A Bold Beach Aesthetic

Pensacola’s In Detail Design Collective, led by creative chief Cheryl Clendenon, gives new life to the coastal condo aesthetic. This jazzy character of this Pensacola Beach property takes their upbeat, unexpected style center stage.

Here, boho “beach chic” is replaced with personalized character. Luxe charm, layers of texture, rich color, and artistic elements supplant coastal themes and sea-inspired decor. 

“We definitely tend to work against the grain of what ‘feel’ is typical for our area,” says Liz Lapan, In Detail’s vice president of operations. 

At South Harbor Condominium on Pensacola Beach, a new owner realized her taste for luxury couldn’t be satiated by her outdated unit. The space was littered with aged features like post-form laminate countertops and dated appliances. Functional issues with fixtures, storage, and layout permeated the space. In Detail’s expertise brought the 2,200-square-foot penthouse from basic to bold in a year’s time.

Photos courtesy of In Detail Design Collective

“It was pretty dated overall,” Lapan says. “A lot of prefab cabinetry was falling apart, paneling coming off, everything was white and plain, and nothing really had much personality.”

The owner, recently widowed at the time, was ready for a fresh take on life. Her open mind, bold style, and trust in the process allowed In Design to bring to life something completely original to the Emerald Coast—a space that felt more akin to a contemporary New York City apartment. 

“She was excited to do things that were a little bit richer in color, a little bit sexier and moodier in tone, which really set the stage for the rest of the design,” Lapan says. 

The layout was reimagined, and outdated features were gutted. A completely new space emerged. 

“When we were making selections, both in terms of style and aesthetic, we had to really think about how we were going to unify the materials so that there is a cohesive feel,” Lapan says. “We knew that we wanted a more contemporary feel overall, but there needed to be a little bit of warmth to it.”

Photos courtesy of In Detail Design Collective

The In Detail team accessed layering in materials and texture to help create a cohesive flow.

Every room was wallpapered with textured designs or mica mineral flecking—which creates a shimmering effect—to elicit a tactile experience unachievable with standard drywall designs.

“There was a real attention to how those textures looked and felt, how they transported the space to make it feel very cozy, very comfortable but also very luxe and different,” Lapan says. 

Other textural elements include a 24-inch rectified porcelain tile made to look like concrete that was installed in the primary bathroom, as well as a reflective wood paper—similar to a grass cloth or string cloth—on the dining room walls, which added layers of depth to the space and created a shadowing ambiance.  

Photos courtesy of In Detail Design Collective

Statement elements include the kitchen’s smooth quartz countertop, which scale the walls, transitioning the kitchen into the dining room, and a custom-made rare leather sectional in a turquoise jewel tone to brighten the otherwise moody living room space. 

“Once you start to go bold, you have to keep balance in order to make the space work,” Lapan says.

Artistic elements help ground the space while creating an urban gallery vibe.

“Cheryl and I both have an art history background,” Lapan says. “Original art is an important piece of the work that we do.” 

Photos courtesy of In Detail Design Collective

In Detail brought in sculptural elements, like the asymmetrical Hubbardton Forge Treble 3 pendant light fixture, designed to inspire images of musical notes. Off-center to a corner of the living room space, the fixture creates a visual element and delineates this seating space from the overall living room.

From a Vanguard Furniture collection, branch-like bar stool bases are topped with cider-hued leather cushions, juxtaposing the kitchen and bar’s sleek walnut cabinetry and quartz countertops.

In the kitchen, two eight-light spherical chandeliers by designer John Richard Ceres feature quartz crystal buds and a gold-leaf finish. In the primary bathroom, another Hubbardton Forge design enhances the tranquil aesthetic. Inspired by cairns, the stacked rocks found on hiking trails, this custom-made fixture was designed in collaboration with Vermont glassblower Simon Pearce.  

Photos courtesy of In Detail Design Collective

Lapan says most spaces, condos especially, don’t often have interesting interior architecture. Redesign, personal style, and professional expertise can help compensate. In order to build in that architecture, she says, it takes a keen eye, careful selection, and plenty of layering. 

“You want there to be some tension between materials because it accentuates the texture, but it also gives your space this eclectic, broken-in feel,” she says.  

This is an effort that defines the difference between basic design and a true artistic approach.