Neutrals Forever! See Inside this Cozy Watercolor, Florida, Home

The Colquitts visited their neighborhood, WaterColor, for several years before settling here. It's hard not to fall in love with this community's laid-back pace and sherbet-colored cottages. The home's mint exterior (Sherwin-Williams' Bonsai Tint, SW 6436) fits in on the block.

A white wooden swing, built by a local craftsman, adds charm and seating on the porch.

The tones in the living room came from the unique family tree, created by artist Rebecca Rebouché. Louvered doors beside that painting hide the laundry room.

Investing in your interiors with young kids can be risky, but Colquitt wanted no areas to be off-limits. Form, meet function: Washable linen slipcovers top the Lee Industries chaises and sofa, and the armchairs were stain treated. "Now I don't have to be a helicopter mom and worry about messes," she says. 

The rear porch is basically another living room. "Outdoor furniture can either be massive or tiny," says Smith. "Finding the right scale was where we started." The comfortable teak Restoration Hardware furniture makes inside-out living feel seamless, especially when all the French doors are open.

Backsplashes aren't a requirement. Extending the wall paneling (painted Sherwin-Williams' Creamy, SW 7012) from the counters to the ceiling and over the range hood gave the kitchen a roomier look. Cabinet-front appliances painted gray-green (Sherwin-Williams' Austere Gray, SW 6184) relax the space even more. A mix of metals, like the brass faucet and white bronze hardware, adds character.

The canopy bed was another specific idea Colquitt brought to the decorating process. The designers chose a four-poster Tritter Feefer bed, added an upholstered headboard, and draped a white eyelet fabric overhead to create the dreamy look. "It reminds me of a jewel box," says Colquitt, who loves for her kids to pile in on lazy mornings. Airy pinks, greens, and grays round out the look.

The master bedroom's soothing palette spills into the sitting area. "It's like a multipurpose room that's still my private space," says Colquitt. The designers found the vintage rattan chair on Etsy for a song. (Pro tip: Before ordering furniture online, use painter's tape to make an outline of the piece's measurements to visualize how it will fit in the room.)

"Our goal was to create a space Colquitt's son would love now and also in five years," says Shelley. The designers chose deep sea blues instead of pastels to play up a nautical theme. "The light fixture reminded us of an octopus, and the pattern of the draperies almost resembles seaweed. Grass cloth warms up the walls," says Smith. Layering neutrals with rich blues keeps the room from straying too childish.

The inspiration for the boy's bedroom's aquatic theme actually started with the bath's fish-print Cole & Son wallpaper. The designers pulled colors from the pattern—burnt orange, deep blue, and soft browns—into the space with pieces like the Oriental-rug bath mat.

Anything other than a single bed would have taken up too much floorspace in this long, narrow room shared by two of Colquitt's daughters. The designers got creative, drawing up one 13-foot-long upholstered headboard for the two twin beds (each with a trundle underneath).

A secluded kids' hangout on the third floor is an ideal spot for games and movie watching, with ample storage for toys and art supplies.

Just off the playroom loft are a bunk room and full bath that can be used as a private guest suite for hosting company. This room also holds the rug that started the whole project.