With its inviting glass entry arch and striking silhouette, her neighbor’s cloud-white stucco abode proved an irresistible draw to Heidi Naughton. Every day, as she walked her two dogs, Heidi paused to admire the Cape Dutch-style house. “One of my favorite cities is Amsterdam,” she says. “Looking through my camera roll, I realized most of the photos I’ve taken there are of architectural elements, namely the gables of canal houses—I think that’s what I was responding to.”
Eager to rebuild their property in South Florida—where they spend half the year when not in New England—Heidi and her husband, Kevin, reached out to the architect of the home she so admired, Rustem “Rusty” Kupi. He proposed a tour of the house, which happened to be owned by designer Christie Cade. That field trip turned out to be a twofold blessing: “Once I saw how Christie and Rusty communicated, I knew immediately she was the right person to tackle this with,” Heidi recalls.
Giving the Naughton abode its own distinct identity was key. Working with his daughter, residential designer Alexandra Kupi, Rusty started with a stucco-and-concrete-tile exterior, similar to that of Cade’s residence. The duo then introduced a series of simplified Flemish gables to distinguish the façade. Later, they added the same steel-framed windows—described by general contractor Richard Mouw as “maximum glass without beefy frames”—to mimic the lightness and transparency Rusty previously achieved. Making these a central part of the design allowed for the creation of graceful elliptical archways and large sheer panes. “We wanted to bring the outdoors in and make the clients feel like they’re in their own little Eden,” Rusty says. The lush vision is furthered by the work of landscape designer Elliott Templeton, whose elegant scheme gives the grounds the feeling of a well-kept secret.
Also informing the build was the homeowners’ art collection, which provided a sense of whimsy. “We found a big bronze hippopotamus sculpture that reminded Heidi of a recent trip to Africa,” Cade says. The monumental mammal, placed primely at the edge of the pool, provides both a lighthearted focal point and a rear terminus for the main axis of the house. “I told Rusty and Elliott that I want to be able to see him all the time,” Heidi adds with a laugh.
Organizing the home’s H-shaped layout around a front courtyard and a back pool area brought a tranquil garden-like ambience to the interiors. It also enabled the formation of symmetrical twin galleries to showcase the couple’s venerable artworks—many of which have ties to Maine, where Heidi was raised. Prized pieces from the Pine Tree State were given pride of place: A lobstering scene by Stephen Pace welcomes visitors in the entry, while across the courtyard a blue heron takes flight on a large canvas by Scott Kelley.
For the interior palette, Cade responded by integrating atmospheric, saturated hues into her usual airy, fresh mix. “Being from Maine, Heidi loves those dark, moody colors and has a more English sensibility,” the designer says. To illustrate, steely blue paint adds depth and drama to the kitchen and bar cabinetry, while the den is enveloped in a coat of smoky Viridian green, which harmonizes with slipper chairs covered in a classic banana-leaf print. The jadeite hue was inspired by the palette of an abstract painting, scored at a thrift shop, that hangs above the sofa and shares air with a treasured work by Reggie Burrows Hodges. “I love how they play off each other,” Heidi observes of the odd-couple art pairing.
While the lofty primary suite provides a calming refuge for the couple, Cade took a more playful approach for the guest quarters. With three grown children, there would be no formal room assignments. Instead, visitors can choose from a trio of art-filled rooms, including one with a collection of bird prints, a hat tip to the home’s surroundings.
By the time the team completed the install, the clients had yet to see the project’s late-stage progress. Having just flown down for a black- tie event, they made a pit stop at the new house to drop their bags. “It was just me and Kevin unlocking the door and being blown away,” Heidi recounts. “All the pieces I had seen as individual parts suddenly were orchestrated into this beautiful whole that I get to call my home.”
