My Houzz: A Colourful and Personality-Filled Family Ranch in Florida
Custom-made, repurposed and vintage pieces characterise this home for six, plus horses, dogs, cats, chickens, zebus, birds and a pig…
‘I learned a long time ago that I have to make whatever space that I’m in my own,’ Gany Lalo Bernal says. ‘It has to say something about who I am.’ That philosophy was paired with Gany’s lifelong dream of living on a farm. When she came across a blog post nine years ago about a woman who had moved from the city to a farm in the country, making jam from fruit from the garden and enjoying fresh eggs from the chickens she raised, Gany admired the woman’s bravery in making such a change in her life. ‘And here I was, 34 years old with four kids and going through a difficult divorce,’ she says. ‘But I saved the blog post, hoping that one day I, too, will have a beautiful story to tell.’
‘I always wanted the kitchen to be in a textbook farmhouse style,’ Gany says. ‘You know, the classic kitchen that a farmer put together for his wife and added to over many years. Nothing too matchy, nothing too rich, but always with personality.’
To start with, the couple removed the wall-hung cabinets and went for open shelving instead. ‘I have lots of dishes and other items that I have collected from all over the world, and it was a shame that they were hidden behind cupboard doors,’ Gany says.
The finishes are a mix of natural and painted surfaces, concrete, copper and different types of wood. They have used less expensive poplar for the plank-style unit doors, western red cedar for the shelving and pricier black walnut for the worktops. Bold colours on the windows, doors, curtains and appliances contrast with the white walls and lower cabinets, while the eye-catching pendant light was made by Curtis from industrial copper and a vine from a Balinese tree.
To start with, the couple removed the wall-hung cabinets and went for open shelving instead. ‘I have lots of dishes and other items that I have collected from all over the world, and it was a shame that they were hidden behind cupboard doors,’ Gany says.
The finishes are a mix of natural and painted surfaces, concrete, copper and different types of wood. They have used less expensive poplar for the plank-style unit doors, western red cedar for the shelving and pricier black walnut for the worktops. Bold colours on the windows, doors, curtains and appliances contrast with the white walls and lower cabinets, while the eye-catching pendant light was made by Curtis from industrial copper and a vine from a Balinese tree.
The hob area was given a new look with handmade plank-style cabinet door panels and drawer fronts, plus a fresh coat of paint to cover the granite parts of the worktop. The tiles and stone are original.
Discover more ways to use tiles in your home
Discover more ways to use tiles in your home
Here in the living room, original beams create an authentic farmhouse feel. When the couple moved in, the built-in cabinets were in dark wood, so they brightened them up with a fresh coat of paint, giving some areas a distressed look. Changing the colour dramatically transformed the look and feel of the space, while painting the wall behind the shelving in a bright blue added even more colour.
Churchill leather recliner, Restoration Hardware. In-Bloom Portrait pillows, Mercedita chandelier, both Anthropologie.
Discover how to use strong colour in your home
Churchill leather recliner, Restoration Hardware. In-Bloom Portrait pillows, Mercedita chandelier, both Anthropologie.
Discover how to use strong colour in your home
A large stone fireplace is the focal point of the living space. ‘When we moved in, I did not love it,’ Gany says. ‘It was not working with the rest of the decor, but I stayed true to it, and once we had redone the floors and painted the walls, and the furniture came into place, it all worked beautifully together. Now I love having this natural focal point.’ And on cold winter evenings, the family light the fire, get blankets out, play music and spend time together here.
Silk Knotted sofa, Archway floor lamp, both Anthropologie. Winter Stallion artwork, Z Gallerie.
Silk Knotted sofa, Archway floor lamp, both Anthropologie. Winter Stallion artwork, Z Gallerie.
The dining table is part of the open living area. ‘It is not very formal, and that suits our lifestyle,’ Gany says. The large painting is by an Italian artist and was a gift from Gany’s parents. Gany bought the pendant light over the table in Cabo, Mexico, on a business trip.
