® Fall 2022
Rear Elevation: The home is situated on the lot at a 45-degree angle to provide water views from multiple vantage points throughout the home, while also capturing natural light in as many rooms as possible. Providing a seamless flow from the pool, the boat dock extends past the infinity edge to the boat launch with soft uplit LED lights. “I believe we maximized the property to its fullest capacity and the homeowners are so happy,” says John Cooney, co-principal at Stofft Cooney Architects.
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“It was important to them that their home be entertainment-friendly, to host friends and family, take the boat out, and enjoy the indoor-outdoor lifestyle together. It’s a happy place to be.”
“From our first meeting, it was clear we required a creative, extremely cohesive approach by the entire team,” says Perrone. “Even the integration of the decking to the pool had to be considered before we tore down the existing home and installed the seawall.”
WWhenacouple discovered an available parcel of land at the end of a cul-de-sac with access to Sarasota Bay on Longboat Key, it embodied all the qualities they desired in a seasonal home; though they weren’t sure if the idyllic site could accommodate the 5,000-square-foot plus home and the large pool they desired. To learn if the project was doable, they consulted Ricky Perrone, president and home builder at Perrone Construction.
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A TRIFECTA OF BUILDING PROS BRINGS THIS LUXURIOUS ENTERTAINMENT HOME TO LIFE
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THE HAPPY PLACE
Front Elevation: Built with the finest custom materials available, this charming waterfront residence withstands anything nature throws at it. “There are so many incredible materials available to us today. When you build in these harsh waterfront environments, you become a master in the art of utilizing unique details and materials that withstand the effects of the coastal environments,” explains Perrone.
Great Room: Faced with an unmovable vertical post in the great room, Rodriguez added a second post and created a custom media wall to further elevate this comfortable space. The two cabinet doors slide back into the columns to expose the television. Blue grasscloth wallpaper in the inset behind the cabinetry adds color and texture. “From the entrance, this room appears to be floating right on the water thanks to the architecture. We enhanced this feel with our interior design choices,” says Rodriguez.
One of the first luxury home industry professionals Perrone conferred with was John Cooney, co-principal at Stofft Cooney Architects. “There were two things happening and both were challenging from design and construction standpoints: The lot is at the end of the street and the views were strong to the right, so we made the decision to rotate the house to take advantage of a strong right view,” explains Cooney. “The second thing we did was cantilever the first floor to maximize the pool, which comes in under the home and creates a grotto-like pool.”
Interior designer Angela Rodriguez, CEO and director of design at Angela Rodriguez Interiors, stepped in before the foundation was laid and began adding her expertise to the ambitious endeavor. u
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Dining Room: Sliders open up on both sides providing dramatic water views from the beautiful indoor dining space. Eight oak-framed dining chairs are clad in a neutral performance fabric, surrounding a locally fabricated blonde wood table. The designer added an antiqued mirror backing on the bar’s upper cabinets to reflect the views and light.
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“One of my favorite distinctive features of the home is that it does not face the front property line but rather the front facade is canted at 45 degrees so the home is revealed as you approach it,” says Perrone.
Kitchen: One of the many special features in the kitchen include the Cristallo quartzite countertops and backsplash. Rodriguez says, “It took a little extra love, but everyone comments on the translucent stone.” Complementary white cupboards from Sarasota Architectural Woodworking stretch to the ceiling for cohesiveness, while a stainless-steel Viking range, wall ovens, and a Sub-Zero paneled refrigerator, as well as a Miele paneled dishwasher, contrast the ivory colorway.
The clients were delighted with the imaginative solutions.
“We were hired to design the home’s interior from scratch, building further upon the architectural floor plan. The process begins by getting to know our clients, their story, interests, and lifestyle. Our two biggest sources of inspiration are always our clients and nature,” notes Rodriguez. u
Bar: Hidden behind a pocketed door in the television room is the whiskey bar. The element was inspired by the clients; they saw a whiskey bar while traveling and liked it so much they had one installed in their home. A door on the bottom cabinet hides a Sub-Zero ice maker, and the side splash mirrors reflect the marble countertop and backsplash to create visual depth.
