Vogue Transforms Tuscan Residence into Fresh, Contemporary Oasis

Vogue Interiors announced award-winning designer Leslie Gebert, Allied Member, ASID has completed the remodeling of a 4,148 square feet beachfront residence at Miromar Lakes. Gebert transformed the ornate, outdated Tuscan interior of the four bedroom plus study, four bath home designed by Weber Design Group into an oasis with a fresh, contemporary feeling. The floor plan of the spacious residence also includes a formal dining room, an immense great room, and a huge island kitchen and breakfast nook that seamlessly flow together to offer an outstanding living area. The great room, breakfast nook, master bedroom, and one of the guest bedrooms all open to an expansive outdoor living area with multiple covered spaces, a fireplace, an outdoor kitchen and bar, and a pool and spa surrounded by a spacious deck. The outdoor areas take full advantage of the home’s beach, boat dock, and lake views.

Even a home built only twelve years ago can seem hopelessly dated if it still embodies the ornate and formal hallmarks of once-trendy Tuscan design. The new owners of this Miromar home were familiar with the property and knew it was the perfect location for their active family. With the large open areas, the pool, a boat dock, and the beach beyond, a renovation plan was imperative. First came determining the scope of the renovation. A soon as they decided to keep the existing flooring, it became a design challenge to update the home with a fresh, bright and comfortably stylish new look.

In the iconic film “The Wizard of Oz”, there is a moment when the film changes from black and white to glorious color. That is the incredible effect Gebert has realized in this ultimate Tuscan-to-today home makeover. The breathtaking transformation begins where the original ornate iron door once welcomed visitors. Now a streamlined mahogany and glass entry door allows light to cascade into the foyer where a contemporary chrome light fixture serves as a prelude to the stunning views straight through the large great room to the owners’ pool, the wide inviting beach, and the shimmering lake beyond.

The dining room has been transformed from a dark, formal space to a comfortable, contemporary entertainment oasis. The heavy furnishings have been replaced with a pale gray wood dining table and clean-lined upholstered dining chairs with a quilted beige linen fabric on the back and a textured saffron tweed fabric on the front. Above the table, a daring chrome and glass LED chandelier adds a sculptural touch. On one side of the room, a custom console has glass door panels backed with a textured raffia fabric and is done in a taupy grey wood finish with chrome hardware. Above the console hangs a 92-inch wide abstract painting with a creamy white background and splashes of rich chocolate brown and vibrant orange. Simple sheer linen panels frame the windows.

Exemplifying the design challenges imposed by remodeling around the original flooring, the butler’s pantry was completely and successfully transformed. The original porcelain tile footprint remains, but all the cabinetry has been replaced with custom cabinets in a soft dusty gray finish and an exotic black and dark taupe granite with white veining covers all the countertops and backsplashes and then runs 7 feet up the arched wall cabinet adjoining the kitchen. A wine rack and glass front cabinets in the arch are all LED illuminated. A contemporary bar sink and sculptural faucet face sleek new barstools upholstered in white crocodile embossed leather.

Entering the great room, where heavy ornate draperies and formal furniture once held court, the feature wall now boasts a pair of 36-inch wide illuminated glass shelves holding colorful family collectibles. The glass shelves flank a contemporary dove gray finished media console fitted with large round pewter hardware. The wall mounted television sits above the console on a mica wallpapered panel which reflects and catches the light. Opposite the feature wall, an off-white leather winged sofa is accented with pillows done in a mix of metallic and leather and a contemporary cream and salmon stripe. A round chiseled stone cocktail table with an ivory stone top sits in front of the sofa. Two pale salmon upholstered recliners sit beside snakeskin leather nesting tables atop the cream and taupe fluffy wool area rug. Sheer drapery panels have replaced the original chenille window treatments.

The original medium wood finished kitchen cabinets work well with the redesign scheme and are now paired nicely with new light taupe Taj Mahal granite used on the perimeter countertops and replacing the dated brown glass tile backsplashes. The countertops rise to a bar height to host six backless barstools where the family enjoys casual dining and entertaining. Four dramatic chrome and LED pendants form a striking sleek curve above the bar.

The once-dark breakfast nook now features a rectangular Italian glass extendable table with a chrome base and updated simple armless woven chairs with bright orange tweed upholstered. On one wall in the nook, a large original contemporary painting provides vivid splashes of citrus tones.

The color scheme in the romantic master suite is now a soft and dreamy combination of ivory and mocha taupe with subtle accents of metallic terracotta. Its original design was overwhelmed with heavy gold chenille bedding, ornate brocade window treatments with swag cornices and braid trim, and heavily carved dark mahogany furniture. The breezy new custom draperies are done in a horizontal stripe of ivory and taupe sateen and mounted with modern brushed chrome grommets and the contemporary custom king bed is upholstered in textured natural taupe linen.
The bed is dressed with a coverlet of hand-knotted pale sateen, simple boxed Euro pillows and a long horizontal bolster. The seating area has double doors to the outdoor living space. The existing loveseat has been recovered in a soft salmon linen and accented with shimmering metallic pillows and faces a contemporary chrome and glass cocktail table.

In the spacious master bath, the original neutral-toned porcelain tile has been incorporated into the fresh new design to transform the bath. The dark brown vanity cabinetry has been refinished in a sharp high-gloss white and fitted with transitional clean-lined brushed chrome hardware. The original heavy faux finish on the walls has been replaced with a simple modern wall finish in cream with subtle silver metallic vertical strokes. The dated original shower fixtures have been replaced with a rain-head shower fixture mounted considerably higher to accommodate the tall new owners. The existing terracotta-colored marble countertops were refinished and polished to a high gloss to compliment the new design.

All that remains of the original faux-brick painted outdoor kitchen is the footprint. Refreshed paint colors and natural cream and gray granite countertops and backsplashes have brought the area up to the current style. The outdoor living area now has a breezy tongue-in- groove cypress ceiling tray and a contemporary ceiling fan and the original high and boxy fireplace has been replaced with a dramatic long and low fire box that now allows a view toward the lake. Matching fire boxes set in chiseled stone also flank the outdoor spa.