Drawing inspiration from the warm patinas of antique maps, Resort Interiors’ Libby Bates used elegant detailing, faux finishing, hand painted walls and a mixture of Thomasville, Lexington and Century furniture to create a fisherman’s retreat in Destin Yacht Club. Not only is the unit elegant, but also warm, welcoming and comfortable. Designed for Larry Nuckols, of Nuvision Graphics of Atlanta, the Destin Yacht Club unit serves as a retreat for family, clients and friends for deep sea fishing. “Larry came into Resort Interiors wanting Thomasville and Lexington furnishings for his unit, and we have incorporated those lines throughout,” says Bates. “He brought me the antique maps for the unit which inspired the colors and textures.”

Stepping into the condominium, one is greeted by a richness of textures and soft, warm colors. Dark, hardwood floors provide a strong base for the rich faux finished and hand-painted walls in soft earth tones. “Even the entry doors were faux-finished. They look like rich, solid hardwood doors, but they are not,” points out Bates, who worked with Glenn Williams, a master of the faux-finishing arts who has achieved national acclaim. “We worked to create an environment that exudes old world charm. Everything down to the last detail such as the hardware on the doors and cabinets fills the senses with warmth and texture. Even the doors in the entrance way were faux-finished to look like rich hardwood. Everyone marvels that the doors are not solid wood. They have to touch them, and still can’t tell.”

The elegant dining room located to the left of the entrance features a double pedestal glass dining table. Two acanthus leaf column capitols serve as the bases for the table which is surrounded by lion’s head Thomasville chairs from the River Road Collection. A Century console table under a mirror from Thomasville’s Hemingway collection gives height and creates a focal point. Resort Interiors’ custom draperies and custom florals complete the room.

Bates was able to start from scratch in creating her beautiful design. “The original décor was very 1950’s with a lot of pink plastic. The owner’s tastes were very different,” says Bates. Bates worked with Nuckols in creating an environment that met his needs and his tastes. “He was such a pleasure to work with,” says Bates. “This was a marvelous collaboration.”

The kitchen is one area where their collaborative efforts are evident. Nothing remains of the original kitchen. The new kitchen features custom cabinetry in antique ivory with coordinating granite countertops. The top-of-the-line appliances are incorporated into the cabinetry, giving the kitchen clean, old-world style. Textured tile walls and a rosette of inlaid tile in the kitchen’s hardwood floor enhance the warm, elegant look.

The great room, which opens upon a spectacular view of Destin Harbor and East Pass, is accented by a mirrored wall. The room’s beautiful view is framed by luxurious custom draperies, crowned by a custom, bamboo cornice board. The room features a very popular Hemingway Sailfish side table, a Hemingway pedestal fan, as well as Thomasville sofas and chairs and a Tommy Bahama television cabinet. Built-in custom cabinetry covers the back wall. Shelves filled with books add to the old world feel, while a wet bar, wine cellar and humidor add to the comfort of owners and guests.
A unique feature of the great room is the antique reproduction copper ceiling fan, with pulley. Custom florals complete the look.

Each bedroom is a work of art in itself. Walls are faux-finished. Bedrooms feature Lexington’s Tommy Bahama line, complemented by pieces from other lines such as Thomasville’s Bogart Collection. Coordinating linens are by Mario.

The walls in each of the three baths are faux-finished and hand painted with herons or bamboo. Each bath’s cabinetry is faux-finished to create a rustic elegance. To meet the owner’s need for more storage space, a built-in sauna was removed from one bath, and divided to create a large, walk-in storage closet for fishing tackle, and to enlarge the bath itself with a large, walk-in shower.

“I had each of the antique maps which inspired the look of the unit, custom-framed,” says Bates. The maps, along with the some coordinating unique, pieces of artwork contributed both by both Bates and Nuckols coordinate with the maps in adorning the walls. The artwork is evidence of the wonderful collaborative effort between designer and client in the development of a beautiful, old-world retreat for those who love the sea.

Resort Interiors, in Destin, Florida, is the largest, full-service home furnishing and design center on the Emerald Coast with a total of 60,000 square feet, offering the top names in furnishings including Thomasville, Henredon, Bernhardt, Lexington, Century, Drexel Heritage, Hemingway, Tommy Bahama, Lane and more. Resort Interiors has been voted the Number One Furnishing Center on the Emerald Coast for the past four years and was a Parade of Homes winner in 2002 and 2003. Resort Interiors offers a five-star guarantee that includes a lowest price guarantee, savings from 30 to 60%, and complimentary design services. An award-winning design firm, Resort Interiors has designed and furnished interiors representing over $900-million in real estate along the Gulf Coast from Panama City to Gulf Shores, since its founding in 1995.
 

Back to previous page