N A P L E S + S A R AS O TA

INTERIOR DESIGN / RENÉE GADDIS, RENÉE GADDIS INTERIORS

HOME BUILDER / CHAD SMITH, C.R. SMITH, LLC

OUT of AFRICAADMIRATION FOR THE EXOTIC LOCALE OF

MOROCCO SETS THE TONE FOR A KALEA BAY RETREAT.
WRITTEN BY MARY JO BOWLING / PHOTOGRAPHY BY NATHAN SCHRODER

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 Interior designer Renée Gaddis
fashioned a hanging console
for this entry mirror from RH.
“We added the chain to give
it a Moroccan look,” she says.
The geometric-patterned
runner also recalls traditional
textiles from Morocco.

T
hey’ve never seen Morocco in person, but challenge, but after Renée designed them and we installed
Thomas Bodnar and Liza Santo wanted the style them, they looked incredible.” Gaddis notes that the panels
of the North African country to inform the design not only provide a place for the lighting to live, but they also
of their Kalea Bay condominium in Naples. add a unique architectural element. “Anytime you can make
“Perhaps the movie Casablanca planted the a condo more than four flat walls and a ceiling, that’s a good
seed of inspiration,” Bodnar says. “There’s passion in thing,” she says. “These dropped panels read as a kind of
Moroccan design, and we wanted that vibe for our home.” modern take on a coved ceiling.”
So they brought the idea to their interior designer, After that change was made, the team turned their
Renée Gaddis. For Gaddis, the Kalea Bay complex is attention to a vertical surface—specifically a shower wall in
familiar territory, as she’s completed several projects there. the master bath, which they replaced with a floor-to-ceiling
But the idea of a Moroccan-style interior in Naples was a sheet of glass, effectively creating a glass box. “Having a
new and welcome concept for her. “When a client comes see-through shower is not a standard choice,” Gaddis says.
to me with something different, it’s exciting,” Gaddis says. “Sure, you sacrifice some privacy, but in return you get to
Even so, she knew she did not want a literal translation enjoy a stunning water view while showering or bathing,
of the style. “There can be a fine line between ‘inspired plus a lot of natural light in the bathroom.”
by’ and kitsch,” says Gaddis, who turned to Instagram for With the background in place, it was time to reinterpret
recent photos of Moroccan architecture. “I wanted it to look the architectural details Gaddis discovered early in her
elegant, not like a themed restaurant.” The decision to research. In the kitchen, the oversize sculptural back of the
utilize traditional Moorish motifs but in neutral colors banquette is reminiscent of the arched doorways found in
was also driven by the work of the late Joseph Glasco, an Moroccan riads, the traditional houses of the country. “This
American artist who frequently used shades of black, ivory is a large family,” Gaddis says, adding that Bodnar and Santo
and gray in his paintings. “Glasco’s style lends itself to the have five children. “They wanted to have a casual spot to
theme,” says Bodnar, who collects his work. “All the pieces gather and opted to forgo a formal dining area. But the back
we purchased seemed to fall into place—they complement of the banquette does lend it a certain sophistication.”
the rooms and enhance the mood.” That flavor carries to the adjacent kitchen, where
Next, Gaddis turned her attention to “breaking the box” the pattern of the tile backsplash mimics the lines of the
of the condo’s form. “We wanted to install can lights and banquette. Gaddis designed the light fixtures composed of
accent lighting for the art, but this is a condo, so normally clusters of pierced-metal spheres through Tazi Designs, a
that would involve dropping the ceiling by four inches, which company that specializes in Moroccan imports. “These are
is not something we wanted to do,” she says. Enter general some of my favorite items in the house,” Santo says. “They
contractor Chad Smith. “Instead of lowering the ceiling, we glow during the day and cast interesting patterns at night.”
attached LED backlit panels to it,” he explains. “It was a The darker hues of Glasco’s art set the tone for moody
neutrals in the family room. “This is meant to be the quiet
area,” Gaddis says. “The family can come here to have

“I WANTED IT TO
one-on-one conversations or to watch a movie.” Like
the rest of the home, where the neutrals are lighter, it’s
texture that provides interest. “In this house, texture brings

LOOK ELEGANT, NOT richness and, in lieu of bright colors, art provides the ‘pop.’ ”
Morocco is on the bucket list for this travel-loving family,
but until then, the spirit of their Florida home makes for a

LIKE A THEMED complete retreat—both physically and stylistically. “We live

in a Frank Lloyd Wright-style house in the Midwest, where
the winters can be harsh,” Santo says. “In just two hours via
RESTAURANT.” plane, we can be here—and the decor and the weather
make it feel like we’re a world away. I relax as soon as I
–RENÉE GADDIS walk through the door.”

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For this large family, a gathering
space requires considerable
seating; Gaddis provided it with
a custom sectional fabricated by
Raebecca Drapery by Design.
Armchairs by Burton James are
covered with a Schumacher fabric
in St. Marks Print. Distinctive
fretwork is carved into the marble
coffee table by Global Views.

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 In the kitchen, Gaddis worked
with Tazi Designs to create
one-of-a-kind pierced-metal
light fixtures. The brass
pieces are beautiful day and
night—the homeowners love
the patterns they cast in the
evening. Noir Furniture’s
Abacus counter stools sit atop
Legno Bastone wood flooring.

At the start of the project, Gaddis turned to Instagram for recent photographs depicting Moroccan
architecture. Her research led to the lines of the banquette back, which was crafted by Raebecca Drapery
by Design and upholstered in Kravet fabric. Palecek chairs surround a Theodore Alexander table.

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 The stunning views are a primary feature
of the home, and the owners and their
guests can enjoy them from a daybed
and chair by Janus et Cie. Slices of
teakwood from Asian Loft on the wall
make an organic, artistic statement.

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NONSED QUOD [Link] ALIBUSCID UT QUAM
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WRITTEN BY NAME / PHOTOGRAPHY BY NAME

The clients’ art collection also inspired the decor. Homeowner Thomas
Bodnar feels artist Joseph Glasco’s paintings “perfectly complement” the
style. On one end of the living room, the designer accented a pair of paintings
with a hand-carved Oly Studio bench and a Hooker Furniture chest.

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Opposite: The cast-resin bed by Oly Studio and a drum ceiling fixture by Arteriors
make for a dramatic combination in the master bedroom. The visual texture of the
light is picked up in a pair of Made Goods stools that sit at the foot of the bed.

Below: In the master bathroom, the MTI tub is oriented toward the view.
The wallcovering was hand-crafted with recycled pulp by Lori Weitzner
for Donghia. A Bungalow 5 resin side table imparts a tribal note.

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