Aria, the new Neal Signature Homes community in Venice, combines the grandeur of the Old World with the amenities of today. The result is luxury living at its finest. The Italian-inspired community has 152 acres in an exclusive gated environment. The tree-lined streets, residents’ clubhouse, fitness center, and serene spa offer homeowners a truly top-notch lifestyle. Part of the stress-free experience is that prospective owners deal with only one company — Neal Communities — who handle everything from sale and custom building to interior design in-house. Charlene Neal, president of Charlene Neal PureStyle and vice president of design at Neal Communities, shares insight one of their latest models, the Ravenna.
“Neal Communities and Neal Signature Homes have the advantage of being a part of a family of companies,” says Neal, an award-winning interior designer. “We are the developer of our projects and at PureStyle, we have both a retail design business (to the public) and we do all our models.”
Working with a team that includes Kathy Cioffi, Neal Communities vice president of design and Amy Schwake, associate designer for Neal Communities, they work on plans, including architectural details, floorplan development, exterior color palettes, model programming, and also do the amenity designs in-house.
“We think this is a huge value to our customers,” explains Neal. “We do have talented architects that we use for the initial plans and amenity building, but a lot of the work is a collaboration between our Neal team and a few individuals that we have had a relationship with for years.”
For the Ravenna model, a three-bedroom home with a three-car garage, Neal brought her nearly 40 years of experience to bear on creating a stately and elegant home, designed for entertaining and comfortable living. Like all Aria models, it can be customized with an extra bedroom and different bath configurations. Many of the model’s furnishings are available for sale by Charlene Neal PureStyle.
Solid cream draperies with a contrasting gray textured edge allow plenty of light to flood the expansive great room. A Vanguard sectional in Dove Gray hosts cognac, cream, and orange pillows, and sits atop a hand-loomed Jaipur rug. An Italian advertising poster in the dining room brings a riot of color to the primarily neutral-tone space.
Graber Custom Cabinets from FineCraft Custom Cabinetry are painted with Sherwin-Williams Dorian Gray and boast Amerock Champagne brass knobs and pulls. The backsplash, of Old Brick Originals in Ironworks, adds character to the Old World-inspired kitchen. Visitors to the chef find comfortable seating at the painted wicker tub chairs with metal legs by Palacek Furniture. Illuminating the island are Elk Lighting Farmhouse Copper Pulley pendants, and the farmhouse kitchen sink is white enameled cast iron from Kohler with a satin nickel faucet by ROHL Home from the Perrin & Rowe Collection.
Extra lighting in the great room is provided by Robert Abbey brass wall sconces above a custom built-in designed by Charlene Neal PureStyle. Walls are painted PPG Porter Paints’ Delicate White to provide contrast to the burlap wire brushed hickory wood hardwood flooring.
Seating for six is available on Vanguard chairs, upholstered in a gray textured fabric with contrasting buttons, around the wood and iron table. Custom drapes by Charlene Neal PureStyle showcase a charcoal and white geometric pattern from Trend Fabrics.
Making beautiful use of geometric patterns in the master bath, the shower walls and floor are made of 12-by-24 Grigio Tattered and Rockwood tile in an offset pattern. A hexagonal wall covering in ochre and gold by Wallquest brings contrasting color to the room. A custom vanity is Shale Truetone with sable glaze and a Corian Quartz Calacatta Natura countertop with a 3-inch mitered square edge. Neal chose a triple light fixture of polished nickel to illuminate the vanity.
A canopy bed, Shaker-like in its simplicity, sets the tone in this restful master bedroom. The bed is dressed in custom bedding from Legacy Linens. Twin bedside chests are bone inlaid and topped by metal-based lamps from Port 68. The seating area is graced by Braxton Culler chairs with custom lumbar pillows by Charlene Neal PureStyle. Light filters in through custom color-block drapes by Wildcat Territory, and the recessed ceiling sports a textured wall covering by Thibaut.
Laundry and organization are not chores in the Ravenna model’s laundry room. Both stylish and functional, Graber Custom Cabinets by FineCraft Custom Cabinetry have Amerock Antique Silver finish knobs and pulls and the counter, lit by industrial pendant lights, is by One Quartz in Mercer Grey.
Designed for good times, this club room spells fun from the floor up. Carpet tiles are installed in a buffalo check pattern and a Rain Dance nautical ceiling fan keeps everything cool no matter how hot the competition gets around the Foosball table.
The charcoal upholstered bed, dressed in custom bedding by Avasa fabric and Charlene Neal PureStyle, makes visitors feel right at home in this intimate guest room. Universal Furniture nightstands hold Regina Andrew Detroit lamps which repeat the geometric theme.
On the deck made up of 12-by-12 pavers, a seating group of white Adirondack chairs by Telescope Casual are decked with pillows in a tangerine weatherproof fabric. They encircle a gas fire bowl by Waterscapes Pools & Spas offering lovely water views over the community’s lake.
The Northern Italian architectural style of this lovely home benefits from ivory sand-set pavers underfoot on a palm-lined walkway to a scrolled iron gate. Kiawah Collection wall lanterns light the path to the Therma-Tru driftwood-stained wood and glass front door. The creamy white exterior of the home is topped by Madera Blend barrel tiles.
The outdoor living area at The Ravenna is a perfect place to enjoy a warm day and a cool evening. A covered outdoor dining area borders the outdoor kitchen and another seating area offers a shaded conversation nook. The pool and elevated spa, by Waterscapes Pools & Spas, are both accented with marine blue tiles.
Written by Kitt Walsh
Photography by Taylor Architectural Photography
Luxury Home Builder
Neal Signature Homes
8141 Lakewood Main Street, Suite 210
Lakewood Ranch, FL 34202
855.440.7587
nealsignaturehomes.com
Interior Designer
Charlene Neal PureStyle
8131 Lakewood Main Street, Suite 207
Lakewood Ranch, FL 34202
941.328.1233
cnpurestyle.com
Resources:
FineCraft Custom Cabinetry
4333 South Tamiami Trail
Sarasota, FL 34231
941.378.1901
finecraftcabinetry.com
Waterscapes Pools & Spas
8141 Lakewood Main Street, Suite 209A
Lakewood Ranch, FL 34202
941.479.6076
waterscapespools.com
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