Tour a Florida Vacation Home That's So Chic

Warm colors and sleek leather furnishings don’t exactly scream Florida vacation house, but Janet Stevens had something else in mind for her Tampa getaway. “I worked so hard to make this house happen, and I wanted it to be relaxing but also sophisticated and sexy,” says the Chicago-based pharmaceutical and medical device consultant.

She hired South Florida designer Nicole White to help her make the 2,921-square-foot new construction her own — and they did it all over email, text and Zoom. “I live a thousand miles away, so I couldn’t just drop by,” says Janet. The duo went all in on sleek decor, adding works by Black artists to almost every room. “I didn’t see any of the designs in person until the house was complete,” says Janet. And she met Nicole for the first time on reveal day too. “I cried and gave her a huge hug — I still can’t believe it’s all mine!”

The reflected portrait is from Michel Smith Boyd’s Leftbank Art collection (he hosted HGTV’s Luxe for Less). Janet chose wallpaper by A-Street Prints.

“Guests can sit anywhere and be part of the conversation,” says Janet of this open-concept space. The art above the linen-weave Crate & Barrel sofa is from Nicole’s collaboration with Leftbank Art. Janet chose the sculptural table from Povison and the curved chairs from Sunpan.

Nicole encouraged Janet to elevate the builder-grade kitchen by taking the cabinets to the ceiling and adding millwork to the island. “It looks more custom now,” says Janet. She eats most of her meals on the rattan Arhaus stools. The pendants are by Laura Kirar for Arteriors.

“I just asked Janet to trust me on this room,” says Nicole, who went for a sultry speakeasy feel. Janet and her partner, Will, typically stay here for a week or two each month and use the CB2 desk to work from home. The print is by artist Shai Yossef: “It’s pure joy,” says Janet.

Moody geometric wallpaper by Mitchell Black was the first element Nicole suggested for the room. “It's such a vibe — I didn’t know you could have wallpaper like this!” says Janet. They added a leather bench from Kathy Kuo Home, bedside lamps from Perigold and a rug from Surya.

Janet hosts girls’ weekends for her college friends, and her family visits often, so this room gets plenty of use. The breezy blue bedframe is from Rooms To Go, the bedding is from Vera Wang and the nightstand is from Four Hands.