When Gil Schafer‘s clients were contemplating renovating a Florida vacation home that had been in the family for decades, the architect suggested they rebuild to better showcase the land and gardens. The husband had a sentimental attachment to the home that had been built by his grandmother in the 1970s, so Schafer repurposed special details including the pickled boards from the original cypress-paneled library, a library mantel, and original brass hardware. Schafer also decorated the interiors to be “very traditional, but with bright colors.” He designed the home in an H shape in order to bring natural light inside, and to allow space for a loggia and a courtyard off the kitchen and family room. “We wanted a lot of indoor-outdoor relationships,” Schafer told Luxe magazine. “If you’re going to be in this beautiful place, you want to embrace nature and light as much as you can.” The result is a beautiful home with a relaxed Caribbean feel that will remain in the family for years to come. Let’s take a tour with images from Luxe.
Architecture and interiors by Gil Schafer, building by Dave Chesser, Wittmann Building Corporation, landscape architecture by Cecilia de Grelle, Landscape Vision LLC, and Carrie Steinbaum, Carrie Steinbaum P.A. To see more of Schafer’s work, please visit the articles below… he is one of my very favorite architects!
- A PICTURESQUE NEW YORK FARMHOUSE BY GIL SCHAFER
- TIMELESSLY TRADITIONAL BY MILES REDD AND GIL SCHAFER
- A HISTORICALLY INSPIRED DUTCH COLONIAL BY GIL SCHAFER
- A PLACE TO CALL HOME BY GIL SCHAFER III
- A MILES REDD HOME HITS THE MLS! (Gil Schafer architect)

Be still my heart…Florida perfection!
This Home certainly brightened my day! I so love all the color and beautiful fabrics…Thank you again for bringing much needed cheerfulness to these difficult days…
That salmony-coral and blue combination is delicious.
Such balance and beauty.
A timeless and very livable design.
This. Home. Is. Stunning! It is treasure that has been preserved. Is it possible to get the blue paint colors?
The home wasn’t preserved. This is a new build with some elements of the old house salvaged and reused.
On a morning filled with the darkest, saddest news, this colorful house tour was a balm to my spirits and a treat for the eyes.
Love Gil Shafer, but this is my favorite project of his to date. Reminds me of iconic, ‘old’ Florida with southern European influences.
I love the living room fabric. Is the fabric available for purchase?