If the signs of the zodiac accurately predict personality traits, then Gary Harlan is the quintessential Gemini—someone who juggles a variety of passions and is adaptable, not afraid of change, and always ready for some fun. Born and raised in rural Kentucky, Harlan first studied mining engineering at college (his father was a coal miner and a farmer). He discovered the discipline wasn’t for him and instead found his calling as a hair stylist. He has spent the past 40 years working in the industry.
Twenty-eight years ago, Harlan visited Naples and decided the coastal town was where he wanted to live. In 2001 he established N. Color, a hair salon in North Naples. The salon included a lobby filled with a small collection of unique items—such as jewelry, purses, and accessories—handpicked by Harlan. When he moved to his current location in Sandalwood Square in 2015, he devoted even more space to displaying curated objects of beauty, growing the retail side of his business.
Over the years Harlan dabbled in the local real estate market, even acquiring his real estate license. One of his favorite neighborhoods has always been the Moorings. Believing location is everything, he waited patiently to find the right place in the centrally located area west of US 41. One day, while driving along Crayton Road in the pouring rain, Harlan passed a home next to The Moorings Golf & Country Club with a for-sale sign in the front yard. He pulled over and after a cursory glance, declared, “I’m buying that house.” And he did.
Harlan had every intention of tearing down the ranch-style home. Except upon closer inspection, though small, it had potential—even with its low ceilings and sunken living space (a popular design element of the circa-1980 Arthur Rutenberg–style homes once prevalent in the neighborhood). “It is a great home for entertaining,” says Harlan. Rather than raze, he began reimagining the space, making only decorative changes.
“I like smaller spaces,” says Harlan. “I’m ‘on’ all day at work. It’s nice to come home to a cozy place, put my feet up, and relax.” He especially enjoys spending downtime with Ella—his long-haired golden dachshund—or with close friends, enjoying “good conversation and food.”
Harlan professes he bought the house because of the five oversize banyan trees lining the street side of the property, which have endured myriad hurricane conditions. In the backyard, he removed the screened cage, added artificial turf, and created sitting areas around the pool within a thick and private hedge of clusia. With the space in Harlan’s backyard, where he spends much of his time, his living area is doubled.
Inside, Harlan relays that the home’s personality has evolved. From time to time, he likes to refresh. “If something is no longer making you happy, you have to make it fun again,” he says. For Harlan, this could be as simple as new tableware, paint, or accessories. In fact, Harlan says he is ready to take out some of the glitter that currently appears in the home. At present, he’s seeking a highly refined aesthetic, “something Ralph Lauren in style,” he explains.
One thing that will always be included in Harlan’s home is great art. He credits his friend, Fran Fenning, with helping acquire his compilations. “I would visit her home and shop her collection,” he relays. Harlan discloses that Fenning probably owns the largest private collection of paintings by Robert Rauschenberg, an American painter and graphic artist who once owned a home on Captiva Island.
Today, Harlan’s collection includes works by a protégé of Rauschenburg, Darryl Pottorf. Pottorf’s works line one wall of the entrance to Harlan’s home and are positioned across from one of his favorite pieces, Horse Sense, a large Pottorf painting realized on a transparent plastic similar to plexiglass. This piece once hung in Fenning’s home in Montana.
The remainder of Harlan’s home is a lively collection of books, functional furniture, and accessories, all of which contribute to a friendly and inviting environment. Ultimately, this engaging gentleman has perfected the art of gracious living in an endearing Naples home. And while he admits it was the weather that first brought him here, he adds, “the people kept me here.”
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