THE ESSENTIAL GUIDE TO HOMES, GARDENS & STYLISH LIVING IN NORTHEAST FLORIDA
LITTLE ITALY TOUR AN ITALIAN-STYLE MANSE IN ATLANTIC BEACH
FALL 2014 A SUPPLEMENT TO JACKSONVILLE MAGAZINE
CURB APPEAL
WHEN DISASTER STRIKES
BAKED GOODNESS
WHEN TO HAVE IT, HOW TO GET IT
PROTECTING YOUR HOME WHEN MOTHER NATURE HITS
RECIPE FAVES FROM TOP AREA BAKERIES
WHAT’S INSIDE >>
Contents
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Hot Topics Great finds, cool things and local happenings
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Little Italy An Italian-inspired manse makes good use of imported stone & tile, all with a contemporary twist
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Mad About Modern New York transplants achieve a cultivated aesthetic in their Ponte Vedra digs
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Treasure Trove With the help of estate sale finds, exotic souvenirs and a seriously talented designer, one family creates a home that radiates aesthetic harmony.
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Beachy Keen A Ponte Vedra oasis melds comfort with style
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Face Value What curb appeal is and how to improve yours
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Dessert Oasis The bakeries of Edgewood Avenue offer a selection of recipes perfect for fall entertaining
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Green House Low impact living becomes the norm
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Letting Go To reduce is to evolve... but downsizing is easier said than done
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Fueling the Fire Charcoal vs. hardwood‌ how do you grill?
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When Disaster Strikes How to protect your home when nature comes calling
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In A Pickle Homemade sauerkraut By Shai Tzaberi
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Homeward Bound How to be the less-than-perfect house-sitter. And then never leave.
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Odds & Ends Gadgets, trends and more
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One More Thing A step-by-step guide to creating a succulent centerpiece
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CHILL OUT Grabbing a
FAUX REAL Save a tree, hire a master You could pay a fortune and panel your library and master bedroom in exotic wood, or you could hire someone with the talents of Steve Wallis to paint it for you. A former Naval electronics expert and life-long artist, Wallis studied under every faux finishing expert he could find. In short order, he became a premier faux bois painter. He is now considered the only Master in English style wood painting and marbling in America, and is often contracted to restore historic buildings all over the country. (His most recent proj-
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ect was the Newnan Courthouse in Newnan, Georgia.) “I’ve never seen a surface I can’t replicate,” says Wallis. If an old marble is no longer available, Wallis can reproduce it with no seam. Same goes for precious stones and unusual types of wood—like the rare Hawaiian wood, Koa, which he replicated throughout a private residence in Maui. The Jacksonville resident also paints murals, gold leafing and even occasionally utilizes iron paint that legitimately rusts. Services start at $3 per square foot. —JJ
last-minute bottle of wine can be tricky, especially if it needs to be chilled. FREEZE cooling wine glasses may be the ideal solution. ”The FREEZE is perfect for all wine,” says JJ's Bistro owner JJ Vigoureux. “If you use it for white wine, keep it in the freezer, and for red wine, store it in the refrigerator, and they'll keep your drink cool for hours.” A refrigerated glass chills wine near 58°, a frozen one keeps it around 43°. The glasses are made of plastic, "so they can be used around the pool or on a boat," says Vigoureux. $24.90 for a set of two.
LITTLE AN ITALIAN-INSPIRED MANSE MAKES GOOD USE OF IMPORTED STONE & TILE, ALL WITH A CONTEMPORARY TWIST ROSANNA DIXON DOESN’T MISS HER OCEANFRONT HOME. After receiving “an offer she couldn’t refuse,” she and husband Jerold (JD) had the opportunity to build exactly what they wanted. Here was her chance to combine not only the warm memories of her childhood in Naples, Italy, but also the design ideas she and JD had admired while traveling for their stone import business, Belmarmi. With a central courtyard, an outdoor pizza oven and seating for 40, the Dixons now enjoy an impressively optimized lot on a side street corner, two blocks from the ocean. “The house had to be unique,” says Rosanna. “After all our years of traveling, I wanted to utilize the things I’ve seen and loved over the years and make a home that works for us.” Casa Dixon, a.k.a. Mare Vita (which translates to “Beach Life,” Rosanna proclaims) includes several areas fit for entertaining, with each nook more scenic than the last. The color palette is pure Naples—gold, terracotta, cobalt blue—and, as one would expect, dramatic stone features into the home in a big way. Somehow, the riotous blend of styles from all sides of the Mediterranean Sea works, as it does in European cities with colored histories of occupation and revolt. Mare Vita is a vibrant ode to family and celebration. “It’s all for Mama,” says Rosanna, of her 80-year-old mother.
