REVAMPING TRADITION
CONTEMPORARY FLAIR BREATHES NEW LIFE INTO A CLASSIC TUSCAN DESIGN
Kitchen: The heart of this space is its impressive floor-to-ceiling storage, designed by Kristin Lyons, the Founder and Principal Designer of KDL Interior Design, using SOHO Kitchens and Design cabinetry. The back wall features a mix of drawers at the bottom with standard and glass-front doors at the top. “We love the drawer storage below to make the back wall look more like a piece of furniture — like a wardrobe — and not so kitcheny,” she says. “I brought a little bit of blue into the island color — just a little whisper — and then kept everything else bright and fresh in white.” Standout details that elevate the kitchen include a white marble backsplash, gold hardware and fixtures from Ferguson Bath, Kitchen & Lighting Gallery, and textured pendants, all contributing to the space’s refined elegance.
Breakfast Nook: Lyons enhances the space with an exquisite floral-shaped chandelier from Hudson Valley Lighting, sourced from Naples Lamp Shop. This striking fixture creates a visual connection to adjoining areas and adds a touch of elegance. The client-selected furnishings and artwork, featuring marble and aged gold accents, echo the color palette and materials used throughout the home, creating a harmonious design.
KKristin Lyons, the Founder and Principal Designer of KDL Interior Design, is known for her versatile style. While she is often seen in a crisp white pantsuit, she is also no stranger to wearing a hard hat. Lyons, a 25-year veteran in the interior design industry, takes a hands-on approach to both design and project management. The Florida native started her firm nearly a decade ago, and the Fort Myers, Florida -based KDL Interior Design — which she now runs alongside her husband — focuses on luxury, large-scale new construction and remodeling projects and some commercial work along the Gulf Coast from Naples to Sarasota, Florida.
The design team renovated an early 2000s Tuscan-style home in Port Royal and turned it into a modern residence ideal for multigenerational living. The homeowners, who are from Illinois, undertook this extensive renovation to create a vacation home for themselves and their extended family, to eventually make it their full-time residence. u
Staircase: Lyons designed a fresh look for the staircase with a white-on-white wainscot contrasting with the rich wood stair treads and railing. The way the staircase juts into the room provides a perfect reading spot with a single chair and table. This thoughtful detail creates a visual “moment” that offers a soft place for the eye to rest while appreciating the open floor plan.
Dining Room: Seamlessly connected to the family room and adjacent to the bar area, the dining room exudes a sleek, clean aesthetic with a transitional touch. The simple wainscoting, consistent with other home areas, enhances the design by linking the ceiling details and cabinetry profile. Amber glass pendants cast a warm glow above the stone-topped table, complementing the cool, soft blue dining chairs.
“These beautiful details — accented by perfectly curated lighting and hardware — help carry that coastal elegant look throughout the home,” shares Kristin Lyons, the Founder and Principal Designer of KDL Interior Design.
Entry: An expansive wall in the foyer provided the perfect location for exceptional storage. Lyons opts for a striking black finish on the bench and flanking cabinetry, incorporating flat molding details for a transitional aesthetic. The stone wall treatment from Ruben Sorhegui Tile features linear carving, and the ribbed pattern is repeated on the lower cabinet doors and drawers. Touches of gold in the cabinet hardware and chandelier from Naples Lamp Shop and the polished white marble floor announce the luxurious home to come.
Family Room: “I designed this entertainment unit to carry a clean linear element through the house,” Lyons says. “It’s a striking detail that carries through the shelves, the TV area, and the hallway to the right that leads to the powder bath.” The rich wood tones beautifully contrast with the 12” Trecento Tropea flooring from the Trecento Collection by Legno Bastone Wide Plank Flooring, sourced from Naples Flooring Company. This wide plank flooring covers much of the home and showcases its elegant design and high-quality craftsmanship. The ceiling with flat trim accents plays up the expansive space without the fuss of traditional crown molding.
Primary Bathroom: The primary bathroom features floor tiles with a hint of blue, which inspired Lyons to match the cabinetry from SOHO Kitchens and Design to the kitchen island’s color. Her side of the bathroom includes lighted mirrors, a makeup area, ample storage, and elegant quartz countertops with a mitered edge. This U-shaped layout connects her side to his side and a shared shower. The cabinet hardware complements the kitchen’s finish while offering a fresh shape.
Primary Suite: Lyons used mirrors and trim to create dramatic backdrops for the nightstands next to the bed in the main bedroom. The mirrors have glass and gold sconces mounted on them, which have a floral shape that echoes the fixture in the breakfast nook, creating a striking custom look. Due to the home being stripped down to the studs, Lyons created a unique ceiling design “I kept it simple but effective with square molding and white oak tongue and groove,” Lyons explains. “This detail complements the floor and gives them a softer, coastal, elegant detail in their bedroom.”
