Gracious entertaining was the catalyst for this renovation to a classic 1926 Sarasota center home. When a retired Marine aviator/Washington lobbyist and his Google lobbyist wife sought to open smaller spaces and expand their hosting capabilities for friends and family, we sought to retain the home’s character by renovating consistent with 1926 construction methods. The objective was to echo the home’s provenance and enhance rather than alter its graceful character.
At the same time, we wanted to increase the use of the site by creating more social space. One side of the residence had been entirely underutilized, which we ultimately changed with the addition of a screened-in gazebo in which the husband—owner of a cigar store—could regale his friends over Hoyo de Monterrey’s after dinner.
Inside, we turned the tiny former dining room into a receiving room that displayed the couple’s fine china and functioned optimally with attractive high-end custom built-in cabinetry. Guests were directed through here to a Palladian window-filled, bright-and-airy new dining space, again, honoring the disposition of the classic home. A door from the dining room led to the gazebo. An extra powder room became a formal bar that would accommodate a bartender.
Ceilings were painted white with tongue and groove Cyprus, notably rot- and termite-resistant in light of the region’s extreme heat and humidity. Old Cyprus wood flooring in the house was equally matched in the renovation, ensuring a seamless transition from 1926 to the 21st century.