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ITALY BY
Juliet Johnson Agnes Lopez
PHOTOGRAPHS BY
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A SOLID, STUDDED WOODEN DOOR OPENS into a stone courtyard, screened over and surrounded by what must be one of the lushest private gardens on the First Coast. “My green wall of envy,” laughs Rosanna, proudly. A wide fountain cascades over marble and mosaic tile as Pulcinella—a familiar figure in Naples—dances across a tile wall behind the outdoor kitchen, signifying an authentic pizza, baked in a wood-burning oven, is imminent. Gothic arches feature prominently. There are 32 marble columns in and around the home. The architects and builders (Mike Sones and Michael Altenbach) were longtime Dixon colleagues. The two Belmarmi in-house designers (her daughter in law, Carmi Canipe and designer, Amy Nadeau) collaborated on the home with Rosanna. Together, the trio fashioned unusual stone backdrops, intricate bathroom details and a magnificent backlit marble mantel. Even the doors that cover the built-in entertainment unit in the living room are stone.
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CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: A tiled Pulcinella (a character made famous in Neopolitan puppetry) supervises the outdoor kitchen with pizza oven; marble grapes surround the wall mounted fire pit, fashioned to resemble a drinking fountain; stepping stones serve to widen the pool beyond its actual ninefoot width; the green wall of envy keeps the pool private.
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WITH SO MUCH STONE, you might expect the home to echo. It doesn’t, probably thanks to the many rugs and plush furnishings scattered throughout. Ceilings are timbered in natural cedar and the traditional Italianate landscapes were all painted by Rosanna’s uncles. The gothic sideboard, separating the living room area from the dining room, has a padded bench seat on the other side to save space and provide stylish seating. The dining table is comprised of brushed granite slab with a matte, sensually smooth finish that exposes all the minerals in the stone. Each of the six bathrooms also features stone and tile, with innovative counters, sinks and European push-button, wallmounted toilets. The smaller, sleeker commodes make sense, really, as they leave more room for tile and stone. The first floor guest bathroom for folks at the pool features modern glass. The second, outside, is a private bathroom with a dramatic tiled palm tree behind the shower. The powder bathroom is a stunning grotto, all onyx and glass in generous swaths. Its foyer is a gold-embossed, groin-vaulted whimsy that twinkles over a stunning contemporary Austrian tear drop chandelier. The kitchen, overseen by the traditional Italian good luck symbol the Kitchen Witch, is where the bulk of the entertaining takes place. The granite is lemourian labrodorite, an emerald-blue granite, that lights up spectacularly at night and is further highlighted with rope light behind the granite wave. The backsplash was carved by hand from a Belmarmi design. The hood is made of onyx.
FROM ABOVE: Subzero & Wolf appliances complement River City Cabinetry; all-stone shelves with marble slab lit from behind form a dramatic over-mantle; cedar timbers add provenance to the home’s open living and dining room.
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LEAVING THE KITCHEN, a wrap-around staircase with wrought-iron handrails snakes around the home’s elevator (which was installed for the Dixons’ elderly parents). A giant wave is hand-painted onto glass to enclose the elevator’s machinery; a magnificent Byzantine pendant light shows the way at night. The color palette softens upstairs to pale blues, silvers and warm honey tones. The master bedroom is a soothing mix of light blues and chocolate brown furniture. Rosanna co-opted a small chunk of lapis left over from a Belmarmi job—eventually getting it thinly sliced and added to a custom bed designed by Amanda Webster. The lyrical blue tones carry over to the master bathroom, where sleek modern sinks would impress, were it not for the magnificent bath and stunning groin vaulting clad in glass mosaic. Walls of blue lapis, terracotta marble and blue macaubas stone evoke Venice, as do the gothic windows, mosaics and Turkish lantern. The solid travertine tub came in over the balcony by crane. The shower is another show stopper, clad almost entirely in blue macaubas. FROM ABOVE: Lapis lazuli accents are set into the bed frame (the bed is by Amanda Webster); Venetian grotto master bath sits beneath slabs of lapis with marble-framed mirrors from Belmarmi.