The architectural transformation stripped away dated, ornate detailing both inside and out. Columns were replaced with a clean, modern look, and arched windows were swapped for rectangular ones with black trim to match a sleek iron front door. The old coffered ceilings were replaced with thinner, modern versions, and the walls were painted crisp white without excessive molding. Outside, a new gray roof replaced the terracotta tiles, and a squared-off entrance with black-and-white striped awnings adds a touch of Mediterranean style.
“I added a beautiful striated white granite to the front entry surround,” Lyons says. It has a light texture that lends sophisticated dimension without adding decorative elements such as columns. We really modernized the front entry, creating a stunning arrival at the front door.” This new elegant coastal design is a sophisticated twist on the typical Florida look. u
VIP Suite: Lyons aims for unique designs in each room while maintaining a cohesive look by using lighting with similar materials, such as the Fine Arts Lamps pendants from Naples Lamp Shop. “We wanted something unique and different for the VIP suite, and I love the color. They have a bit of that gold tone we’re bringing through the whole house, and they’re a little more unexpected, so we thought they were perfect for something a little different in this bedroom,” she says. Additionally, she designed a custom ceiling treatment and casings to conceal the window shades.
Kid’s Room: The homeowners wanted a place to entertain their young grandchildren just off the primary suite. Lyons chose interior doors — for this room and the rest of the home — with a bit of bling. “I thought this panel design was beautiful for adding to the upscale, elegant look of the house while mirroring the lines in the rest of the home,” she says. “It’s clean, modern, a little transitional, and gives them a beautiful detail for their doors.”
Powder Room: The powder room is a lesson in contrasts. The wall behind the sink has a white-on-white floral pattern, while the other walls have a similar pattern, but in soft blue on a white silk wallpaper from Wallquest. Lyons elevates the room with unique shapes, incorporating an eye-catching mirror from Bassett Mirror and a distinctive sink. Another floral-shaped light fixture adds a touch of whimsy while providing a gold connection to the rest of the home. The linen-look flooring from Ruben Sorhegui Tile offers a soft texture in a grounding blue-gray hue.
While the homeowner selected and purchased most of the furnishings, she consulted with Lyons on sizing and space planning. Considering the wife’s preference for soft blue hues, Lyons chose 12-inch-wide Trecento Tropea planks from Legno Bastone Wide Plank Flooring’s Trecento Collection, sourced through Naples Flooring Company. The design incorporates gold accents in light fixtures, cabinet hardware, and decorative elements, creating a cohesive and elegant aesthetic throughout the home.
Lyons notes, “There is a good blend of light and warmth, which includes the wood floor that carries through the whole house, combined with touches of gold, to give it some pop here and there. These beautiful details — accented by perfectly curated lighting and hardware — help carry that coastal elegant look throughout the home.” n
Front Elevation: The house previously featured a soft gold-toned exterior with an arched entrance and intricate detailing. It has since been transformed to showcase a sleek white façade, complemented by modern black-framed Andersen Windows sourced from Florida Wood Window and Door, along with striped awnings that impart a distinctly Mediterranean aesthetic. The new gray roof enhances the color scheme and harmonizes with the stone driveway. Removing the terracotta tiles has significantly improved the curb appeal and brightened the once-outdated traditional style.
Written by Heather Shoning
Photography by Blaine Johnathan Photography
Interior Designer:
KDL Interior Design
7370 College Parkway, Suite 204 Fort Myers, FL 33907
239.898.9990
www.kdlinteriordesign.com
Architect:
Stofft Cooney Architects
111 10th Street South, Suite 308 Naples, FL 34102
239.262.7677
www.stofft.com
Resources:
Ferguson Bath, Kitchen & Lighting Gallery
38 Goodlette-Frank Road South Naples, FL 34102
239.963.0087
www.build.com/ferguson
Florida Wood Window and Door
Andersen Windows & Doors
5691 Halifax Avenue
Fort Myers, FL 33912
239.437.6166
www.fwwdinc.com
Legno Bastone Wide Plank Flooring
168 Commercial Boulevard Naples, FL 34104
239.206.1898 www.legnobastone.com
Naples Flooring Company
900 5th Avenue South Naples, FL 34102
239.263.1213
www.naplesflooring.com
Naples Lamp Shop
4010 Tamiami Trail North Naples, FL 34103
239.262.1524 www.napleslampshoponline.com
Ruben Sorhegui Tile 3876 Mercantile Avenue Naples, FL 34104
239.643.2882 www.sorheguitile.com
SOHO Kitchens & Design 1610 Trade Center Way, Suite 1-3 Naples, FL 34109
239.992.7646 www.sohokitchensanddesign.com