fbpx vie magazine subscribe button

So Very Ralph

Bringing Sophisticated Flair to a Southern Coastal Home

Duce May of Duce & Company Interiors brings over twenty-two years of experience designing homes along the Gulf Coast and a lifetime of taste to The Heritage team. His style ranges depending on the project, but his ability to deliver a fresh, elevated design is always consistent. For The Heritage – A VIE Legacy Show Home, May maintained the Southern coastal traditionalism conveyed by the home’s architecture, but he added some haute couture flair. It is a show home, after all!

Anchoring the furniture in the home is the Ralph Lauren Home modern collection, which brings a sleek sophistication with clean lines and rich wood. The legacy brand’s signature Americana look was the starting point for the home’s interior design inspiration. From there, May built a cohesive overall design incorporating bits of flair through his genius use of color, tile, surface finishes, lighting, and accessories. The house presents a surprise in every space through May’s unexpected yet carefully made choices while epitomizing a sense of home.

Aptly dubbed “A VIE Legacy Show Home,” creating a space that lived up to this sense of generational value and timeless style was important. Thanks to May’s trained eye, all the furniture, artwork, and mementos feel like a lifelong collection. He walked us through his process and shared some of his favorite moments from the collaboration—check out the conversation below!

VIE CEO/editor-in-chief Lisa Marie Burwell and designer Duce May on The Heritage Show Home documentary set at Modus studio. | Photo by Addie Strickland

VIE: How did you connect with Carl and Tamara Tricoli, the founders of Bella Mare Real Estate Holdings and developers of the show home and eight other Heritage Dunes custom homes?

Duce May: First of all, Carl and Tamara went to a luncheon at a house that I had done. I think they appreciated the quality of the work and not necessarily the style. Soon after that, they went to a dinner party at another house I designed, and they liked the style of this home. So when they heard that I was the designer, they thought it was interesting because neither of the houses looked alike—but my style is always unique for every project. So Tamara came into my store, which led to me coming over for dinner at their home. At dinner, they offered me the opportunity to design The Heritage Show Home and the eight other houses, to which I responded, “OK, let’s do it!”

VIE: Describe how you approach a design project.

DM: I have to be inspired by something I love, then take it and run with it. For The Heritage, that was the Ralph Lauren look. But interestingly, for this project, the starting point was the structure because it looks like a house you could have had a hundred years ago or now. So then I imagined the outside would probably be all neutral, and the inside could be semi-neutral, but I can’t be all neutral—that’s not my thing. I tied in the unexpected pops of color in the tile, decor, pillows, and even the yellow cabinets in the laundry room. That pop of fun in an otherwise classic look is very Ralph Lauren.

May created a sense of high-end comfort throughout the home, while Julian Lennon’s fine art photography adorns each room and flows beautifully with the collection of refined decor. | Photo by Hunter Burgtorf

VIE: How did you choose the furniture that would go into the home?

DM: I imagined what I would want in this home that would be unique yet keep the Ralph Lauren theme. I pictured beautiful wood, rich fabrics, a little pattern, Persian carpets, unexpected case goods, stunning beds, and pretty linens. Still, I wanted to keep it traditional with a little twist like a fun fabric, oddball pillow, groovy accessory, or piece of art. All the details look like someone collected them over many years, not all at once, which is The Heritage aesthetic.

When I met the architect Gerald Burwell and learned about his old-school traditional yet elevated style, I knew I had to reflect this in my design. For instance, the cabinetry is more contemporary, and I’ve used some colors I don’t think people would expect. Therefore, I think it’s visually stimulating with his traditional style and my slight twist.

May’s tile and lighting selections, along with luxurious countertops and flooring, bring The Heritage to the next level and offer a few surprising pops of color. Crystal by Baccarat | Photo by Modus Photography
All the furniture, artwork, and mementos feel like a lifelong collection.

VIE: What part of the home’s design is the most surprising?

DM: The bathrooms are unbelievable, and none of them is similar to the next. You will see pink in one bathroom, gold in one, and pearl in another. They’re not cookie-cutter, making walking from space to space memorable. It’s fun for everyone to choose a favorite. Another honorable mention is the lemon-yellow laundry room cabinets, which are happy and unexpected.

VIE: Why did you suggest the tower on the home be closed instead of open, which was the original plan?

DM: Open outdoor space would have undoubtedly appealed to some people, but the closed room gives you an intimate space that can still be open if preferred, thanks to the Euro-Wall folding windows. It’s a beautiful observation space to read a book, play a game, or have a cocktail, and when it’s cooler out, you can open the windows and get that fantastic breeze.

Christine Joy, Len Knowlton, Duce May, Gerald and Lisa Burwell, Parker Hodges, and Gay Landreth at Soirée on the Bay benefiting CVHN

VIE: How was it working with Julian Lennon’s art curator, Wendy Posner?

DM: The opportunity to work with Julian Lennon’s team has been an incredible experience, and I love that the home can tell a story through Lennon’s photos. All of the pieces capture a moment in time. Despite all being unique, they bring cohesiveness to the home. There can be a disconnect when too many people are involved or you have a lot of different artists or styles in one house, so this close partnership was a testament to keeping a clear vision in The Heritage.

VIE: Tell us about the Ralph Lauren Modern line, which is present throughout the home.

