When designing this marvel on Naples’ First Avenue North, Michaela Reiterer Henning, of Naples-based Hlevel Architecture, prioritized sustainable design, privacy and a modern sensibility. The firm worked with Naples’ Doria’s Landscaping to design a front yard with geometric concrete paths topped with locally sourced coquina shells. Diverse plants define the landscape, with triple Alexander palm, clusia hedge and Fakahatchee grass mixing up the scale with varying heights.
Water conservation was top of the mind for the architect. She and the team installed subsurface drip irrigation, which uses up to 50 percent less water than overhead sprinklers, minimizes evaporation, impedes weed growth and eliminates water runoff. Recycled composite trim on the hidden-in-plain-sight garage adds warmth. To create a cohesive, contemporary palette, Michaela continued the horizontal design of the paths with wooden slats that partially cover the second-floor windows and frame the front entry; wooden features scale down the volume of the 3,800-square-foot home, providing privacy, she says. Mammy crotons line the area above the garage, adding texture to the minimalist exterior. The straight-lined block and wood rafter construction reflects the sleek, uncluttered design of the transom windows and sidelights, beckoning toward the many gathering spaces beyond.