681 Old Compass Road 23-S-V1

GREAT EXPECTATIONS

A NEIGHBORHOOD IN TRANSITION OFFERS THE CHANCE OF A LIFETIME

Front Elevation: “The client wanted everything about the home to be crisp and clean, leaning toward modern. We selected the colors, railing design, and outdoor lighting to reflect this,” notes Gail Carlson, Owner and Director of Design at Studio G Home. Dark colors on the front door and shutters provide a bit of contrast. The portico extending above the cart garage adds dimension to the elevation. Its stained wood ceiling, along with those of the porches, contributes to the vibe Carlson calls “Island Coastal Contemporary.” Wicked Smart Homes installed a video door station, access control, an enterprise grade network complete with 24/7 remote technical support, and a four-camera CCTV system.

Aerial: With the higher elevation made possible by the teardown, Gagne was able to site the home with a maximum slope that provides seamless transitions from the house to the pool, to the waterfront beyond. Using terraces eliminated the need for an enclosure around the pool. By creating the elongated lap pool the owners desired, a lot of outdoor living space was made available. The owners are enthusiastic boaters, so having access to the Intracoastal Waterway from their deep-water canal home was essential.

HHere and there among the terra-cotta-colored tile rooftops dwarfed by mature palm trees and lush tropical vegetation, a shimmering standing seam galvalume roof promises a fresh new take on Florida living in the vintage waterside community of Emerald Harbor on the north end of Longboat Key. Prized for its generously sized canal-front homesites that offer direct access to Sarasota Bay, the Emerald Bay neighborhood is seeing renewed interest, particularly for homeowners wanting to tear down older homes and begin with a clean slate to design the Florida home of their dreams.

“Because the land value is higher, homebuyers expect a newer home,” explains Luxury Home Builder Dan Gagne of Gagne Construction. “Completely tearing down a home allows us to build what homeowners expect on a lot of that value. Ninety-five percent of our work is in teardowns. In this case, we were working with the homeowners on another vacant piece of property when they shifted gears, found this lot and location, and fell in love with it. We designed a home that would fit their requirements.” Respectful of the environment, Gagne says the company salvages trees where they can, repurposing them or giving them away. u

Kitchen: Towering over the Wolf gas range is a custom-built plaster range hood. The kitchen is serviced by a separate pantry, and the Sub-Zero refrigerator is encased by custom cabinetry from Campbell Cabinetry Designs. “I like tucked-away areas that are very high functioning, especially when the kitchen is open, without walls to define the space,” declares Carlson. Of the burnished brass wall sconces she says, “The warmth of ambient lighting makes a kitchen feel less utilitarian.”

Working from a clean slate, Gagne’s team built a three-bedroom, three-bath home in a split design with the primary bedroom and office on one end of a long, narrow great room, and two guest en suites on the other end. The resulting clean-lined design is resplendent with light. A terraced backyard takes outdoor living to a new level. The CBS home is topped with a galvalume roof. “We typically recommend this roof,” Gagne advises. “While all modern roofing materials meet wind codes, we find metal is a better product.” u

Dining Room: Fixed clerestory windows and a bank of four-over-four single hung windows offer a dazzling view to the outdoors. The centerpiece of the dining area is the bleached live-edge wood slab table set on metal legs. Studio G Home individually selects the slab, customizable to the desired table size. A burnished brass light fixture adds a touch of warmth to this bright space.

“Wallpaper is back!” chuckles Carlson, noting its use in backing the built-in shelves flanking the fireplace and in the den beyond. “What has changed is that we’re using more natural materials. The days of the heavier vinyl has given way to natural, organic materials. We used them here to add contrast, warmth, and texture.” Box beams stained to match the flooring also provide contrast to light, bright interior finishes and furnishings. With its abundance of glass throughout the home, Carlson worked with the architect to create concealed shade pockets, which house motorized shades by Wicked Smart Homes, who also installed the house audio in the great room, which includes a surround-sound zone.

Primary Bedroom: The vaulted pyramid cypress ceiling furthers the island vibe of the home, as does Palecek’s canopy bed wrapped in White Sand lampakanai rope and dressed in washable linens for a relaxed, casual feel. The Palecek bench is of handwoven open rattan weave in a gray finish with a fixed seat upholstered in durable sailcloth. The gray cowhide ottoman and tone-on-tone area rug continue the light color scheme, while twin nightstands offer a dark wood contrast.