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Primary Bathroom: Following her client’s wish for the primary bathroom to replicate a luxury resort, Rodriguez set the space’s lush overtone in motion by separating the client’s dual vanities with an opulent steam shower. Designed to look more like furnishings than standard bathroom cabinetry, the custom vanities from Sarasota Architectural Woodworking are appointed with two-inch square drawer pulls with a pearlesque finish. Floors and walls are garbed in easy-to-care-for porcelain slabs in a neutral tone to complement the custom-stained European white-oak cabinets that frame the two inset vanity mirrors.
Primary Bedroom: The ceiling in the bright and lavish primary bedroom suite was originally quite tall. The designer “tricked the eye” by extending the crown moulding downward and by starting the finely woven, light blue grasscloth wallpaper at a lower level than is typical. The higher headboard further amplifies the decorative illusion. Electrical outlets are placed in the baseboards so as not to interrupt the wall finishes and to make the electrical plates less noticeable.
Communication between the team and the clients, creative problemsolving, and forward thinking resulted in a dramatic, five-bedroom, British West Indies styled home perched gracefully on a picture-perfect setting.
Guest Bedroom: This guest room was inspired by a luxury resort. Rift white oak side panels run alongside the custom cotton and linen headboard. Unseen sliding doors lead to a patio overlooking an incredible view of the water. “Guests are excited to visit and hospitality is a big deal. I treat each guest room as its own hotel suite,” says Rodriguez.
Guest Bathroom: This charming guest bathroom provides natural light enhanced by a water view and reflects beautifully in the mirror. A mother of pearl mosaic backsplash sparkles and softly adds to the stylish tropical vibe. Natural alabaster pendant lights with gold accents are affixed to the expansive mirror and sourced from Hudson Valley Lighting.
“The clients were active in establishing the design direction, and put their trust in us to develop it. It was a great balance of collaboration and creative freedom, which is reflected beautifully in the results,” says Rodriguez. “It was important to them that their home be entertainment-friendly, to host friends and family, take the boat out, and enjoy the indoor-outdoor lifestyle together. It’s a happy place to be.” n
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Guest Bedroom: This guest bedroom has a neutral color palette and is all about the exquisite view, including the sparkling lights of Sarasota that can be seen at night. Floor-to-ceiling sliding glass doors — framed by custom draperies — provide a gorgeous view of the water and allow guests to walk out to a private patio. The shape of the room is defined by the moulding details, designed by the architect and produced by Rodriguez. Incorporated in the design are furnishings from the clients’ previous home; the bed, and the armchair. The pinch-pleat linen bedding and cream-colored wool rug from New Zealand tie this neutral space together against the darker furnishings in the room.
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Pool Sun Shelf: When looking at the generously sized outdoor living area and pool, it is easy to understand why the homeowners named their second home the Happy Place. The infinity edge pool with transparent tempered glass provides swimmers with a striking water view. A water curtain behind the lounge chairs on the sun shelf produces soothing white noise.
Front Elevation Focal Point: Salvaged prior to the previous home’s demolition, the ponytail palm is original to the site. Eventually it was placed at the forefront of the property where the clients had asked for something special to be crafted. Now functioning as a welcoming feature surrounded by cascading waters, the storied tree and water features bring movement and intention to the once neglected space.
Grotto-Like Pool: Lacking square footage for a large home and pool, the architect increased the pool’s size by carving out a space beneath the elevated outdoor living area to create the grotto-like pool area. “This is a great example of clients who know what they want and are able to relay that information to me to get what they want quickly,” says Cooney.
Architect: Stofft Cooney Architects 100 North Washington Boulevard, Suite 1 Sarasota, FL 34236 941.316 www.stofft.com0936
Sarasota 6110 Clark Center Avenue Sarasota, FL www.saww.us941.684.161434238
Angela Rodriguez Interiors
7045 South Tamiami Trail Sarasota, FL www.perroneconstruction.com941.924.690034231
Luxury Home Builder:
7357 International Place, Suite 105 Sarasota, FL www.angelarodriguezinteriors.com941.388.820234240
Architectural Woodworking
Resources:
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Interior Designer:
Written by Mary Thurman by Ryan Gamma Photography
Yuhas Photography
Perrone Construction