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THE FIRST OF THE HOME’S MEDIA ROOMS (there are two) recalls the 1980s modern Memphis Group-style of furniture with soft, powdery blue and honey tones. The second media room is an explosion of tangerine, pomegranate and pumpkin, with an entire accent wall in iridescent glass mosaic tile. The most vibrant room in the house, this one is everyone’s favorite. In between are elegant and fun bedrooms for family and guests. More imaginative bathroom touches include a pair of sinks shaped as spiral shells and a tub made out of glass pebbles and a thick glass sheet. “Some might think this is too much,” Rosanna shrugs, chuckling. “For me, it’s my Italy.” Z
CLOCKWISE FROM OPPOSITE: The sumptuous guest room; a modern media room features a squared cedar ceiling; the more exotic media room opens to Mama’s [guest] bedroom; the guest bathtub is encased in glass.
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MAD MODERN A B O U T
New York transplants achieve a cultivated aesthetic in their Ponte Vedra digs
words by Juliet Johnson images by Wally Sears
ebbie Katz wanted a contemporary house with clean lines that didn’t look too modern; she’s quick to point out that Glenn, her husband, had no say in the matter. It was his job that moved the Katz family from the New York City suburbs in the first place, after all. No thanks to him, they bought a horrible house on a great piece of property on one of Ponte Vedra’s many lakes. It had avocado appliances—not that you could see them, the place was so dark. Says Debbie, recoiling with the memory, “There’s retro and then there’s what you’re prepared to live with.” She had the whole house painted white before sitting for a year—learning the light, the sun, and collating her considerable wealth of ideas and experience into what now stands—an intriguing, unique house with as many inspiring views within as without.
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Should guests survive the dogs at the front door, they are treated to a magnificent vista of floating stairs accentuated by sculptures, anachronistic antique furniture pieces, lustrous colorful glass, and a stunning water view beyond a sparkling pool. It’s hard to know where to look first. The stylish drama starts in the foyer with a marbletopped bureau given to the couple by Glenn’s aunt, a trusts and estates lawyer. The hanging mirrored ball chandelier is a cheeky wink back to Saturday Night Fever’s disco strut, all grown up now, suspended, shimmering and a magnificent focal point. That it was sourced in an antique store in Alabama on a spontaneous weekend adventure merely adds to the allure.
Above: The large image in what Katz calls "the adult room" was shot by a fashion photography student of Richard Avedon’s. Right: The dining room table isn't as modern as some of the other pieces in the home, but it calls to mind Katz’s childhood in Chappaqua, New York.
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The elegant salon, situated on the right of the entryway, is what Katz calls an adult room. “It’s the room I wasn’t allowed in when I grew up.” She isn’t joking—the room is off-limits to children, thanks to an enormous photograph of a naked woman lying face down in water. The massive image was shot by a fashion photography student of Richard Avedon’s (one of the most wellknown fashion photographers of the past few decades). Sensibly, it was shipped flat, but when no one in Jacksonville could frame it, it was shipped back to New York to be framed there. A limestone coffee table in the center of the room adds a grounding contrast and displays the first of many clusters of colored glass carafes. Old pine beams acting as rafters create further counterpoint. Warmth comes from the Ralph Lauren suede finish painted walls and raw beams on the ceiling. “I wanted a loungey feel in this dark, moody space; I love mixing it up.”