The couple replaced the flooring with tiling that resembles wood, which works very well with the humid Florida weather. ‘People bend down to touch it when I tell them they’re tiles. They don’t believe it,’ Gany says.
Flatiron rectangular dining table, Madeleine chairs, both Restoration Hardware.
The couple replaced the flooring with tiling that resembles wood, which works very well with the humid Florida weather. ‘People bend down to touch it when I tell them they’re tiles. They don’t believe it,’ Gany says.
Flatiron rectangular dining table, Madeleine chairs, both Restoration Hardware.
This nook in the living room is the perfect spot for the family to watch television.
The paintings on the wall are by two of Gany’s close friends. The one on the right is White Wedding, by Erni Vales, and the one on the left is by Marina Tito.
The paintings on the wall are by two of Gany’s close friends. The one on the right is White Wedding, by Erni Vales, and the one on the left is by Marina Tito.
The couple updated the utility room in a relaxed industrial style. ‘We use this room a lot, though, and did not want to let its makeover be too invasive,’ Gany says. ‘The existing flooring was neutral and not a priority, so we worked with it. It is also the main route everyone uses into the house, so it needed to be functional as well as cute, but also meander smoothly into the kitchen.’
Gany likes storing items in baskets and boxes and so had wall cabinets replaced with open shelving so she could use them for display. Curtis upcycled old gate doors to form a barn-style folding table and a ladder hangs from the ceiling for laundry. Other quirky touches include a plumbing pipe that became a paper towel holder, and a wall-mounted paper roll, which is handy for lists and notes. The variety of colours along with the wood, metal and white walls helps the space blend naturally with the adjacent kitchen. ‘It’s fun,’ Gany says.
Gany likes storing items in baskets and boxes and so had wall cabinets replaced with open shelving so she could use them for display. Curtis upcycled old gate doors to form a barn-style folding table and a ladder hangs from the ceiling for laundry. Other quirky touches include a plumbing pipe that became a paper towel holder, and a wall-mounted paper roll, which is handy for lists and notes. The variety of colours along with the wood, metal and white walls helps the space blend naturally with the adjacent kitchen. ‘It’s fun,’ Gany says.
‘The layout seemed to force us to place the bed against a particular wall,’ Gany says of the master bedroom. ‘This didn’t feel right, but it seemed it was the only option. Ani felt strongly that the bed could be centred in the room in front of a large window which overlooked the pool and patio area but the shutters made that impossible.’
So the Spoerleins fabricated a sliding barn door and painted it a striking midnight blue to replace the shutters. Curtis also made the colourful bedside tables, which have handy ledges for a coffee cup or bedtime book. Included in the design are electrical plugs and a space to conceal phone chargers.
So the Spoerleins fabricated a sliding barn door and painted it a striking midnight blue to replace the shutters. Curtis also made the colourful bedside tables, which have handy ledges for a coffee cup or bedtime book. Included in the design are electrical plugs and a space to conceal phone chargers.
Gany found vintage spool beds on Etsy for the bedroom shared by daughters Hanna and Misha. ‘We brought in the accent wall but left the rest of the walls calm so we could go crazy in other ways,’ she says. ‘My girls are super creative and like making clay and mixed media figures.’ Ani made geometric shelves to display the figures in a fun way.
The back porch faces the riding arena, barn and paddocks. ‘From here we can see all the way to the back. We can even watch rides from here if we want to,’ Gany says. ‘This is also a study space for the children.’
Gany’s friend Jill Zucker gave her the Baker desk, painted a melon colour and then lacquered. The yellow leather chairs, which used to be a pale blue, came from Gany’s parents, while the French Provencal-style green desk chair used to belong to Gany’s grandmother.
Gany’s friend Jill Zucker gave her the Baker desk, painted a melon colour and then lacquered. The yellow leather chairs, which used to be a pale blue, came from Gany’s parents, while the French Provencal-style green desk chair used to belong to Gany’s grandmother.
