GULFSHORE LIFE MAGAZINE: PICTURE PERFECT
ARCHITECT: Stofft Cooney Architects BUILDER: Knauf-Koenig Group DEVELOPER: Calusa Bay Design PHOTOGRAPHY: Amber Frederiksen Photography, Inc.
WRITTEN BY: Michael Korb
“The effortless beauty of this Pelican Bay home makes it feel warm, relaxed, inviting—and oh-so luxurious.”
Sometimes a home transcends its four walls and works so well with its surroundings that it feels as if it were placed there by a higher power. This is not as easy to accomplish as one might think, but this lovely Pelican Bay coastal-transitional property makes everything look effortless. Positioned along a fairway so that you feel like it’s the only house in the world, the four-bedroom, four-and-a-half bathroom, single-story home masterfully welcomes the outdoors through its architectural makeup and interior layout.
With ceilings that soar to 16 feet (the lowest are 12 feet, in the powder room), the broad views soak inside thanks to a generous use of glass. And while space between the expansive kitchen and the outdoor living area is separated by a 24-foot folding glass wall, Stofft Cooney Architects chose 10-foot tall French doors with added transoms in the great room for a more traditional scene. Even with the millwork, nothing feels obstructed. Lead interior designer Liz Brown, of Calusa Bay Design, blended soft tones with luxurious neutrals to create a space that is relaxed and inviting, without scrimping on luxury. “Some of the millwork is what brings in that classic coastal look— such as the tongue-in-groove on the ceilings painted white—then we continued that in the great room but added a linear gas fireplace, which is a bit more unexpected,” Brown says. “In the kitchen, we added mullions in the glass cabinets, as well as the beadboard along the perimeter.”
ABOVE: The dining room and open kitchen show off two of this home’s signature features: soaring ceilings and warm, European white oak wood floors.
Homeowner Kathleen Fowke, who bought the property with her husband last fall, is particularly pleased with the wood floors, the attention to detail and the wide entrances into all of the rooms and hallways. “It has a Hamptons feel without being overdone,” she says.
Some of that can be attributed to Brown’s choice of natural stain on the wide plank European white oak flooring and the textures throughout. There’s also the use of mixed patterns that makes the coastal tones accessible without being obvious. In addition, black and deep charcoal makes its presence known through the hardware, sideboards and the front entry. Though there, it takes a backseat to a dramatic, 40-inch chandelier that appears to be coral, but is, in fact, a knotted rope design. The style is mimicked on the entry walls with actual fan coral placed in clear frames.
ABOVE: A subtle mixture of textures, patterns and tones throughout the house give each room a laid-back and welcoming vibe.
The house has the sort of seaside ambiance that makes it perfectly at home in any classic beach town. “Some of the millwork is what brings in that classic coastal look—such as the tongue-in-groove on the ceilings painted white,” interior designer Liz Brown says.
ABOVE: The design team and homeowners aimed to add warmth to every space through the use of soft tones and classic shapes, as well as with features such as the outdoor fireplace.
ABOVE: The pool area features Ipe wood decking, which suits the lush setting. “I feel like it brings us a lot closer to nature,” homeowner Kathleen Fowke says. “It is a softer feature. And I like that it feels a bit more relaxed versus a marble or slate or some other stone that can feel cold.”
The organic vibe spills onto the pool area, where warm IPE wood decking is the perfect counter to the grass on the other side—a welcome relief to the overdone hardscapes we tend to see in the region. “I feel like it brings us a lot closer to nature,” Fowke adds. “It is a softer feature. And I like that it feels a bit more relaxed versus a marble or slate or some other stone that can feel cold.” It seems warmth is the order of the day for this home—and it’s a cool beauty from every angle.
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