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The architect, John Rowan, designed the house to recall loft spaces, so that the couple’s extensive art collection could be displayed in concert with the glass. That meant floating walls, columns and an openness to let sea breezes waft through. The stairs allude to an industrial vibe with their cable rails. Rowan says that Debbie was a terrific client, thanks to her vision: “She can read a floor plan and immediately see what it will look like in 3D.” The couple enjoyed Rowan’s ability to create something contemporary without its looking starkly modern. The dining room has only two solid walls—one is open at the top and the other is comprised of glass shelves between two columns, to display Debbie’s extensive glass collection. The table may not be as contemporary as Debbie initially hoped, but it serves as a nostalgic reminder of life in Chappaqua, New York. Paired with a custom chandelier from Zia Priven, the look is luxurious and casual. The family room, casual breakfast table and kitchen are an open concept running along the back of the house. Invigorating water views showcase a lake, pool, sunken fire pit and potted privet bushes that recall The Hamptons. So as to not obstruct those views, there are no upper cabinets in the kitchen. Instead, there is a glorious accent wall of tortoiseshell mosaic glass tile and floating shelves to display more glass accessories. The stovetop is Thermador (Debbie wanted it “for the blue knobs”). Glass-fronted lower cabinets and a glass Sub-Zero refrigerator door keep the space light and airy. Debbie says she has no problem keeping the fridge tidy; she’s naturally neat. The kids? Not so much. So where does she store stuff? Two clever spots.
Opposite page from above: For entertaining, the cupboard is a great way to keep folks moving away from the center island. Other tall cupboards house the good china; “I like modern, but I like warm,” says Katz. “The beams help that. I like the way they emphasize John [Rowan]’s architectural lines and sweep.The light in here is always beautiful.” This page from top: A candy corner playfully coordinates with the glass collection above it, the huge apothecary jars tempting as they catch the eye. Another whimsical touch is the chandelier, a striking feature in the midst of such modernity; Debbie’s glass collection started eight years ago when she bought one piece. She would comb antique stores and then, when eBay grew in popularity, collecting became even much easier.
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This page, clockwise from above: With taupe and white furnishings and bright blue accessories, the master bedroom has a beach house vibe; The master bath sports white Carrera marble and modern, square sinks from Kohler. Opposite: The couple has an ever-growing art collection (even in the bathroom), much of it purchased at Miami’s Art Basel.
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The first is a larder that runs the full length of the kitchen, in which guests can see everything laid out on sturdy shelves and appliances sit at waist level, making it a sensible design feature. The second is a handsome freestanding black cupboard, whose central doors open to an amply stocked bar. Behind the wood burning fireplace is the master suite, and the only wall remaining from the original build. (Katz heard that retaining one wall from the former home would temper the renovated home’s tax assessment. Just a rumor, as it turned out.) By painting the walls the exact shade of the linen drapes, Katz has created a remarkably calm oasis in taupe and white. The turquoise accents say “beach house” in a subtle, elegant way. That the wall color matches the Katz family dog is no accident; since “she often sits at the end of the bed, she might as well match the walls!” The master bath sports the ubiquitously
popular white Carrera marble, modernized with square sinks from Kohler. With a swimming pool and spacious hot tub, the couple saw no need for a bathtub. Instead, they have a huge shower, complete with a luxurious rain head. Mr. Katz had hoped for a steam shower, too, but there was a strict budget and some things were cut. You might expect a large, meticulously designed home like this to have a large TV or home theater. But Mr. and Mrs. Katz like to go out to the movies, and they’d rather trade the television for contemporary art, which is their favorite hobby—looking at it and buying it. They regularly attend Art Basel in Miami and also spend time foraging for antiques and collecting glass. Over the years, the couple has combined an eclectic array of disparate elements that, when paired together, manage to comprise a dazzling home. Not that Mr. Katz had a whole lot of say in it. Home F A L L 2 0 1 4
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TREASURE TROVE
With the help of estate sale finds, exotic souvenirs and a seriously talented designer, one family creates a home that radiates aesthetic harmony.
