At First Glance, Marie Flanigan's New Florida Home Feels Light and Breezy – but the Deeper You Go, the More Dramatic It Becomes

At first glance, this Coral Gables home appears to embody everything we love about Florida design: soaring windows, sun-drenched rooms, a breezy palette, and an effortless connection to the outdoors. But look a little closer, and a richer story begins to emerge.

Designed by Marie Flanigan Interiors, behind the bright and breezy first impression of this house design unfolds a series of increasingly dramatic spaces – think jewel-toned studies, cocooning bedrooms, and hand-painted wallpapered spaces. The result is a study in balance: timeless architecture paired with fresh, contemporary sensibility, statement-making design moments, and a palette that grows increasingly sophisticated the further you venture inside – one that reveals itself room by room.

While every room in this home tells an important part of the story, the living room is absolutely the heart of the project. Wrapped in a hand-painted Gracie wallcovering, the space captures the balance between refinement and relaxation that Marie and lead designer, Kristin Fitzgerald, sought throughout the project. The mural became the starting point for the color scheme for the home. Soft greens, blues, and earthy tones drawn from the landscape scene reappear in rooms throughout the house, creating a thread that ties everything together.

'Its hand-painted landscape introduces many of the colors that appear elsewhere in the house, creating a subtle visual link between the softer, neutral rooms and the more richly layered spaces,' Marie explains. 'It also reinforces the relationship between the home and its lush surroundings, bringing a sense of the outdoors into the interior in a very refined way,' she continues. It's also the room Marie feels best captures the spirit of the project. 'There is a quiet confidence to the room that feels representative of the house as a whole,' says Marie.

The home's evolution from airy to atmospheric was entirely intentional. Inspired by the 'natural surroundings of Coral Gables and the quality of light unique to South Florida', Marie wanted this home to feel layered and enduring, with each room revealing a little more depth than the last. 'I would describe the home as classically informed, but tailored for the way families live today,' says Marie. 'The interiors feel relaxed and approachable rather than formal. We focused on craftsmanship, proportion, and materiality to create spaces that feel enduring without feeling traditional in a predictable way.'

'We kept the primary living spaces light and airy, using soft neutrals and warm woods as a foundation, then introduced more saturated moments as you move through the home,' she explains of the palette, which is echoed in the connected kitchen and breakfast room. 'One of my favorite details is the built-in cabinetry, which creates a gentle transition between the kitchen and breakfast area,' adds designer Kristin. 'It gives each space a distinct purpose while preserving the openness that makes the home so well suited for gathering and entertaining.'

For all its light-filled grandeur, some of the home's most memorable spaces are also its moodiest. As the palette deepens, jewel tones and cocooning wallcoverings introduce a sense of drama that feels entirely unexpected within a South Florida home. The powder room offers perhaps the boldest move. 'Wrapped in a Kelly Ventura wallcovering, the room offers a striking contrast to the lighter spaces nearby, creating an immersive experience filled with color, movement, and personality,' Kristin describes. 'The brass fixtures lend a sense of age and permanence, which was important in a newly constructed home,' she adds.

That same approach continues in the bedrooms, where color is used to create intimacy without jeopardising the home's overall sense of calm. 'The guest bedroom drew inspiration from the deep racing greens associated with Kentucky horse country (per the client’s request),' Marie adds. 'That rich hunter green introduces a sense of history, contrasting the lighter spaces throughout the home.' Rather than feeling jarring, these darker moments in the home gradually deepen as the spaces get more and more private.

While the home's gradient of color makes an immediate impression, it's the craftsmanship that gives the home its sense of character. Nowhere is that more apparent than in the kitchen, where a charming library ladder sits along bespoke cabinetry. 'The kitchen is a masterclass in restraint,' says Kristin. 'The architectural detailing takes center stage, from the custom hood and herringbone floors to the built-in cabinetry and library ladder. Because the room receives such beautiful natural light, we kept the material palette fresh and understated, allowing subtle moments of brass and stained wood to add richness and contrast,' she notes. 'The kitchen opens directly to the breakfast area and family room, so it was important that each space feel connected while still maintaining its own identity.'

