Greenbrier: Designing a New Construction Home on Marco Island
They describe themselves simply: beach people. So when a couple from Massachusetts fell in love with Marco Island and decided to build a second home here, they knew exactly how it should feel: beach chic, casual and made to be lived in. They found our firm through one of our past clients and asked us a question we love: how do you make a brand-new house feel like it has always been yours?
The Project at a Glance
Location: Marco Island, FL
Project: new construction second home for a family from Massachusetts
Our role: lighting, paint colors, cabinetry hardware and tile during construction; then all furniture, artwork, accessories and bed linens
Completed: Spring 2026
Better Than Builder Grade
The house was still under construction when we met. Our clients wanted more than the builder's standard selections, so we stepped in early to choose every light fixture, the paint colors, the cabinetry hardware and the tile. You see it the moment you walk in: a rope-wrapped brass lantern hangs in the tall entry, above a natural-fiber console styled with starfish shadow boxes, a pair of blue coral prints and tall blue glass vessels. From there, we selected and delivered everything else the home needed: furniture, artwork, accessories and bed linens.
A Living Room Built on Texture
Our clients asked for blues and natural textures over a neutral foundation, and nothing too busy. Two deep cream sofas, layered with blue diamond, chevron and striped pillows and a soft blue throw, face a round marble-topped coffee table on a softly patterned rug. A woven-front credenza, an armchair with cane sides, a slim pedestal side table and a potted olive tree complete the seating area beneath a white ceiling fan with brass accents. Behind one sofa, a long wood console holds a white ceramic lamp and a pleated blue vessel, and tucks two upholstered stools out of sight for extra seats when the whole family is home. A gallery of blue coral prints in natural wood frames and a soft seascape above the credenza bring in color the way they wanted it: a few confident touches, never loud.
A Primary Suite for Slow Mornings
In the primary bedroom, a channel-tufted headboard and a light wood bed frame with an upholstered footboard set a soft, tailored tone. Crisp white bedding with taupe stripes, textured gray pillows and a quilted throw keep it relaxed. Woven lamps sit on curved-front nightstands with ring pulls, a matching dresser runs along the wall, and a plush textured rug, woven baskets and an olive tree soften the room. Tailored Roman shades top the windows and the sliding doors that open straight to the pool. It's a room made for sleeping in on vacation, which is exactly the point.
Guest Rooms for a Family That Visits
With three grown children who love coming to Marco Island, the guest rooms mattered as much as the primary suite. One pairs a white bed with cane panels, embroidered floral pillows and crisp blue-striped linens beneath a beach painting, with cane-front nightstands, a ceramic lamp and a fluted blue vase alongside, and a wood bead mirror that reflects it all. Another stays in soft neutrals: an upholstered bed under framed shell prints, shell-tiled lamps on light carved-wood nightstands, patterned pillows and a blush knit throw, with linen drapery filtering the afternoon light. Across the room, a round mirror ringed in glass petals hangs above a natural-fiber console and upholstered stool, flanked by tall wicker vessels.
An Office That Becomes a Guest Room
One of our clients still works, so she needed a real office, and the family needed one more place for guests to sleep. A deep sleeper sofa with blue striped pillows and a blush throw, a soft gray ottoman and a wave painting make the room as comfortable for an overnight guest as it is for a workday. A wood-stem floor lamp, slim black pedestal tables, a vintage-style rug and Roman shades trimmed in blue finish the space.
Dining Made for Gathering
The dining room is where the whole family comes together. A cloud of glass globes on a brass frame hangs over a long wood table ringed in cream upholstered chairs, dressed with hurricane candleholders, a palm-frond arrangement and a rope-link centerpiece. Sculptural white wall pieces that recall coral and a knotted rope hanging add texture without adding color, and a roller shade softens the light from the sliding doors to the pool and palms. Woven-rope counter stools at the smokey blue island tie the kitchen to the table.
Designed on Marco Island, Approved from Massachusetts
Our clients were in Massachusetts for most of the project, and our team is here on Marco Island. Through our client portal, they reviewed design presentations, products and pricing and approved every selection from home. By the time the house was finished in spring 2026, it was ready to live in, right down to the bed linens.
Building on Marco Island? Three Lessons from Greenbrier
Bring in a designer before finishes are ordered. Lighting, tile, hardware and paint are far easier to choose during construction than to change afterward.
Choose one starting point and build around it. Here it was our clients' love of blues and natural textures; every selection followed from that.
Let rooms work twice. An office that sleeps guests gives a second home more room without more square footage.
Questions We Hear from Second-Home Owners
Can you design our home while we're still up north?
Yes. Greenbrier's owners were in Massachusetts for most of the project. Our client portal lets you review presentations, products and pricing from anywhere, and our team takes care of everything here on the island.
When should we bring a designer into a new build?
As early as you can, ideally before the builder's finish selections are locked in. We explain why in our post on when to hire an interior designer.
Building or buying a second home on Marco Island or in Naples? We'd love to hear about it. Let's talk about what your home could become.