words by Juliet Johnson images by Wally Sears
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ou see them at the beach—hunched over, scavenging over swathes of tumbled shells. You wonder what they do with them all, suspecting a glue gun and grim, shell-encrusted ephemera ahead. Not so with the oyster shells collected by the Hillis family. On a friend’s recommendation, Bob and Allison Hillis, with their young boys Cuatro and Finn, ventured forth to collect as many oyster shells as they could stuff into Finn’s baby stroller from the oyster beds in Fernandina Beach. The haul was then bleached, sundried and pasted onto select walls in their home, within and without, to create a whimsical, private world like no other. From the street, Casa Hillis looks like a nicely kept-up split. It was renovated for the couple by close friend, architect and set designer, Julia Starr Sanford. The front of the house was replaced with windows and a new patio lined with rosemary and a shell-covered retaining wall. Extensive renovation plans included removing walls, adding windows and doors, and renovating both the kitchen and all three bathrooms. Sanford then curated Allison’s extensive collections so that the home now acts as a treasure trove of striking finds from all over the world, including local estate sales. Allison Hall Hillis is a former art student, interior designer and now “creative director and traveling muse” for Natural Life, a colorful girls’ clothing, accessories and gifts lifestyle brand. It was Allison’s art teacher mother who ignited her passion for pattern and texture. What might be generously described as attic treasures are, in the Hillis’s household, exciting and alluring. But all artists (and renovating homeowners) need a true North, someone who will not only hold the line on design but also speak the truth wearying and impatient owners don’t want to hear. Sanford was just that on this project, producing her trademark aesthetic and a logic most yearn to mimic.
This page from top: The living room shelves hold a mix of Allison’s coffee table books, a curation of hand-turned wooden bowls and an old dough bowl from Eastern Europe; the house is filled with animal-inspired elements, such as a zebra portrait in the dining room; many of the accessories came from far-flung locales. “When we travel, I pack a suitcase in a suitcase and our goal is to fill it up. If we have to ship back, then we do.”
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stag’s head looms over the foyer, layered above masks, tribal drums and a solid Guatemalan chest. Opposite is an estate sale find—a bench with a glass lid that displays sharks’ teeth set on sand. This last was bought as a birthday present for Cuatro. The living room is all about texture and loft. Where the ceilings were once flat, now they soar, clad in locally sourced bleached cypress planks. The rough oystered hearth provides a strong contrast, as does the skin rug, purchased at The Grand Bazaar in Istanbul. A pair of rattan chairs offers an inviting scoop design, opposite a simple, solid wood bench from Indonesia. Two upholstered gray armchairs from the old Chase Manhattan Building in New York complete the fireside grouping. The mantel holds an original Jamali painting on cork (a spiritual artist Allison knew in Orlando) and hand- carved wooden birds
This page: “Estate sales are kind of an obsession,” concedes Allison. “The find is the fun. I’m never on the hunt for anything particular. I like to get inspired by what’s in front of me;” the bathrooms are unusual with their marble troughs and cypress cabinets.
are mementos of frequent trips to Guatemala. Stubby candleholders in the all-season fireplace are also Guatemalan. Each piece has a reason and a story. “I don’t feel like I have a particular style; it’s all by feel,” says Allison. “There’s definitely a wildlife theme throughout. And, I love abstract art.” The dining room is an “open concept” space between the living room, kitchen and family room addition. Casual dinners and homework take place on a table bought on a design trip to Chicago, lit by a George Nelson pendant light. The chairs were collected over time. The chic, contemporary kitchen is a surprise. Though the appliances are all American stainless and the tile backsplash Cuban tile, the overall effect recalls modern design in South Africa. Maybe it’s the custom walnut cabinets with contemporary pulls or the rare pottery from Costa Rica— somehow, this space fits the home’s global vibe.
The adjoining family room is, as Allison says, the everything room. “This is our watch-the-kids-in-the-pool room, the painting and drawing room. We’ll even pull the dining room table in and have dinner with all the doors open.” Against the family room’s only wall is a bamboo sofa. It’s an estate sale find, refreshed with a dramatic teal suede and high gloss white paint. Cuban cement tile makes up the flooring, and each piece is a little bit different. A balcony leads down to the pool deck, one-and-a-half floors below. Despite the unique interior, it is the yard that first led the Hillis family to purchase the property. It’s the highest point in Atlantic Beach—Harvey Hill. The Harvey family used to own all property from 5th Street to Ocean Blvd. (Lavinia Harvey Kubiak actually still lives on the street). It is even rumored that a train ran on the hill. “I loved the topography and the old oak trees,” says Allison. There are still paths running between the houses, including a set of steps with the year “1966” carved into them. Being that it was the year Allison was born, it felt like a good omen.
From top: A collection of button hooks takes residence above the TV in the kitchen; the backsplash is Cuban tile and fixtures are American Stainless
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Opposite: The floor-to-ceiling windows offer plenty of natural light; the multi-level yard offers lots of fun places to hide more treasure—like a four-inch iron syrup boiler resting at the foot of some live oaks. It’s from Statesboro, Georgia, where Allison’s cousin is a medical doctor who still barters for care. “He’s always sending us various objects.” Mostly used as a birdbath, the giant bowl can also be a fire pit, though it takes four strong men to move the thing.
