When Seattle Seahawks defensive tackle Leonard Williams is busy sacking quarterbacks, he and his wife Hailey Williams live in the Pacific Northwest. But during the football offseason, there’s another place they call home: Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
“Leo has family there,” said Ms. Williams, 34, a wellness trainer. Mr. Williams attended high school in Florida before attending the University of Southern California and being drafted by the New York Jets in 2015, but returned frequently.
“The first thing he bought when he signed the contract with the Jets,” Ms. Williams said, “was a home for his family in Florida.”
Years later, in 2022, the couple followed suit and purchased their own home in Fort Lauderdale for $6.75 million. The 7,660-square-foot, three-story, five-bedroom home was built in 2012 and was in a location they couldn’t resist: right on one of the city’s many canals.
“I have a passion for life on the water,” said Mr. Williams, 31, who enjoys fishing and diving. “The house in Florida is amazing because we have our own dock space and I have a boat in the backyard.”
From there he can reach the open sea in five minutes. “Before I even got a boat, we had jet skis,” Mr. Williams said, “and I would go out and catch lobsters, bring them back to the house and just put them right on the grill.”
The only aspect of the house they didn’t like was the interior design. “It was very Florida and felt a little cold, with tile and metal,” Ms. Williams said. “We like things cozy and wanted the house to feel natural, open and really warm.”
To remodel it, they called Krista Watterworth Alterman, founder of interior design firm Krista + Home, based on a recommendation from a family friend.
“This is their off-season escape,” Ms. Alterman said, so she wanted to help make the home a place where the couple could relax and recharge. The goal, she noted, was to make it “almost feel like you’re being wrapped in a blanket when you walk in.”
Ms. Williams worked closely with Ms. Alterman as they redesigned the interior with warm woods, soft curves and neutral colors. They paid particular attention to the kitchen, as the couple spends a lot of their time there. Mr. Williams, in particular, enjoys cooking and occasionally makes videos for social media showing how to cook mahi-mahi and the tuna he catches.
They completely renovated the space with natural oak cabinets, sand-colored Caesarstone counters, and open shelving for displaying handmade ceramics and serving pieces. The island is illuminated by organically shaped Pebble Stone pendant lights from Tudo&Co, the range is housed in an arched opening with zellige tiles, and a pantry behind a wooden slat wall keeps the cooking space uncluttered.
To visually warm up the living room with a 25-foot ceiling, they clad an ethanol fireplace with pebbles, black quartzite, and wood doors while leaving room for a pop-up projection screen in the mantel. Floor-to-ceiling curtains and deep, comfortable Four Hands sofas and chairs provide sinking comfort.
One of her favorite finds is a Calabria chandelier by Palecek that she installed in the dining room. “It’s made of these beautiful seashells,” she said, “and it reminds me of just being in the water with Leo, being on a boat with Leo, being on a beach somewhere with Leo.”
For the master suite, they designed a space that functions like a spacious hotel suite. A low, wide tufted bed is positioned against a plaster wall with a deeply textured surface Woven rope pendant lights. An open fireplace separates the sleeping area from the lounge area with a hanging, swing-like daybed from Etsy, floor pillows, and a tea and coffee station.
“This is my place,” Ms. Williams said. “I teach breathing exercises and meditation, so I spend time practicing there.”
The bathroom features a round Japanese-style bathtub, which the couple chose because it reminds them of their travels. “We love Japan and it gives us a very Zen feeling, like we’re in an onsen,” Ms. Williams said.
When they wake up in the morning, “it’s almost like you have to force yourself to leave the bedroom because almost everything you need is there,” Mr. Williams added.
But at least one other room lures Mr. Williams from the master suite: a room Ms. Williams calls his “man cave,” where he can pursue his interest in trading card games like Magic: The Gathering.
Step Brothers Contract Group completed most of the work on the house during the couple’s absence during the 2023-2024 football season and completed the work last year.
Mr. and Mrs. Williams are looking forward to returning to Fort Lauderdale this year, but they won’t be able to get there quite as quickly as they have in the past.
“This season is different because I’m pregnant right now,” Ms. Williams said. “We’re giving birth here in Seattle because the Super Bowl is the last day I can fly.”