What is now the front porch was once all dirt with a few palm trees. ‘I really wanted to use the space, so we tiled it and created seating areas,’ Gany says.
Studio C made the seating with a vintage door and shipping pallets. ‘Everything was upcycled except the wheels,’ Gany says. ‘And they used my favourite colours to make it fit. The front patio seemed like a good spot to place such a laid-back piece.’
Studio C made the seating with a vintage door and shipping pallets. ‘Everything was upcycled except the wheels,’ Gany says. ‘And they used my favourite colours to make it fit. The front patio seemed like a good spot to place such a laid-back piece.’
This front-porch nook is Gany’s favourite spot. ‘It has a little round table, and when October hits South Florida, there is no better place to sit,’ Gany says. She goes here ‘in the morning to have coffee and breakfast with the kids or in the evening with a glass of wine, and sometimes if I get to work from home, I take my laptop there and have the best office view anyone could ask, for facing the pond.’
The property’s barn had not been a working barn for 12 years. Turning it back into one meant modifying some stalls, building out some small rooms, like a feed room, tack room and wash-rack area, and re-staining and painting. ‘It is simple but colourful, and true to myself at the time,’ Gany says,
The barn includes this colourful office. ‘You feel like you are in a room in the house more than a barn,’ Gany says. The desktop has been refinished in a bright yellow, while the tufted leather sofa is one from Anthropologie that the couple’s English mastiffs had damaged. ‘I investigated whether or not you could paint leather, and it turns out that, with the right coatings, you can. It turned out beautifully and has held up well,’ she says.
The Spoerleins made the geometric shelving arrangement with plywood to keep books, trophies and keepsakes organised.
The Spoerleins made the geometric shelving arrangement with plywood to keep books, trophies and keepsakes organised.
The horses were doing well at dressage shows, and Gany wanted the tack room to have a whole new vibe. Studio C created new stall doors, name plaques, artsy storage cabinets, lighting, hangers and benches, and refinished many existing pieces that just needed colour and TLC. ‘Curtis and Ani even came up with this plywood horseshoe sculpture to display our ribbons and trophies. The bench was made to be a rustic yet wipeable seat for such a dusty area. It’s made of wood but matches the shape of an 1800s Victorian sofa,’ she says.
The harlequin-patterned accent wall has silver paint pails mounted on it for hanging bridles.
The harlequin-patterned accent wall has silver paint pails mounted on it for hanging bridles.
In the tack room, Curtis created a decorative panel wall using only plywood and stains. ‘Then we had the foundation we needed for his simple, open saddle-rack design,’ Gany says. ‘We get 12 saddles on a wall where we could only place a handful before. It’s a bonus that it is just plain pretty.’
Gany refers to this area, a 40th-birthday gift from Jimmie, as her ‘hen garden.’ He built a sitting area around the centre tree, put in picnic tables and created raised beds for planting. The hen coops are all different. ‘Some were built by my husband, and others I purchased online but were painted and put together at home. We started with one, and now we have five flocks in five coops,’ Gany says.
Gany buys chicks online at My Pet Chicken; this way she is guaranteed hens. ‘We only have two roosters who take care of the flocks. The rest are all the ladies. The more adventurous ones go over the fence and roam the entire farm, but at sunset they are all back in the garden and inside their coops for bedtime. I have not bought eggs from the supermarket since we moved into the farm,’ she says.
Gany buys chicks online at My Pet Chicken; this way she is guaranteed hens. ‘We only have two roosters who take care of the flocks. The rest are all the ladies. The more adventurous ones go over the fence and roam the entire farm, but at sunset they are all back in the garden and inside their coops for bedtime. I have not bought eggs from the supermarket since we moved into the farm,’ she says.