In addition to a pair of symmetri-
The boys’ bedrooms also display
doubles as a reading nook, thanks to
cal steps, the saltwater pool (artfully
collections. Finn has an impressive
a Turkish rug and small pillows. “All
terraced into the previously sloping
line-up of snow globes, initially
the shop keepers in Istanbul had
back yard by Sanford) can be ac-
handed down by a cousin. It grows
these little private spaces; we
cessed through a bathroom off of
every time anyone in the family trav-
wanted Cuatro to have one, too.”
the man cave. The former fourth
els. Cuatro’s room, on the other
bedroom has since been trans-
hand, has bugs. “We were trying to
formed into a masculine enclave, in
help him find something to collect,”
which a stag’s head (Allison’s father
says Allison. “We think all boys
was a big game hunter) frames an
should have a collection so that it
over-stuffed, worn leather sofa by
gives them something to hunt for.
Percival Lafer.
Boys are natural hunters, and this
Upstairs are the two boys’ rooms,
gives them something interesting to
But perhaps the best find of all was at Allison’s own yard sale a decade ago, when commercial real estate broker Bob Hillis drifted up the driveway. “If you take that table and armoire, I’ll give you $20!” shouted Allison. Bob remembers
connected by a Jack-and-Jill bath-
do when we travel. It’s fun watching
being wonder-struck. He might think
room, and the master suite, which is
the collections evolve.” The tarantula
it was the curious negotiation that
dominated by a colossal screen of
came from Peru, the butterflies were
bowled him over; history suggests
peacocks, flamingos and a Japanese
found in Brazil; it is remarkable that
otherwise. A beautiful wife, two sons
red bridge. Naturally, it’s from an es-
these boys, aged 8 and 4, are so
and a magical life exploring the
tate sale.
well-travelled already. Cuatro’s closet
world is one heck of a find. Home F A L L 2 0 1 4
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BY Juliet Johnson PHOTOGRAPHS BY Wally Sears
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BEACHY
A PONTE VEDRA OASIS MELDS COMFORT WITH STYLE
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KEEN
AN ARCHITECT, A BUILDER AND an interior designer walk into a bar. A recipe for disaster? Not when the clients know what they want—for Kathy and Jack Gleason, that was a lot. Among the requests: open-air space and a “home that can run on auto pilot,” bean bag chairs and no more pink. Ever. (That specific request came courtesy of the couple’s sixteen-year-old daughter). The architect (Cliff Duch, of Cronk Duch Architects) took all of the requests into account, eventually suggesting an Anglo-Caribbean look. The builder (Michael Lenahan of Aurora Custom Homes) concurred, adding that the home needed to be made of “quality, durable materials—something low maintenance.” And thus, the building began. Duch sent the Gleasons to Windsor, a community in Vero Beach filled with white stucco, Anglo-Caribbean houses—what he calls a blend of “classic Southern and island home styles, with a contemporary appeal.” With steeply pitched metal roofs and vertically proportioned windows, this style allows for lots of natural light. Home F A L L 2 0 1 4
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The Gleasons had purchased a great lot, but it came with a few challenges. Running alongside a golf course, the house would have beautiful views of a tranquil lagoon in the distance—if it weren’t for the tee box in the foreground. Sitting just one block from the ocean, there would be good breezes from the east but, as it sits on a corner lot, it was exposed, without much privacy. Wanting to have as many of the primary living spaces run along the golf course (which sits to the left of the property) as possible, the master bedroom was angled so as to create protection to the north. The original plan called for a sizable wall and shrubbery to save golfers’ potential embarrassment teeing off into a parallel fairway—and the home from the odd amateur’s slice. “Part of making the most of Florida living is recognizing that we live around our homes as much as we live in them,” says Duch. So, in lieu of a foyer, guests arrive at an entry loggia, where they’re greeted with teak arm chairs and charming pressed copper lanterns. The door opens directly into the great room. Affectionately referred to as the “Incredible Shrinking Room” (“It was always
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Clockwise from left: Rising above the mantel is an original iron and glass sculpture from local artist Kim Young. With an insouciant nod to the “breezes,” the furthermost flower is meant to look adrift in the wind; like much of the home, the kitchen design took inspiration from the ocean; a storage area beneath the stairs (located in back of the butler’s pantry), was elevated to a wine “cave” with custom wrought iron grapes and grillwork; the family spends much of its time outside so the architects at Cronk Duch added porches and the pavilion to shade from the sun and make good use of the ocean breeze.
