HEART & SOUL

Design: MICHAEL NUTTER, and JOSEPH TURCHETTI, INTERIOR INSPIRATIONS Photography: ABBY LIGA, ABBY LIGA PHOTOGRAPHY

“On the corner of Broadway Avenue and Broadway Court, I had first noticed this beautiful home as I was delivering an antique art piece to Gary Hollingsworth (of Hollingsworth Fine Arts) for restoration in March 2020. Gary has lived on Broadway Court for decades. I remember driving down the court — which consists of eight uniquely special Spanish-Mediterranean homes on a private drive — wondering how I had never seen this beautiful collection of homes in the heart of Lake Eola Heights before. As I was exiting the drive, I remember specifically thinking ‘I would love to live here.’ Little did I know that in a matter of months, the very first house on Broadway Court would become available for sale — and I would become the proud new owner,” Michael Nutter shares.

Michael purchased his historic home in Lake Eola Heights in August of 2020. Built in 1926 and registered as a historic home in the city of Orlando, it had been shared by various members of the same family for nearly 40 years prior to it becoming available on the market. “Many of the furnishings have a rich history within my family — each with its own beautiful story about how it came into the family and ultimately landed in my home. As an example, the Henredon sofa in my living room was originally purchased at a fine furniture showroom in Charleston, W.Va.”

After a 16-month renovation journey, the house was finally move-in ready in late December 2021.

“I remember moving in the day after Christmas thinking — what a wonderful gift! My home has been a labor of love in terms of pouring a lot of heart and soul into the restoration and renovation processes — and I believe what makes my home uniquely mine is knowing that I literally (and thoughtfully) hand-picked every single finish, every single paint color, every single wallpaper, every single type of stone and tile used throughout the home, every appliance, every plumbing fixture, every chandelier, wall sconce and lamp fixture, the crown moldings, the window treatments, the artisan glass installed in two of the main house doors, the custom blend of stains used on all of the original hardwood floors as a part of the refinishing process, the imported Italian leather that covers the kitchen cabinets… and the list goes on,” Michael explains.

It is evident the furnishings and accessories were all carefully collected over time, including the living room sofa that he and his mother found and fell in love with. “It recently hit me that I’ve been sitting on

“My favorite new addition that nearly everyone thinks is original to the home is the solid plaster, custom made-to-order crown molding that was installed in the living room and dining room. I chose a different molding for the living room vs. the dining room — which complement one another well and create a statement for these adjoining rooms.”

The guest bath design started the day the gold sink was discovered — which also inspired additional design elements in what is now known as the Angel Bath. this same couch enjoying wonderful conversation with friends and family since the day it was delivered to our family home in the late 1970s. And while it has certainly been reupholstered a couple of times over the years (most recently in a fantastic canary yellow velvet), it is as beautiful as ever in my eyes and the historical significance it holds from a family memories perspective is priceless. I’m a huge fan of antique furniture and have collected several of the other pieces in my home from various stores in both Orlando and Palm Beach,” he adds.

Michael describes his style as a unique and lively blend of Old World and Modern Gild, with a dash of Medieval and Renaissance design styles, all blended together. But knew he needed some additional expertise to bring this historic home back to life. “For the first time in my life, I hired a professional designer to help me as I created the renovation plan and design strategy for the house. Meeting Joe Turchetti when I did (approximately two months after initially purchasing the house) was ‘perfect timing’ and what I especially appreciate about Joe is his rich background in interior design, as well as his seemingly endless list of quality suppliers and craftsmen that brought my creative restoration vision to life — each phase with intricate planning and thoughtful implementation. We collaborated quite well together toward bringing my vision to a wonderful reality,” Michael says.

Renovations throughout the house were literally floor to ceiling and included complete refinishing of all the hardwood floors throughout the house, solid plaster wall and ceiling repairs, historical window and door restoration, plumbing and electrical upgrades, new HVAC, plus full kitchen and bathroom renovations. The house had been passed through multiple generations of the same family for nearly

40 years — and in many ways, it seemed like any last updates to the house were now several decades old when it went up for sale.

“Bungalower literally featured it with a comical headline of ‘House of the Day: Totally Haunted House in Lake Eola Heights Available.’ Interestingly, I never saw that post until after I had purchased it — when a friend of mind texted me a link to the feature and said, ‘Hey, isn’t this the house you just bought?’ I am happy to report that the house is now vibrantly alive and ghost-free. Now, I like to refer to it as my new old house as it is technically just four years shy of being 100 years old in terms of its bones — but, from an interior perspective, it is absolutely like new,” Michael adds.

In addition to his curated collections, Michael has always been known for his gallery walls of beautiful art. “More than one room has visually engaging walls filled Below: Using an image of a unique European kitchen as inspiration, the kitchen breaks traditional boundaries and came to life with black cabinetry covered in imported Italian leather, black quartz countertops, smoky mirror tiles on the walls, and black crocodile-design wallpaper on the ceiling. The result is dramatic — which aligns with the original design goals for the kitchen.

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Armorglow Hardwood Floors: refinished all of the wood floors with a custom stain Artisan Kitchen & Bath Gallery: supplied most plumbing fixtures for both bathrooms and the kitchen Austin Historical: restored all the original windows and doors in the home Family Furniture Antiques & Restoration: restored several of the more significant antique furnishings throughout the house XRC Roofing & Construction: provided pressure washing, gutter installation and professional painting services on the exterior of the house

“In the upstairs lounge I added detail molding to the ceiling which adds interest to this space that is filled with a blend of antique and more modern furnishings, art, lighting and accessories. I love spending time in this room at the end of the day to soak in the visual feast of colors, styles and finishes that bring me joy.”

The master bedroom features a collection of European and American antiques from different periods, including many that date back to the early 1900s. with my favorite types of art — which is often quite diverse. One of my dearest friends who recently visited made me laugh when they shared their perspective on the house saying: ‘I feel like I’m in a wonderful art gallery when I’m here, Michael. You need to serve champagne and charge admission.’ I chuckled in response and once again felt affirmed that my goals for creating something uniquely special through the design of my home had ultimately been achieved,” he explains.

In terms of the most interesting rooms, the foyer, the kitchen and the upstairs lounge get Michael’s vote. “The entrance foyer makes quite an impact upon first entering the house. An illuminated floor medallion with various precious stones serves as the foundation for the foyer. This space also features a custom-made chandelier wall sconce that is one of four light sources in the intimate space. The arched window is original to the house. During the restoration process, the glass was replaced with milky amber artisan glass which creates a golden glow for the foyer. Finally, the ceiling and walls were enhanced to create a castlesque vibe upon entry,” he says.

The home is nearing completion in terms of the original renovation goals, but there are still a couple of spaces to be completed, which Michael is very much looking forward to. He doesn’t think the house will ever be complete as every home he has owned has been a work in progress.

“One of my favorite interesting pieces is a beautiful antique floor lamp that was originally a part of Harriett Lake’s estate. The first day I brought it home, I remember placing it in front of one of the living room windows — and I literally leave the light on 24/7 as a way of honoring Harriett — and her iconic design style — in my home,” he adds.

Clockwise, from top left: The dramatic primary bath in black and bling; two vignettes of more details in the guest room showcase the wallcovering, artwork, antiques and accessories in rich hues; in the foyer an illuminated floor medallion with various precious stones serves as the foundation for the space which also features a custom-made chandelier wall sconce.