METROHome Tour
A Passion Project By Mary Lou Janson Interior Design by Rob Bowen Design Group Photography by Seamus Payne
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rchitectural renderings for a customized West Indies-style home were finished and the Snell Isle location secured. All that remained was to break ground and begin building. After years of calling condominiums home, Rob Bowen was ready to live in a free-standing home of his own design, both inside and out. That is, until he took notice of a newly constructed single family dwelling spotted during commutes to his downtown St. Petersburg interior design firm, Rob Bowen Design Group. His first impression was that the almost 3,000-square-foot, three-story residence was nice, but not right for him. A return visit with members of his design team validated that assessment. Yet, he was intrigued. There was the 1,000-square-foot rooftop deck overlooking Beach Drive. The location was within a two-block radius of Bowen’s design business and Social Roost, a restaurant he co-owns with his husband, Jason Teabout. Plus, there was a private pool, two-car garage, and the downtown lifestyle. After closely studying the building plans, Bowen realized that, with considerable work, he could re-make the space for a better flow and fit. That meant major changes, like eliminating the third floor bedroom and sitting room, in favor of an open area suitable for entertaining, or simply unwinding. Highlighted by horse hair wall coverings adorned with 24-caret gold
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leaf, what was a guest room, now resembles a luxurious lounge. Thick Stark carpeting minimizes noise, low-to-the-ground Minotti furnishings comfortably accommodate group
Jason Teabout and Rob Bowen, principal at Rob Bowen Design Group
gatherings, and a free-formed Bocci chandelier, seemingly floating overhead, keeps the mood buoyant. “When I looked at the floor plan, I put a big ‘X’ through all three floors,” Bowen recalled. Over the next nine months, the interior was gutted down to its studs and everything, from appliances to bathroom fixtures, replaced. Formerly white oak floors were sanded down and treated with a mixture of vinegar and steel wool to create a chemical reaction that deepened the color to a navy blue and dark purple hue. An ebony glaze added a dark black finish.
“Because Jason and I were doing this together, there is a lot more passion in this project, a lot more romance. And I think that there is a little more softness that is family driven,” said Rob Bowen.