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being made a little bit smaller as we tried to fit this house on the lot,� says Kathy), the great room has soaring 21-foot ceilings with dark wood beams, symmetrical French doors and a limestone fireplace. The palette of neutral beiges, blues and greens is reminiscent of sea glass, enlivened with punches of cheerful coral. A northern arch in the room leads to the master suite. The master bathroom makes good use of its coastal surroundings in an intricate, shell-encrusted mirror. A transitional hall leads
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from the master suite to what builder Lenahan calls “The Backyard Event.” Indeed, the outdoor area is a bit of an event, and includes seven outdoor rooms, fountains, a fireplace and more. Inside, just ahead of the outdoor space, sits the massive kitchen. For the kitchen, interior designer Paula Lewis, of Del Mar Designs, continues the blue palette. Here, the lighting takes center stage. A chandelier resembling marsh grasses hangs above the dining room table (a hold-over from the Gleasons’ former NJ Arts and Crafts era), and copper kitchen pendant lights channel overturned copper buckets. Arguably the most unique part of the kitchen is the hood over the six-burner gas range. Backed by a rich panoply of blues, grays and copper in glass and slate
Opposite, clockwise from top left: The architects made good use of natural light throughout the home; the master bathroom feels almost spa-like with its soft light and punches of color; Jack Gleason's study comes complete with a large globe—a nod to his many travels as a pilot; among the teenage Gleason's requests was a bean bag chair, which features prominently in her bedroom; vaulted ceilings show off the avocado-colored walls in the master suite. This page: The home's dining courtyard comes complete with summer kitchen and fountain; shades of blue and teal feature prominently throughout the home.
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The 1,200 square-foot evening courtyard comes complete with a fireplace and spa.
mosaic tile, this hood is nickeltreated to resemble zinc, with copper accents. The mix of natural elements—metal, stone and wood— resonates “happy” for the homeowners. With a coffered bead board ceiling above, the space is grounded by stone countertops, honed to a finish called “leather dune.” The cabinets came from Millwork in Orlando, and the Del Mar Designs custom antique-style dresser makes a good home for hot beverages and fondue. Dark hickory floors continue throughout the first floor. In Jack’s study, a mighty desk dominates with a small freestanding globe—fitting, since he’s a pilot. Walls are covered in unique grass cloth and an antler chandelier, a fond reminder of the family’s annual trek to Jackson Hole, Wyoming. The master suite is exactly the
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sanctuary one would expect. With vaulted ceilings, limed beams and soft avocado walls, it might be the coolest room in the house. The master bathroom has ample natural light, thanks to vertically proportioned windows. It fell to Lewis to make sure the couple could see themselves in the space. Octagonal mirrors—works of art themselves— were mounted over the windows in such a way as to let light in all around them. Polished nickel and bronze fixtures and custom-designed cabinetry add sculptural interest and continue the Anglo-Caribbean aesthetic into even the most private of spaces. Across the courtyard—past the summer kitchen, the sunbathing corner, the fountain and the main dining table—is the guest suite, an oasis in soft aqua. It’s utilized year-round, so the space is as intricately designed as
the rest of the house and features a rattan bed, capiz shell bedside lamps and a sea grass rug—as opposed to the usual mashup of attic treasures and family hand-me-downs one would normally find in a guestroom. For the design team, the family’s requests to make the entire home feel like a luxury beach house was a welcome project. “Here was a family who said, show us how we can enjoy our lot to the fullest,” remembers Lenahan. “Let us feel the outside on the inside. Let us feel like we’re on permanent vacation. Show us how to do Florida for 12 months a year. Here was a family open to all that we and the lot could offer. Somehow, the home fits the neighborhood while being nothing like the homes that surround it. For Floridian living, it doesn’t get much better.