Blog by Beebe Cline, PREC*

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Warm, Modern Florida Getaway

Houzz user Nicki Conway knew she wanted her home to be modern, and a warm feel to her house was just as important. With her lot near the waterfront in Sarasota, Fla., easy transitions between indoors and out was vital, too. Conway recruited two locals — architect Peter Hofmann and designer Pam Picozzi — to help her create this atmosphere. Together they came up with a concept that uses warm natural tones and near-seamless connections to outdoor living areas.
One great room contains the living and dining areas. "I could spend hours in there," Conway says. "At the end of a long day, I find myself wanting to relax and spend the rest of my time in the living room."

White walls make the couple's colorful art collection stand out. Interior designer Picozzi also suggested a warmer color on the television wall for contrast.

The sofa is W. Schillig's Telluride model, and the coffee table was custom made by a local artisan. The shag carpets throughout the home are from Samson Shag Rugs.
 
A screened-in porch area extends out from the main living room. Although it looks like this area is enclosed by glass windows, it's actually surrounded by metal screens. This outdoor room is closed off from the rest of the house by sliding glass doors. A screen door at the end of the patio leads to the outdoor pool area. Cartagena chairs provide a modern solution for outdoor furniture.
 
Ledgestone panels on an accent wall mimic the stone on the wall in the living room, as well as an exterior wall on the garage. This effect helps tie the house together and blend the outdoors with the indoors. Durable travertine tile was installed around the pool area.
 
The exterior paint is a warm white called Greek Villa from Sherwin Williams. Conway loved the color so much, she decided to use the same hue on the exterior and interior of the home.

The house is located on a plot in a beautiful section of Sarasota a block from the bay. After finding this dream lot, Conway recruited builder Phil Torrence of Ridgeland Homes to start the construction process.
Travertine tile lines the front entry. The landscape was designed by local landscape architect Lee Alderman. "Some of the landscape choices were our toughest," Conway says. "Lee really thought about how the landscape and outdoor space would support our lifestyle."
While the architect initially drew an open kitchen layout, Conway insisted on making the galley-style kitchen separate. "I see so many homes where the kitchen is right next to the entryway," says Conway. "I knew I didn't want that. I just don't like the idea of people walking into my house and seeing the kitchen right away."
The kitchen cabinets — plywood boxes and rift cut white oak — were custom made by a local company. Absolute Black granite was chosen for the countertops, and a glass tile in a soft ocean blue was installed as the backsplash. Conway found the unique pendants online, and the barstools are from Advanced Interior Design.
Conway made sure the structure of the house was kept simple and streamlined. There's no crown molding in this home, and no door casings. They did have a simple baseboard made to protect the walls, but it's hardly noticeable. The table in this breakfast nook was custom designed by their cabinetmaker. The stools are Kartell Ghost Stools in a punchy red-orange.
 
The dining room, open to the great room, is a great place for both casual lunches and more formal dinner parties. The Philadelphia Dining Chairs and the Horizon Low Cabinet against the wall are by Callagaris. The chandelier is a unique and eye catching light fixture from Possini.
 
Like the rest of the home, the bedroom is modern, warm, simple and soothing. The ceiling fan is from Lumens, and a Sevilla Bench is at the foot of the bed.
 
The bed rests on a modern Gamma Platform Bed, while Conway picked out soft but simple bedding from Macy's Hotel Collection. A soft blue rug from Samson Shag Rugs rests underneath the bed frame. Walnut floors were installed throughout most of the home's living spaces.
Conway chose a NeosTile for the flooring and shower walls in the master bathroom. The same granite countertops from the kitchen are used in this space, and a Kartell Ghost Chair is tucked underneath to create a simple built-in vanity.

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