begin anew,” the interior designer recalls. Rethinking the entire living experience and layout, the team reduced three bedrooms to two, which carved out intimate entertaining areas and a more private kitchen better tailored to the clients.
“From the outset, the intention was to create a clean-lined, architecturally driven space that maximizes spatial efficiency and the panoramic views,” the interior designer explains. “But the owners also wanted the residence to feel like it could be in Chicago or New York—something edgy, fashion-forward and a little formal.”
To achieve a glam-penthouse sensibility, Getchell layered refined finishes. Reflective, crisp-white porcelain floor tiles balance rich walnut millwork, and select paneled walls frame water views. The kitchen is sleek, almost yacht-like, with high-gloss white cabinetry and brushed-gold accents, while turquoise agate slabs and textured glass outfit the bar. “The way it all blends is amazing,” Monteiro observes. “Some homes look better once the furnishings are in, but this one was beautiful even empty.”
By keeping the architectural elements striking yet minimalist, the interior designer established an elegant backdrop for vibrant dimension and expansive scenery. Knowing her clients planned to acquire bold contemporary artworks, she traveled extensively to find similarly sculptural furnishings. Curved sofas anchor a circular seating arrangement in the living area, dressed with pillows in fuchsias and deep purples. Caribbean-blue swivel chairs occupy a lounge space, while the family area features a trio of gemstone-like tables. In the couple’s suite, Getchell embraced an aqua-and-green palette, grounded it with a Jackson Pollock-like rug and then introduced metallic details through the nightstands and pendants. “Their bedroom has a warm and luxurious feel,” she remarks. “Each area is bright and crisp, but they all let the view do the talking.”
The interior designer’s selections foster a gallery-like setting for an art collection the owners sourced specifically for this project. “We wanted pieces that were energized and happy,” the husband says. Carrying a list of spatial measurements, the clients explored galleries from Palm Beach to Vail, Colorado, selecting visual treats such as the living area’s towering glass helix sculpture and oversize painting awash in pinks and blues. “This room highlights the minimalist quality of the architecture and the maximalist nature of their art,” Getchell states. In the lounge area, a graffiti-like painting visually balances a Slim Aarons photograph, while the entry sets the tone with a sculpture of a diver wearing a swim cap encrusted with Swarovski crystals. “It makes you wonder: What am I going to be walking into? What’s around every corner?” the interior designer muses.
The couple’s acquisitions infuse the condo with an additional layer of personality and exciting energy, becoming a defining element of the abode. “The owners fed off my ability to design, which inspired them to be creative,” Getchell reflects. “The home is modern at its core, and the art is the finishing touch that takes it to another level of maximalism.”
