Photography by Nick Shirghio

By Gaylene Salomons – January 11, 2023 – Naples Illustrated

A glitzy and glamorous remodel makes for a great party pad

If there’s one thing Patty and Jay Campbell like to do, it’s entertain. So, it’s no surprise they focused on creating a supersized open and inviting space for socializing in the home they purchased in Pine Ridge Estates in 2020.

The vivacious couple moved from a traditional two-story home filled with lots of dark wood—in vogue at the time—in Oakes Estates, where they raised their children, Eva and Pearce. When both kids were finishing up at college, Jay and Patty decided it was time for a change.

“I envisioned finding a place in downtown Naples where we could walk everywhere,” says Patty. “I had no desire to live on acreage,” she explains. However, after searching to no avail, a 6,000-square-foot home in Pine Ridge Estates caught her eye. Built in 2005, the large home was spread out on one level. “It was very chopped up,” says Patty. “It was also very dark.” It was clear a remodel was in order.

As Florida West Coast Division president for GL Homes, Patty knows houses. She was comfortable with the renovations that were needed to make the place theirs. A Realtor with John R. Wood Properties, Jay knows homes, too, and he was also up for
the challenge.

A transformation began — walls were knocked down, fresh paint was added as was wide-plank wood flooring, and new kitchen cabinets were installed and topped with vast slabs of thick quartzite.

From the moment you set foot through the front door, you see places to congregate with friends, including a breakfast table, a long, distressed rectangular wood dining table, a cozy couch in front of the fireplace, and a large kitchen island flanked by a multitude of barstools. An impressive series of French doors extend an invitation to the outdoor bar and pool area.

Patty always wanted a white house, or as she phrases it: “light and bright and splashed with class.” She also wanted it to include a touch of the feminine but still be warm and inviting.

Designer Erin Karcher of Styled by EK, based in Tampa, worked alongside Patty, mixing lots of texture and dimension in the furnishings and decor, while myriad gold and silver accents added an element of glitz and glamour. The result was a home with a self-described West Coast vibe. “This way we feel like we live in California, but we don’t have to live there,” says Jay.

And for the record, even though both Patty and Jay grew up on the East Coast of Florida, they love Naples. They certainly don’t envision moving away anytime soon.

Lives of the Party

Festivities at the Campbell residence range in size from four to eight guests for smaller, intimate Sunday dinners to 75-plus guests at larger soirees, like the one celebrating Jay’s fiftieth birthday. It was a bash that included a bit of Nantucket fun and was based on The Club Car, an iconic restaurant attached to a retrofitted railway car with a lively bar located in the historic district of downtown Nantucket. It was their most memorable party to date.

When the get-togethers are smaller, the couple likes to grill and serve yummy salads to accompany, or they go for full-on traditional Italian dinners. As for the music and the bar, Patty explains: “That’s Jay all the way.”