®
Spring 2021
IN-VOGUE INVESTMENT
U
Spectacular island location with city and Gulf views — once an investment, now a home
Understanding the most versatile, in-vogue design and what will sell takes an astute eye and scrupulous research. “When you are not building for a specific buyer, the ‘what’ and ‘how big’ become complex, almost scientific questions because the possibilities are endless,” says builder Steven Murray of Murray Homes. Carrie Riley, owner of Riley Interior Design, collaborates with the luxury home builder to answer all those questions for this Bird Key island home — once an investment property. Riley’s twenty-five years of experience in high-end residential and commercial interior design have taught her that narrowing down design ideas for clients with mood shots can help streamline the creative process and produce designs that sell. Or, in this case, designs that investors fall in love with. Murray describes this home as being “heavily influenced by the California coast contemporary style, and has very organic applications of it, incorporating decorative glass, stone, concrete, and wood.” This design offers views of both the water and the downtown Sarasota skyline, unique interior features, a resort-style pool, a rich composition of mixed materials, clean lines with subtle coastal inspiration, and a finely tuned colorway. u
As Featured in Home & Design
Front Elevation: Murray softens this California-contemporary design for its Florida setting with natural materials and a palette of earth tones. The dark, horizontal, clean-line architectural features give this home a unique and robust presence as it sits within its pristine island landscape. “It is a livable contemporary,” shares Riley, “and it is coastal because it has a bit of that sand, water, and beach feel, but in an elegant format.”
Entry: Capitalizing on both the contemporary aesthetic and natural light, Riley uses a cocoa-color, six-lite horizontal door. Bold, angular lines make up the entry, so Riley adds shiny, sculptural orbs for a fluid juxtaposition of forms in the foyer. A concrete material with pearlized flecks on the staircase is reminiscent of the inside of a shell, carrying the coastal vibe amid the contemporary stainless steel cable railing.
Living Room: Riley describes this outdoor Gulf view as “the money shot.” Tying in the coastal elements, Riley designs a white shiplap canopy ceiling that elevates and lightens the room. The interior details are drawn in AutoCAD and are supplied to the builder, who then constructs the designer’s vision. The focal fireplace wall is one example, with two mirrored shelving units that flank the fireplace and reflect the interior design.
As Featured in Home & Design
As Featured in Home & Design
Living Room: “This home project is a light, bright-and-airy design style,” shares Riley. This mirror-top, barrel end table offers an opposing roundness to the linear furnishings, yet its linear cut-outs echo the strong, horizontal theme. A contrast is created between the hard and soft materials, merging these concepts on the contemporary lounge chairs with chrome legs. Mixing metal, varying woods, and soft upholstery, a livable modern design is achieved.
Kitchen: The sculptural pendants over the bar add a touch of whimsy to this streamlined kitchen. Satin nickel pulls and knobs adorn the classic white cabinets from Campbell Cabinetry Designs and complement the stainless hood, Wolf range, and cool gray backsplash. The glass-front cabinets are lined with natural walnut, and a silver metallic inlay edge was added to the Caesarstone quartz countertop. The wooden and metal accents tie in this bright kitchen with the overall design of the home.
Dining & Wine Wall Detail: The glass housing for this wine collection is designed as a pass-through to the foyer. “As you walk through the encased wine archway and look up, you get a full view of the wine bottles themselves,” shares Riley, who selects a walnut paneling from Campbell Cabinetry Designs for the encasement interior. The unique satin nickel candle-like chandelier is suspended over the table and chairs.
As Featured in Home & Design
Master Entry: These chocolate-espresso hued interior doors have stainless steel reglets for a spectacular modern accent. The wood flooring from Sticks & Stones Flooring has a beachy feel and runs throughout the home. Subtle freeform artwork framed in silver is a delicate greeting, giving the space “a museum-like quality that draws you in,” delights Riley.
Master Bedroom: The headboard wall layers warm wood tones atop cool silvers. Silver teardrop pendants hang above shagreen nightstands. The bedding, area rug, and window treatments are soft elements that supply subtle elegance while maintaining the focus on the feature wall and the unforgettable Gulf view.
As Featured in Home & Design
Master Bathroom: Raw-edge underlit walnut shelves flanking the freestanding tub offer an organic presence in this whiteon-white master bathroom. Atop the Campbell Cabinetry Design makeup vanity is a cool-gray quartz that picks up the marble floor’s deeper colors. Lining the niche is a wall of greige and silver tiles in a herringbone pattern that gives this space a visual texture and creates a soft, feminine feel. The unique plumbing fixtures are from Ferguson Bath, Kitchen & Lighting Gallery.
The owner’s contributions to the décor and design were vital say the builder and architect. And she knew her mind. She wanted a “timeless” home—one in which accessories could be interchangeable. “I chose grays and white and relied on a variety of textures for interest and definition,” she says. From the 12 ft chandelier in the foyer to each of the furnishings, the home bears her imprint.
As Featured in Home & Design
As the spa above spills over to the pool below, the team designs a cabana-style deck with two lounge chairs for added ambiance. The natural landscape and versatile porcelain paving system hardscape are both extremely low-maintenance — all coming together to create this stunning outdoor experience.
As Featured in Home & Design
“Although this home was completed a few years back, we continually have clients come to us and say, ‘This house — this is what we are looking for!’” delights Riley. There is an extreme show of skill in a design that can offer both aesthetic and longevity, and it is a testament to the talents of both Riley Interior Design and Murray — and if that weren’t enough, they have fifteen remarkable joint projects behind them. Riley shares, “This particular project started as an investment property, but the further the home progressed, the more the client fell in love with it and chose to keep it as their own.” That’s a true testament to the amazing design, and how this once meant-to-be-sold house became a cherished home. n
Written by Rachel Seekamp Photography by Mark Borosch Courtesy of Murray Homes and Riley Interior Design Resources: Campbell Cabinetry Designs 1531 Main Street Sarasota, FL 34236 941.378.3922 campbellcabinetrydesigns.com Carefree Design Center 1091 Central Avenue Sarasota, FL 34236 941.921.4000 carefreedesign.com
Ferguson Bath, Kitchen & Lighting Gallery 5521 Fruitville Road Sarasota, FL 34232 941.951.0110 fergusonshowrooms.com
Wicked Smart Homes 527 South Pineapple Avenue Sarasota, FL 34236 941.928.0343 wickedsmarthomes.com
Sticks & Stones Flooring 1839 Northgate Boulevard Sarasota, FL 34234 941.706.0924 sticksandstonessrq.com
As Featured in Home & Design