The art of placement: Naples designer expands gallery space after Hurricane Irma

The tide came, as it did each day, and washed away her playhouse.

Judith Liegeois in her gallery and showroom in downtown Naples on Monday, Dec. 11, 2017. Liegeois expanded her gallery space after Irma.

And so 8-year-old Judith Liegeois would return at low tide the following day to the beachside rocks in northern New Zealand, where her family vacationed during the summer months. At the shore, she'd collect driftwood, seashells and kelp, and decorate her "home."

The hallway was the passageway in the rocks where the waves crashed. The rooms were the caves.

Judith Liegeois in her gallery and showroom in downtown Naples on Monday, Dec. 11, 2017. Liegeois expanded her gallery space after Irma.

In a way, Liegeois, who now operates Judith Liegeois Designs, has always specialized in the art of placement.

"That was my daily duty, was to climb down and redesign the rocks, and it was never the same twice," she recalled. "That was really where it started, and it’s always been my life."

In September, she weathered another kind of storm when Hurricane Irma dumped rainwater through the roof of her downtown Naples gallery. But like she did as a child, Liegeois returned the next day, and even came back stronger.

When the power came back on after the hurricane, Liegeois expanded into the neighboring studio on 12th Avenue South, doubling her space and inventory.

"It was sort of by accident," she said of her new digs. "If you stop and think too much about what you're doing then you become fearful. ...I just have to trust the fact that this opened up and became available and we poured ourselves into it."

More:Mid-century modern design is making a comeback in 'The Archive,' a store within a store

More:Pairing fine art with fine furnishings at new North Naples gallery, showroom

More:The formulas and patterns behind floral design

Judith Liegeois Designs Inc. opened nearly 20 years ago. Liegeois, a native of Aukland, New Zealand, and her small team of designers offer design consulting services, including space planning, lighting, color study, fabrics, upholstery, home styling and furniture design.

Judith Liegeois Gallery and Showroom in downtown Naples on Monday, Dec. 11, 2017. Liegeois expanded her gallery space after Irma.

Liegeois acknowledges her favorite part of the job is when she gets to design the rooms in a client's home using pieces they already have.

"That’s what I love," she said. "It’s part of this sort of nesting and nurturing, which is part of my personality. I want to make everyone’s home beautiful for them. I think it’s hugely important to feel fabulous in your own space."

"Organic glamour" is her personal style, which is evident in all the rich velvets and furs and crystals in the two galleries. She sources décor, furniture and artwork from local artisans and from flea markets across Europe.

"I’m kind of a globetrotting magpie, where I see things that I like, and I go, 'Oh my gosh,'" she said. "It doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s necessarily going to go with anything, but it’s about the art of placement."

The two galleries — each one full of enchanting surprises — are an excellent example.

Judith Liegeois Gallery and Showroom in downtown Naples on Monday, Dec. 11, 2017. Liegeois expanded her gallery space after Irma.

There is the midcentury modern, 1950s lamp with twisted metal framing; the lighted fiberglass boulders from the '60s; and the wasp comb infused with glinting crystals.

Gilded with more gold and silver, the white, walking mangrove lamps are also a huge hit.

There is an art to placing material in a room, Liegeois said, and in her two neighboring showrooms. The eye should wander from room to room, and each time the experience should be different.

Every piece has a story, and each is a treasure on its own. But together, it's a complete story.

"When you’re placing it, it’s like a jigsaw puzzle, and it looks good," she said. "And for me no particular piece goes with the other piece, yet when people walk in there there’s an immediate reaction to it. There’s something that draws you in."

Judith Liegeois Gallery and Showroom in downtown Naples on Monday, Dec. 11, 2017. Liegeois expanded her gallery space after Irma.

Judith Liegeois Designs

  • Where: 363 12th Ave. S., Naples
  • Hours: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday; 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday; closed Sunday
  • More information: 239-430-6811; judithliegeoisdesigns.com