‘We spent some time trying to nail down exactly where on the property our garden should be. We laid out perimeters, brainstormed, tried to visualise it and even had the custom planters made and placed,’ Gany says. ‘In the end, I planted it front and centre in the front yard between the house and our beautiful pond,’ seen here.
Old banyan trees, such as the one pictured here, have been in South Florida for generations and are a priceless feature of Blue Stallion Farm.
Old banyan trees, such as the one pictured here, have been in South Florida for generations and are a priceless feature of Blue Stallion Farm.
The paddocks give the horses a place to graze, play and socialise, which is very important for them. Jimmie built the covered feeder, which helps protect the hay from rain and gives the horses another shaded area.
Lulu, one of the family’s two English mastiffs, Watson the French bulldog and Emily, the family’s pet pig, relax on the lawn.
The family has a number of pets on their farm:
Dogs Lucky and Lulu (English mastiff siblings), Sippy (Cockapoo), Genesis (mini dachshund), Tito (Chihuahua mix), Watson (French bulldog)
Cats Sunshine and Yoda
Horses Ezra, Halo, Passions, Pacifico, Angeleyes, Ohana, Rev, Happy Feet, Snickers, Rocky and Melman
Zebus Penny, Marley and Floyd
Birds Chewy, Cheesecake, Tiki and the hens
Pig Emily
The family has a number of pets on their farm:
Dogs Lucky and Lulu (English mastiff siblings), Sippy (Cockapoo), Genesis (mini dachshund), Tito (Chihuahua mix), Watson (French bulldog)
Cats Sunshine and Yoda
Horses Ezra, Halo, Passions, Pacifico, Angeleyes, Ohana, Rev, Happy Feet, Snickers, Rocky and Melman
Zebus Penny, Marley and Floyd
Birds Chewy, Cheesecake, Tiki and the hens
Pig Emily
‘The beauty of living in Southwest Ranches is that you get country living near the city,’ Gany says. ‘I go to work in the city and come back to my country life - it is only a 25-minute commute. Here, we are a small horse community. There are lots of horse trails and parks in the area and I can leave the farm on horseback and trail around the neighbourhood, even visit friends at other farms. We are one hour away from Wellington, which is the winter equestrian capital of the world, and this makes it a quick trip to international competitions and A-rated shows.’
She adds, ‘We love where we live.’
TELL US…
What do you think of this characterful family home? Share your thoughts in the Comments below.
She adds, ‘We love where we live.’
TELL US…
What do you think of this characterful family home? Share your thoughts in the Comments below.
Who lives here Gany Lalo Bernal and Jimmie Bernal; their children, Benjamin, Shana, Hanna and Misha; and their 6 dogs, 2 cats, 1 pig, 11 horses, 3 zebus, plus various birds and chickens
Location Southwest Ranches, Florida
Size 4 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms
That day came for Gany when she met her husband, Jimmie, and they bought a farm in Southwest Ranches, Florida, which was part of an elderly couple’s estate. ‘We were looking for a piece of land where we could create the life we had always envisioned, and the story of Blue Stallion Farm began,’ Gany says. It had not been a working farm for 12 years, so there was a lot of work to do, but that was all part of their journey.
When the Bernals purchased the farmland, the house, while full of character, was a long way from their own style. It felt dark and dated, and some of the flooring needed to be replaced. Gany and Jimmie worked with designers Curtis and Ani Spoerlein of Studio C to redesign many of the rooms, including the kitchen. ‘They have an artsy, natural approach and aren’t afraid of colour,’ Gany says. ‘The results of our collaboration are felt in nearly every corner of the property.’
‘I try to salvage and repurpose wherever possible,’ Gany adds. ‘We had interior doors and kitchen and bathroom cabinets resurfaced. I wanted to blend the family’s desire for a back-to-our-roots lifestyle with my love for colour, ethnicity and variety.’
Refrigerator, retro dishwasher, both in Jadeite Green, Big Chill. Farmhouse 3018 sink, Native Trails