'The library ladder in the kitchen is certainly a memorable feature because it adds both functionality and personality,' adds Marie. As she explains, many of those custom details were really driven by the architect, Portuondo Perotti Architects, and their vision for the home. 'Elements like the library ladder, millwork, cabinetry, and trim work were thoughtfully integrated into the architecture from the beginning. That foundation allowed us to layer in furnishings and finishes that complemented the overall vision.'

By the time you reach the home's deeper spaces, it's easy to focus on the rich colors and striking design moments. Yet Marie believes the project's success lies less in the dramatic gestures and more in the quieter decisions that underpin them. The pair of home offices is a perfect example. While one is wrapped in glossy purple cabinetry, and the other is color-drenched in navy, neither feels disconnected from the rest of the home. 'Rather than treating the rooms as purely utilitarian, we wanted them to feel cheerful and elevated,' says Kristin.

'I think people often notice the larger design gestures first, but what makes the home successful are the decisions that happen behind the scenes,' Marie explains. 'The alignment of architectural elements, the way materials transition from one space to another, and the consistency of scale throughout the house all contribute to its sense of ease. Those details are not meant to stand out individually, but together they create a feeling that the home has always been exactly as it should be,' she adds.

For all its detail, what makes this home particularly enchanting is its sense of ease. Balancing grandeur with softness, the formal dining room sits off the foyer opposite the living room. 'The two spaces were designed to be in conversation with one another,' Kristin explains. 'In the dining room, a hemp wallcovering envelops the room in texture and complements the mural across the hall, allowing the two rooms to feel related without being identical,' she continues. 'We treated wallcoverings almost as architectural elements rather than decoration,' adds Marie. 'Each one was selected to enhance the character of a room and contribute to its mood rather than simply add visual interest.'

Even the home's hardest-working spaces feel welcoming, despite their pared-back palette. In the kitchen, warm wood tones and herringbone flooring bring richness to an otherwise light and airy palette, while the laundry room proves that utility spaces can still have a decorative moment with a timeless plaid tiled floor. 'While there is a refined elegance to the spaces, they never feel too precious. We incorporated pieces with beautiful lines, thoughtful craftsmanship, and a sense of character, while ensuring they remained comfortable and practical for a family environment,' says Marie.

The primary suite might be drenched in a deep blue, but it still manages to feel soft and restful thanks to plenty of natural light and layers of pale upholstery, linen, and textured neutrals. As Marie explains, 'We used a rich jewel-toned wall color to create depth and intimacy, while the furniture, rug, window treatments, and bedding remain light, soft, and airy. That balance was something we carefully navigated with the clients as we wanted the room to feel serene without becoming heavy.'

Conceived 'as a retreat', the adjoining primary bathroom shifts its atmosphere from moody tones to a more restorative one. 'The freestanding Waterworks tub serves as the focal point, framed by soft finishes and abundant natural light,' says Kristin. Warm wood accents add dimension and ensure the room feels inviting rather than clinical. 'By varying scale, tone, and application throughout the home, we were able to create moments of interest while maintaining an overall sense of restraint,' adds Marie.

The outdoor living spaces are framed by lush landscaping and designed with both relaxation and entertaining in mind. The covered terrace functions as a true outdoor 'room', complete with comfortable couches, a fully equipped outdoor kitchen, and views across to the pool. As Marie notes, 'Rather than treating the exterior spaces as an extension of the house, we approached them as an integral part of the design from the outset. In a climate like Miami's, indoor and outdoor living should feel like part of the same experience.' It's a fitting finale for a home that embraces the best of Florida living.

Shop the Look

Despite being newly built, Marie and her team created a series of thoughtful, lived-in spaces that were designed not just to impress at first glance, but to become more interesting the longer you look. Every detail, from the hand-painted wallcoverings to the custom cabinetry and gradual palette, contributes to a home that feels both timeless and rich.

Interior Design: Marie Flanigan and Kristin Fitzgerald

Photography: Julie Soefer

Styling: Jessica Brinkert Holtam

Builder: Hidalgo Construction Group

Architecture: Portuondo Perotti Architects

Landscape Architects: SMILandscape Architects

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