A Luxurious and Stunning Design

   Elegant. Sophisticated. Unique. These words come to mind when describing this strikingly luxurious and stunning home; a home that unites Art Deco design with a soft, contemporary edge.
   The home reflects the synergy between the builder, David Sturdyvin of Distinctive Communities, and the owners, who raved about how agreeable and flexible he was throughout the construction process. Embracing the project, Sturdyvin understood the homeowners’ desire to build a home that would spotlight their extensive art collection without feeling like a museum. The result? A comfortable, “put up your feet and stay a while” home that echoes the owners’ casual lifestyle.
   Designed as one large room, but spatially separated, the entryway, living room and dining area, are painted in an iridescent gold and pewter finish that shimmers like a freshly minted nickel. Serene and inviting, the living room looks out onto the magnificently-designed river rock lagoon pool, spa and Koi pond and the ensuing golf course through an expansive wall of four, mitered-glass window panels.
   Sparkling with a plethora of mini halogen bulbs, a multi-arm chrome chandelier is suspended from the living room’s octagonal shaped, sloped double-tray ceiling. A nestling of four mushroom-hued upholstered club chairs is cozily arranged around a high, silver and satin nickel-finished lamp table, which is centered under the gorgeous light.
   The dining room was specifically designed to accommodate the owners’ own lacquered, ebony-black oval table and upholstered chairs. Set within a deep wall niche, a matching lacquer and glass breakfront displays an exceptional collection of hand-blown art pieces in black, white and gold frosted glass, including several Kosta Boda vases. Two, three-arm wall sconces with free-form glass tulips flank both sides of the niche. Above the breakfront is an original 1938 Erté painting.
   Built into a wall, a large salt-water aquarium crafts a clever passage from the living and dining rooms into the kitchen and great room. A Peter Max mixed media of the Statue of Liberty pays tribute to the owners’ Northern roots.
   Separating the office from the entryway is an architecturally-detailed, cathedral-shaped, wrought iron façade, which was designed as a clever repetition of the cutout design in the dining room chair backs. The same lattice-like design is repeated on the front door’s exterior grating.
   The focal point of the office is the owner’s prized possession: one of five signed Chicago Bulls jerseys worn by retired NBA player, Michael Jordan. The framed jersey is surrounded by a floor-to-ceiling, custom designed, mahogany and zebra wood built-in. Further setting the stage are the leopard-printed area rug and ceiling fan paddles and a leather and leopard-print armchair.
   Adjacent to the office is the master suite. To the left, a fantastic master bath awaits, where the tub deck, step-up and twin counter tops are covered in richly veined, dark espresso brown Emperador granite, and the shower and tub are both surrounded by large vanilla-cream marble tiles. Several vertical areas of the shower and tub, including the tub skirt, are adorned with a random blend of gold, platinum and bronze metallic Villiglas mosaic chips. Even the bathroom is deserving of the couple’s fine art, including a Chagall print, Tarkay watercolor and large Erté print.
   Accessible through an intimate hallway that is hung with several Joan Miro lithographs, the master bedroom, with its original Peter Max mixed media painting and wonderful David Schluss lithograph is a Zen-like hideaway for the owners. A pair of pocketing sliders open up onto the expansive and beautifully landscaped pool deck.
   Adjacent to the dining room, a hallway splits in two directions.To the right, is a stunning powder bath with a free-form shaped, frosted glass vessel sink, pedestal and matching oval mirror.
   The hallway leads to the mother-in-law suite, and her office, a private enclave that also includes a guest bath. Gracing the realistically faux-painted “cork” walls, are myriad trophies, awards and photographs attesting to the owner’s four hole-in-ones, as well as numerous awards in recognition of her outstanding humanitarian and civic efforts.
   A self-taught ventriloquist who was the fifth runner-up in a Miss America Scholarship Pageant, her crown from the qualifying Miss Pennsylvania Pageant, as well as several pageant photographs, awards and plaques are tastefully displayed.
   The dramatic kitchen packs a powerful punch with its pitch-black Kohler sink and stunning assemblage of black galaxy granite countertops and a full cooktop backsplash. A black mosaic-tiled hood vent, with bronze inserts, sits atop the stainless steel and glass Thermador stove hood, further enhancing the inherent sparkle of the granite.
   A plenitude of extra wide, flat fronted, 44-inch-high cherry wood and ebony glazed cabinets, with sleek, brushed nickel handles and a full KitchenAid appliance package, including an five-burner cook top, double oven and side-by-side refrigerator/freezer, are the icing on the cake.
   Meticulously painted in a metallic, double-blended strié, the kitchen is tastefully accessorized with a colorful array of hand-painted pottery and hand-blown glass vases and martini glasses.
   Upholstered in dreamy shades of sage green, gold and beige checkered chenille, the high backed, L-shaped sofa surrounds a marble-slab coffee table. The octagonalshaped, double-coffered ceiling is painted in an intense metallic blend of bronze, gold, rust and khaki that perfectly matches the extra-large Tau tile kick wall under the high bar.
   The focal point of the great room is the fabulously designed, custom-built, mocha-stained entertainment center that surrounds a 63-inch Plasma TV. Comprised of a variety of different sized square and rectangular shaped display shelves and mirrored shadow boxes, which cleverly conceal several speakers, the wall creates a striking and memorable façade.
   Forty-eight feet of pocketing, sliding glass doors opens up onto the spectacular pool deck from the great room. To take advantage of the expansive pool and spa area and bordering koi pond, the owners fashioned several comfortable seating areas, including one around the summer kitchen, one under the covered lanai and another in front of the outdoors fireplace. A separate guest cabana, private bath and VIP kitchen are adjacent to the well-equipped summer kitchen.
   This exceptional home embraces the splendor of Mother Nature. When not playing golf themselves, the
owners sit dreamingly on their pool deck and watch golfers on the beautifully manicured palm and pine tree landscaped course.                     

Private Home

Written by Zoe Ott

Photography by Tom Harper Photography