DM: It’s relatively new for the brand and very sophisticated with a city look. The collection has beautiful lacquered woods, leather, clean lines, and polished stainless pieces that are beautiful together but still allowed us to use additional fun textures to give it a little break. So it’s not necessarily for a more sophisticated buyer but for someone who wants a cleaner look that’s still comfortable to live with, which is perfect for this home.

Photo by Modus Photography

VIE: What was your proudest moment working on this project?

DM: My most proud moment of the whole project was when I opened the doors, and people could experience the completed interiors for the first time. I have been very secretive about the project all along, so it was satisfying to see everyone’s reaction—I wanted to create that moment.

— V —


Visit DuceandCo.com or follow them on Instagram @duce_and_company to see more!



Read Responsibly

VIE Magazine September 2023 Jay Mercado
VIE Magazine - The Art & Design Issue November 2021
VIE Magazine January 2021 Special Commemorative Edition
VIE Magazine September 2020 Wanderlust Issue, Fancy Camps, The Idea Boutique
VIE Magazine August 2020 Art & Culture Issue, Nathan Alan Yoakum Art
VIE Magazine - Architecture & Design Issue - July 2020
VIE Magazine - Decor and Home Issue - June 2020
VIE Magazine May 2020 Entertainment Issue, Leslie Odom Jr
VIE Magazine - April 2020 Culinary Issue
VIE Magazine March 2020 The Fashion Edit, VONDOM, Alys Beach Fl, Digital Graffiti, Tres Chic, isidro dunbar Modern Interiors, Digital Graffiti Festival
VIE Magazine February 2020 Health & Beauty Issue
VIE Magazine - Travel Issue - January 2020 - Tanzania Safari Cover
VIE Magazine - Women's Issue - December 2019 - Tina Brown Cover
VIE NOV19 Goodness Issue
VIE Magazine, September 2019 Art & Culture Issue, Paul Hanninen
VIE Magazine - August 2019 - The Architecture and Design Issue
VIE Magazine - July 2019 - The Artist Issue
VIE Magazine - June 2019 - Fashion Edit
VIE Magazine - May 2019 - Culinary Issue
VIE Magazine - April 2019 - The Health & Wellness Issue
VIE Magazine - Special Entertainment Edition - March 2019
VIE Magazine February 2019 Luxury Homes & Technology Issue with Robbie Antonio of Revolution Precrafted
VIE Magazine - January 2019 - Southern Sophisticate Issue Cover
VIE Magazine - Special Anniversary Travel Edition - December 2018
VIE Magazine - The Goodness Issue - November 2018
VIE Magazine - The Art & Culture Issue - October 2018
VIE Magazine - Home & Garden Issue - September 2018
VIE Magazine - August 2018 Animal Issue
VIE Magazine - July 2018 Architecture & Design Issue - Subscribe to the magazine!
VIE Magazine - June 2018 Travel & Tech Issue
VIE Magazine - May 2018 Couture Issue
VIE Magazine - The Culinary Issue - April 2018 Cover - Chef James Briscione and Brooke Parkhurst
VIE Magazine - The Entertainers Issue - March 2018
VIE Magazine - February 2018 Destination Travel Issue
VIE Magazine - January 2018 Health & Beauty Issue
VIE Magazine, The Sophisticate Issue, December 2017
VIE Magazine - November 2017 Art & Culture Issue
VIE Magazine - October 2017 Home & Garden Issue
VIE Magazine | September 2017 | The Stories and Storytellers Issue
VIE Magazine - The Adventure Issue - August 2017
VIE Magazine - July 2017 - Art & Artist Issue
VIE Magazine - The Voyager Issue - June 2017
VIE magazine 2017 March-April Cover South Walton Fashion Week
VIE Magazine - January/February 2017 - The Health & Beauty Issue
VIE Magazine - Nov/Dec 2016 The Sophisticate Issue
christian siriano vie magazine september october 2016 vie magazine
the modern minimalist issue
Summertime!
the culinary and couture issue march april 2016 vie magazine
the voyager issue alys beach vie magazine january february 2016
cultural issue vie magazine november december 2015
home and garden issue vie magazine september october 2015
the art and style issue vie magazine july august 2015
the wedding issue 2015 May June vie magazine
the food and fashion issue vie magazine march april 2015
the travel issue vie magazine january february 2015
the music issue vie magazine 2014 november december
The Animal Issue vie magazine september october 2014
the home and garden issue vie magazine july august 2014
the wedding issue vie magazine may june 2014
emeril lagasse food and fashion vie magazine
the men's issue january february 2014
the music issue november december 2013 vie magazine
the home and garden issue 2013 october september
the wedding issue vie magazine july august 2013
the artist issue may june 2013 vie magazine
the food and fashion issue march april 2013
the men's issue january february 2013 vie magazine
The Holiday Issue
the love issue july august 2012
the all american summer may june 2012
the entertainment issue march april 2012
the fashion issue vie magazine winter 2011
the home and garden issue vie magazine fall 2011
the anniversary edition vie magazine summer 2011
the wedding issue vie magazine spring 2011
vie magazine the holiday issue 2010 Dec
vintage swimsuits vie magazine 2010 Fall
judith march designer vie magazine summer 2010
wedding giveaway vie magazine spring 2010
holiday gift guide vie magazine winter 2009
emarketing explosion vie magazine fall 2009
tribute to mother's day vie magazine summer 2009
james and robert redford vie magazine spring 2009
zz top vie magazine fall winter 2008
project dreams vie magazine new york fashion week
Sign-up for VIEmail

Sign up for VIEmail


X

A LIFESTYLE