With the help of an expert design team, formal features can be perfectly complemented by pared-down luxury emphasizing comfort and livability, as shown in a recent Quail West home brought to life by Romanza Interior Design.

“Our clients’ vision was to create a beautiful and welcoming home that seamlessly blends formal architecture with furnishings and finishes that are inviting, comfortable and easy to live in. You can feel the intentional warmth and serenity as soon as you enter the home. Nothing in the home is for show,” said Melissa Allen, senior interior designer at Romanza.

With three adult children and a granddaughter, the clients desired a personalized, family-oriented home that’s always ready for guests. Relaxed entertaining inspired much of the design – a dining room centered around family dinners with seating for 10, a large bar resembling a custom furniture piece for those evening or before dinner conversations, a loft and billiards room for fun and games on the second floor and generously sized outdoor living spaces overlooking a two-level pool, oversized spa and the eighth hole of one of Quail West’s Golf Courses. The occasional formal details can be found in the home, whether it’s the living room with its piano lounge or a special design element tempered with a modern flair.

Curves, circles and floral patterns like rosettes appear intentionally – and often – and helped Allen guide the clients from their usual traditional style to a clean transitional design. “They were drawn to circular motifs, which are conveyed in details like hardware, exterior louvres and balcony railings as well as fabrics, furnishings and accessories,” she explained. “It’s a nice departure from the clean straight lines of current mainstream furnishings.”

In the living room, a pair of off-white sectionals feature curvilinear silhouettes and antique finishes lend a lived-in look. A palette of taupe, gold, mustard and hints of chocolate brown is enhanced with black architectural accents – from the absolute black granite fireplace surround and iron doors to the antique black three-tiered chandelier, the piano and the grid of an antique glass mirror elevate the design.

“The living room is the foundation of the first floor,” said Allen. “It’s elegant yet comfortable.”

The room also displays Romanza’s calling card for custom architectural details with recessed paneled cabinetry on each side of the fireplace and a two-step coffered ceiling accented with crown molding which artfully hides air-conditioning vents. Large porcelain slab tile measuring 40 by 40 inches echoes the look of classic honed Calcutta marble in main living areas of the 9,815-square-foot home. European white oak wood flooring with a soft silver-tone stain is used in bedrooms, the study and loft.

“Keeping the core of the home neutral gave us the opportunity for purposely chosen color schemes in adjacent spaces,” said Allen. “There is an overlap of color palettes in a few of the rooms. Blue, for instance, is the basis for the study, upstairs loft and one of the guestrooms.”

Golden accents continue from the living room into the open family room, kitchen and dining room, where they’re complemented by aquamarine, copper and surf. A new addition to the home, the family room bar’s paneled finish and moldings nod to the warmth of wood. “We designed the bar to look like a grand custom piece of furniture carried into this corner,” noted Allen. “It happens to fit perfectly.”

Painted gray flat-panel cabinetry sets the tone in the kitchen, accented by a slate blue Viking double oven and warming drawer. The custom-designed hood above the cooktop – a classic design with corbels and brackets – gets a modern makeover with a rosette inlay fashioned from scagliola Calatta marble.

“We curated each piece of hardware in all areas of the home just like you would choose your jewelry for a special event – with consideration and purpose,” said Allen. “Every detail in this home was treated like this. Collaboration with our clients was kept close and focused.”

Ease of entertaining is also elevated by the butler’s pantry, strategically located between the living room and main living areas. Equipped with a microwave drawer, refrigerator, dishwasher and sink, the black framed glass panels extend to the floor to maximize natural light while a series of black woven iron pendants parade across the ceiling. “The expansive glass adds an artful statement to a functional element,” said Allen. In the vestibule outside the pool bath, a built-in hutch, finished in felted blue, provides stylish and convenient storage for outdoor dishware.

In addition to the bar, piano lounge and the eye-catchers throughout the residence, there’s one vignette that stands out to Allen as really personifying the homeowners’ aesthetic – the gallery entry to the master suite. “It’s a jaw drop moment which really speaks to our clients’ sense of style,” she said of the caviar black demilune chest with a white oak-veneered cabinet featuring exaggerated antique brass blossom motif hardware topped with sculptural orchids reflecting the shape of the chandelier.

In the breathtaking master suite, a stunning garden and abstract art display takes center stage enhanced by the ceiling’s multi-tiered white crown molding and the white-on-white paneled wall behind the upholstered bed. In the bathroom, subtle embossed florals flit across the wallpaper, a backdrop for custom circular mosaic hexagram and marquis flooring in Calcutta gold light and Lady Gray marble. Adding a personal feminine touch, a special piece of art features a painting based on a photo of the first vanity given to the owner by her father when she was a little girl.

“She has kept that photo for years and we transformed it into a painting,” Allen said. “It’s elements like this that make this a true family home with a story to tell. We also saved a few walls for personal art and family photos.”

For guests, the home offers four bedrooms, one on the ground floor, and three upstairs where a large loft space entertains visiting family and friends with a pool/ping-pong table, a TV area and morning kitchen, its cabinetry matching the blue stove in the main kitchen. Romanza seamlessly incorporated ADA compliance in one of the guestrooms and throughout the home to ensure comfort and accessibility for all family members.

In two guest rooms, custom wardrobes replace traditional closets. Rich navy and white accent one bedroom which also has matching antique mirrored nightstands and hues repeated in the geometric tile floor in its private full bath. Another bedroom features soft shades of gold, off white, taupe and copper. A third bedroom boasts a palette of gray and off white with an iron bed.

“Our clients are beyond thrilled with the results and with the collaboration throughout the process,” said Allen. “We captured their style and intentions of a beautiful, welcoming home for family and friends.”

For a quarter of a century, Romanza Interior Design has boldly defined the latest trends and product introductions, interpreting them in provocative yet timeless ways tailored to individual residences throughout Southwest Florida. Celebrated by clients and the interior design industry, the Romanza team has earned acclaim for originality, sophistication and ingenuity. Romanza is a trusted partner in realizing luxury dream homes and evolving existing spaces.

To discover an inspired design that’s a true reflection of personalized style, contact 239-596-1613 or visit Romanza.com.