Primary Bathroom: Porcelain Calacatta tiles laid in a herringbone pattern line the floor of this light-filled bathroom. A deep soaking tub and frameless glass-enclosed shower offer separate, luxurious bathing options. A Baja chandelier uses wood and coconut beads strung along concentric circles of antique brass, adding an organic element to the sleek space.

Primary Bathroom Vanity: A wall-to-wall double vanity topped by an expansive framed mirror features custom cabinets by Campbell Cabinetry Designs. “I love Campbell,” asserts Carlson. “We work in collaboration with them, providing concept and inspiration; they do the designing and building. They did all the bookshelves, desks, and cabinetry in this house.” For this vanity, doors and accents of ribbed oak provide texture under the smooth white man-made quartz countertop. Mirror-mounted sconces and cabinet hardware of burnished brass add warmth.

Early in the process, Gagne introduced the owners to Gail Carlson, Owner and Director of Design at Studio G Home and the new sister retail furnishings store Shibui at Home. “We hit it off from the get-go,” says Carlson with a smile. “We partner with Gagne on projects; they are very collaborative in the process. We got involved in the project about the time the architect was finishing the plans. This gave us the opportunity to engage in some of the ceiling designs, as well as specifying the home’s fixtures and finishes, like the Italian-made white-oak flooring used throughout.”

One end of the great room is dominated by the kitchen — a functional masterpiece with sleek form, like the man-made quartz chosen for the island countertop’s easy care and maintenance. The three-dimensional hand-glazed tile on the back wall reflects the light pouring into the space from an abundance of windows. The counter stools were scaled to maximize seating, their light oak frames complementing the island’s base, custom made by Campbell Cabinetry Designs in a beach-bum finish. u

Den: Pocketing double doors can close off the den; the cabinet can serve as a wardrobe; and the sleeper sofa can turn this space into a spare bedroom. In addition to the three bedrooms, Carlson maximized every bit of sleeping space possible to accommodate visiting family. The great room’s sofa is also a sleeper, effectively expanding the home from three bedrooms to five. Using the same wallpaper and shelving design creates harmony in the living space.

Guest Bedroom: The guest bedroom features the same cypress-clad pyramid vaulted ceiling as found in the primary bedroom. Here, a private balcony is accessed through transom-topped sliding glass doors. A pair of four-over-four windows sit below a duo of fixed clerestory windows. A concealed shade pocket spans the width of the wall. Above the bed, a set of clerestory windows are covered with Plantation shutters, while a wingback rope headboard adds a natural textural element.

Guest Bathroom: Both guest bathrooms in the home are en suite, and this one takes its color cues from the soft blue and white penny tiles of the tub surround. Campbell Cabinetry Designs custom painted the vanity to match. A fixed showerhead is augmented with a wallmounted adjustable handheld wand.

The other end of this space is designed for comfortable living with upholstered furnishings in soft-colored, durable materials. Wicked Smart Homes automated the motorized window shades and entertainment components in this welcoming home, including house audio with iPad control for the great room, kitchen, primary bedroom, and all outdoor living spaces, adding ease to comfort, which is what this home is all about. n

Outdoor Living: Boasting an outdoor kitchen with grill, a dining area, and a seating area with a wood-burning fireplace and a wall-mounted television above it, the outdoor living area runs the length of the terrace above, mimicking the interior layout. The dining section overlooks the jacuzzi. Parquet-patterned porcelain tile covers the upper deck, and natural stone pavers line both the jacuzzi and pool decks. The cypress ceiling is stained for contrast.

Rear Elevation: “We look at outdoor living as an extension to indoor living. We’re always looking for opportunities to create space that becomes an extension,” says Carlson. The design firm weighed in on where to locate the gas line that fuels the propane fire pit to maximize the seating around it. “Notice the placement of the jacuzzi,” Carlson points out. “Being elevated in the jacuzzi allows you to take in the water views.”

Interior Designer: Studio G Home 1530 State Street

Sarasota, FL 34236 941.504.5235

www.studioghome.com

Luxury Home Builder:

Gagne Construction 214 Pine Avenue

Anna Maria, FL 34216 941.778.3215

www.gagneconstruction.com

Resources:

Campbell Cabinetry Designs 1531 Main Street Sarasota, FL 34236 941.378.3922

www.campbellcabinetrydesigns.com

Wicked Smart Homes 527 South Pineapple Avenue Sarasota, FL 34236 941.928.0343

www.wickedsmarthomes.com

Written by Ginny Peterson

Photography by Tone Images Photography