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Peninsular Paradise

Impressive upon arrival, the home’s entry hints at what is to be revealed inside. Cypress wood is used in protected outdoor areas such as the ceiling of the porte-cochere with Mahogany in the door and interior details. The team worked to source indigenous woods and natural stones, seen on the columns and entryway. Marble cladding is from Oracle Flooring & Design. The coastal contemporary-style home encompasses four bedroom suites, six baths, and a ten-car garage.

Water is the common element distinguishing both the setting and architecture of this peninsular estate on Sarasota’s desirable Siesta Key. The owners, a world-class sport fishing couple, are connected to the water in every room of the expansive island-style sanctuary.

“Quite often in Balinese architecture you will find that the water comes right up to the home on all sides. The back of this home which addressees the bay, is all about the connection to the water.

The dual-sided linear fireplace from American Hearth & Grill with custom designed freestanding surround is a perfect centerpiece to the home’s beamed vaulted ceiling—acting as the heart of the home. Casually elegant, the living area furniture and chandelier are scaled to the size of the large room. The design team developed an intricate floor pattern using stone and wood flooring—supplied and installed by Oracle Flooring & Design—which delineates spaces and defines the circulation of the home. The detail continues down a gallery hallway accentuated by arches which extends from one end of the house to other.

The foyer reveals the curated mix of raw materials important in establishing a rhythm of style throughout the home. “The home is coastal in its essence, in the way that the materials relate to nature and the home’s geographical location. There are many natural elements incorporated, with linens and softer fabrics in a modern coastal palette of beautiful blues, teals, grays and white. It was necessary for the home to feel appropriate to its location,” says Santayana.

Every place that you enter or exit the home you cross over water on bridges and walkways which connect the terraces and outdoor living spaces,” describes Colorado architect Rick Oswald, former owner of Oz Planning & Design in Sarasota, now partner and senior vice president with Clifford M. Scholz Architects.

In the early planning stages, builder Bruce Saba rented a lift to show the clients the 1 2/5-acre property’s views from every vantage point. “I look at property and ‘what can it do’ and I wanted the owners to see the surroundings,” explains Saba.

The kitchen includes two white Zebrino marble striped waterfall-edge marble islands, one for prep and one for entertaining, a primary function of the home. The shutter-style island bases warm the room’s cool white cabinetry and gray and white stone finishes. Simple metal framed white leather stools are tucked under the prep island with clear glass pendant lighting overhead.

A freestanding glass-walled wine room separates the dining area from the lounge. A custom designed 15-foot raw-edged dining table is surrounded by low-profile modern leather chairs. Rather than one large fixture, the designers selected two mixed-metal chandeliers to better fit the scale and proportion of the table and disperse the light.

The resulting architectural design capitalizes on views from every room and provides the ultimate space for entertaining. “The home is designed for continuous circulation from kitchen to living area to dining area and outdoors,” explains Oswald who notes that most of the homes’ 8,135 square feet are contained in its core rooms. “It is very comfortable for entertaining in the center of the home with the private bedroom spaces at either end of the house and a private second-level owner’s retreat.”

The owner’s called upon east coast designers Ronald Alvarez and Monica Santayana with whom they’d worked on a project in Miami, to execute the modern coastal interiors of their Sarasota home. They collaborated with Oswald and Saba, expanding upon the architectural design and focal elements to complement and enhance distinguishing features.

The living area flows easily into the lounge for a fun entertaining space. Casually elegant, the inviting room is outfitted with dual-side comfortable sofas situated under a glamourous chandelier—an ideal spot to enjoy a sunset cocktail or watch the TV placed above the floating wall unit. The room’s flooring responds to the coffered ceiling detail and shows the mix of materials. A reclaimed oak ping pong table near the bar adds to the easy style of the room.

The lounge area’s show-stopping bar is designed using a mix of unique elements. The back-lit bar top is made of precious stone suspended on a wall of Jurassic fossilized stone. Brass-framed gray leather strap-backed stools reflect the colors of the bar’s natural elements. An ensemble of black and brass pendants adds more of the unexpected to the design.

“Through our knowledge of interior spaces and architecture we were able to fine tune key interior elements such as the dual islands in the kitchen and a freestanding fireplace which became the spine of the home. We had a respect for the architecture and worked hard to transform the spatial qualities through the use of proportion, function, and materiality,” explains Alvarez.

In addition to the complex interior detailing, builder Saba was presented with executing many outdoor “firsts.” Oswald integrated many ideas from the owners’ travels including a Koi pond along the entire back edge of the home, and a fire pit sunken into the infinity edge pool. Those collaborative ideas inspired creative solutions according to Saba, resulting in a one-of-a-kind idyllic island retreat. “Our niche is the challenging house that has the elements that require orchestration of the team and finding options that can make it better,” Saba explains. “Our motto is ‘there is nothing that is impossible’—instead we work on finding the solutions—that’s the fun part.”

Classic, timeless elements are used in the master bath so as not to compete with the exquisite bay views. Calacatta marble tops custom white cabinetry in the dual dressing areas. Floating mirrors are suspended on glass walls above the sinks.

The expansive master bedroom sleeping and lounge areas are visually delineated by a custom-designed floating media unit, creating an intimacy without closing off the spaces. Two crisp, white chaises are positioned for TV viewing. On the opposite side, a softly textured feature wall acts as the headboard for the bed. The owner’s retreat opens to a private balcony overlooking the bay.


Outdoors, a variety of cleverly designed, intimate living spaces were inspired by the owners’ travels. A floating bridge over the Koi pond leads past a sunning area to an island-style pavilion with dining and conversation areas set near a living wall of greenery. Another floating bridge leads to the outdoor kitchen and a guest suite. For balance, a similar pavilion structure is repeated at the other end of the pool in a swim-up pool bar design.

With more than 700 feet of waterfront and state-of-the-art boat dockage, the home is truly a boater’s paradise …and then some.

The infinity-edge pool, extensive use of glass, and intricate exterior living design are as important to this home as its interior, emphasizing the connectivity with the water and surrounding environment. The circular firepit is designed to seemingly float at the center of the pool, giving the illusion of a “boat” surrounded by water with unobstructed views of the bay beyond.

American Grill & Hearth 2881 Clark Road #16 Sarasota, FL 34231 941.925.3985 www.aghstore.com

California Closets 1411 1st Street Sarasota, FL 34236 941.366.1315 www.CaliforniaClosets.com

Oracle Flooring & Design 1490 Boulevard of the Arts Sarasota, FL 34236 941.302.4414 www.oraclesurfaces.com

Schemmel Property Group 50 Central Ave. Suite 110 Sarasota, FL 34236 941.587.4894 www.schemmelpropertygroup.com

This home is currently on the market. For more information, contact the Schemmel Property Group. Written by Lisa Mishler Photography by Ryan Gamma

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