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Spring 2024
FAMILY CONNECTION A MOTHER AND DAUGHTER DUO’S SURPRISE CUSTOM PENTHOUSE RENOVATION 50
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For Mandy Vallowe, passion steers her compass, guiding her back to the design world following a successful career in business. Vallowe’s diverse background — a period in London’s fashion industry, spearheading a business, and a love of travel and architecture — fuels her natural talent for luxury interior design. As President of Mandy Vallowe Interiors, she utilizes this expertise to translate her clients’ dreams into unique tangible spaces. This Clearwater penthouse boasts two-story panoramic views and is a haven of relaxation and family connection for these repeat clients who entrust Vallowe to redesign this high-rise home. It is a complete unit overhaul, stripping it down to the studs. For Vallowe, building a solid relationship with her clients is as essential as creating the design. “We create a nice story from start to finish that captures our client’s personality in the design,” Vallowe describes. She works closely with Dr. Rudrama and her daughter, Srujani Pagidipati, to realize their desired aesthetic. This mother-daughter duo keeps Dr. Pagidipati, their husband and father, eagerly anticipating the grand unveiling of the renovated space. u
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Kitchen (Previous Spread): This island’s dramatic presence is a testament to Vallowe’s design prowess. Its dark metallic finish cabinetry, featuring solid walnut interiors, is crowned with this ornate book-matched Calacatta marble countertop — and the overall effect is breathtaking. White cabinetry provides a calming counterpoint to the custom wall tile, while the gold hardware on the cabinets harmonizes with the brass and glass shelves — all together exuding an airy, opulent industrial chicness.
Staircase: Across the space is a rectified tile with a light oak appearance. “The curved staircase, engineered and fabricated on-site, is an incredibly solid structure. To this, a solid radial glass balustrade was attached, and meticulously cut porcelain tiles adorn each tread and riser”, says Gary J. Splittgaber, Owner of GJS Traditional Building. This staircase by Bast Floors & Staircases, intersects with the ceiling plain, fusing with the arcs and curves, and encircles this stunning glass drop chandelier that suspends 16 feet. Nearby is a dynamic art piece by artist Greg Klassen.
Living Room: Low-profile custom sofas in a textural bouclé from Interlude Home center around this exceptional one-off Claro walnut wood coffee table by Built to create a serene gathering spot framed by the picturesque view. The silk drapery opens and closes with ease, automated by Magnolia. Cut quartz crystal sconces endow this living space with an elegant texture — whether on or off, their inherent material beauty offers a stunning effect to the luxury of the space.
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Vallowe is a visionary, seeing beyond the decor of this penthouse’s bygone era, drawing inspiration from the architecture itself. She designs an exquisite spiral staircase that complements the home’s shapely architecture, with glass railings on the second story to broaden the view from within. Builder Gary J. Splittgaber, Owner of GJS Traditional Building, expertly crafts Vallowe’s vision. “The 20-foot high ceilings were completely redesigned and rebuilt,” shares Splittgaber. “We installed all new state-of-the-art systems, and every element down to the last fixture was meticulously
placed
per
Vallowe’s
intricate
design.” This attention to excellence results in a flawless finish, perfectly capturing the depth and creativity inherent in her artistic approach. u
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Kitchen Details: This stunning Calacatta marble wall tile features an interlocking hexagon pattern with solid brass inlays. Using it as the focal wall of the kitchen creates visual harmony between these two adjacent spaces. “We wanted to create as many textures in the design as possible to invite a deep feeling of warmth throughout,” explains Vallowe. The niche offers a combination of visually appealing and tactile textures and practicality through performance fabric.
Dining Room: “We were able to achieve scale for this dining space by using the right vendors and custom pieces to fulfill the vision,” Vallowe says, bringing in this ample walnut dining table to stand next to the dramatic kitchen island. Below the table, Vallowe brings in texture and color with this custom hide area rug from Addison/Dicus & Bailey Company, while above the table is an artistic brass chandelier with hand-blown crystals that imitate candles from Il Pezzo Mancante.
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“It was essential to create a vision where all the rooms flow together,” shares Vallowe, whose interior design thoughtfully embraces the open view of the sky. Each space is a harmonious journey from one room to another. The atmosphere is warm and inviting with its neutral palette, elegant embellishments, textures, and rich wood tones. In the living room, low-profile furnishings do not compete with the view, while the silk drapery cascades down two stories, endowing this space with luxury and the softness of silk. One of the most inspiring spaces of this renovation is the stunning new kitchen. The demolition uncovers a previously walled-over window, which Vallowe cleverly transforms into a window seat to enhance family connection here in the heart of the home. Her exceptional design talent shines through in the design of the kitchen island, which is nothing short of a masterpiece where two sections merge to create a layered, original feature. Calacatta marble is a luxurious element Vallowe carries from the kitchen to the bar and upstairs, culminating in the opulent primary bathroom. In the primary bedroom, the colorway leans cooler, yet the finishes and graceful contours of the fixtures impart a warm, upscale ambiance. Vallowe’s brand is renowned for its custom luxury and client-focused approach, anchored by her exceptional natural ability and passion for interior design, further amplified by Splittgaber’s remarkable craftsmanship. “We got the condo done in time for this wonderful couple’s anniversary,” shares Vallowe. Finally, Dr. Pagidipati gets his big reveal, and his reaction is that of profound awe. “As a designer, these are the moments you design for, and I will never forget it. Our hard work paid off, and his reaction captured it!” n
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Breakfast Nook: Drawing on the structure’s inherent aesthetic, Vallowe conceives a sleek, custom-made, architecturally-inspired glass-top table that anchors the space. Simultaneously, the table echoes the ethereal quality of the expansive Florida sky seen through the window. Overseeing this tranquil corner is a stunning cut quartz chandelier from Luxe Light & Home, while the chairs can be pulled into the dining room when more seating is needed.
Bar Room: The bar features elements similar to the kitchen, such as elegant cabinetry, a Calacatta countertop, and industrial-style brass and glass shelves, yet with a wine cooler and backlit perimeter, it has its own style. The cabinetry has a stunning charcoal blue color with gold inlay, a highly tailored look complemented by sleek velvet club chairs in a camel hue. Vallowe uses a mirror backsplash to reflect the radiance throughout this upscale bar room.
Powder Room: The elegant monochromatic palette defines luxury with its premium finishes and statement-level design work. The countertop features striking natural veins that impart a perpetual sense of motion. Gracing the walls is a linear striated covering from Casamance, juxtaposed by the organic mother-of-pearl covering from Maya Romanoff. Vallowe playfully creates symmetry by offsetting the sink and mirror, balancing this with these exquisite silver-plated coral leaf glass pendants from Terzani.
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Primary Bedroom: The ultimate luxury is waking up to the serene view of the Gulf. To ensure this sightline, a projector and screen can tuck out of view when not in use. Vallowe masterfully creates warmth with visual textures and inviting finishes for this space, where the colorway shifts to an upscale silver, gray, and bright white. On either side of the Bernhardt canopy bed are clear crystal Terzani pendants that sparkle against the hand-painted wood veneer wallcovering by Maya Romanoff.
Primary Bathroom: The showpiece of this primary bathroom is the custom waterjet cut Thassos and Calacatta mosaic floor, which features an interlocking ring design in limestone and stainless steel that echoes the graceful forms found throughout the architecture. The steam shower, encased in full-height marble, shows off movement and visual texture, and nearby, the vanity wall shows off this micro-mosaic Thassos, adding to the textural story. The oval tub boasts a view that suggests being atop the world.
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Written by Rachel Seekamp Photography by Aaron Flores of AF Imaging Interior Designer:
Luxury Home Builder:
Resources:
Mandy Vallowe Interiors 4608 West Kennedy Boulevard Tampa, FL 33609 813.470.0863 www.mandyvalloweinteriors.com
GJS Traditional Building 210 63rd Court East Palmetto, FL 34221 727.346.9061 www.gjstraditionalbldg.com
Bast Floors & Staircases 8506 Sunstate Street Tampa, FL 33634 813.884.5793 www.bastcorp.com
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