Marco
Island Hideaway
With its rich salmon-hued stucco exterior, Sicilian
green shutters and myriad of cupolas and parapets, wrought iron railings
and random-colored, blended roof tiles and driveway cobblestones; this
stunning six bedroom, six full-and two-half bath home has 8,894 square
feet under air and an expansive 17,397 total square feet. Constructed
on one of only 29 beachfront lots on Marco Island, the home was built
as a tribute to the particular Italianate style unique to the mountainous
terrain of the Amalfi Coast.
When commissioned to design the home, licensed architect, Bill Lewis, also designed the interior architectural detailing in its entirety, including several custom built-ins. He also designed the pool and lagoon areas and all of the home’s landscape and hardscape. Renowned for designing the Detroit home of world-famous rapper, Eminem, Lewis has been designing homes appropriate to the casual lifestyle of Marco Island for more than 20 years.
Entering through a pair of arched mahogany doors, the home’s Italian influence is profoundly evident. The ground floor, as well as the rest of the home, is tiled in durable cast stone. The focal point of the entry level is the peaceful grotto area with its melodic-sounding, cascading water feature.
The incredibly lavish pool, spa and covered lagoon, as well as the ensuing beach, are accessible through a pair of pocketing sliding glass doors, which flank both sides of the grotto.
Ascending to the first floor,
the staircase risers are tiled with bold, primary colored tiles, which
complement the decorative hand-painted tiles used in the grotto and
elevator, as well as in a custom-designed inlay on the first level. The
walls are gently painted in an exposed stone motif to imitate an aging
Italian home.
To the left of the first floor foyer is the in-law suite, complete with a private sitting room, expansive covered lanai, two bedrooms – one on both the first and second floors – a laundry room and fully-equipped kitchen, as well as private access to one of the home’s three garages.
The intimate dining room is
adjacent to the groin-vaulted vestibule. A simple, yet elegant, brass
and crystal chandelier is suspended from the ingenious stilted groin ceiling.
As in the rest of the home, all of the air
conditioning ductwork is cleverly concealed in the multi-tiered, backlit
crown moulding. A set of mullioned French doors, which fold backwards
to line-up exactly with the matching sidelights, leads outdoors to a private
deck.
Perfect for entertaining family and friends, the 850-square-foot kitchen and adjacent butler’s pantry come with two industrial-sized side-by-side refrigerator/freezers, a full-sized wine cooler, double dishwashers and sinks and an eight-burner, professional-style Viking range. A plethora of richly-veined, sepia and limestone-hued granite countertops and custom-distressed and glazed cabinets, make this spectacular kitchen ideal for preparing either a simple family repast or a feast for 150 guests.
Just beyond the kitchen is the extraordinary two-story great room and wrap-around veranda. With an abundance of natural sunlight proliferating through a series of transom windows and over 36-linear feet of pocketing sliding glass doors, the great room, with its expansive sloped tray ceiling, multitude of glazed wood trim and gorgeous hand-carved, two-story cast stone fireplace, has the most incredible views imaginable.
Overlooking the great room from above is a beautiful, custom-designed library wall, which mimics the great room’s custom-designed entertainment center.
On the first floor, the kitchen, great room and in-law suite all open up onto a large covered veranda and a series of outdoor decks, which lead to a pair of curved staircases that descend to the beach level.
“Just like the town of Amalfi stair steps down to the water, this home was designed to step down to the beach,” says Lewis. “The home was built on the premise of the owner’s love of the sea, as well as all things Italian.”
The home boasts a total of
five guest rooms, each with their own private bath, and with the exception
of the
in-law suite’s secluded second floor bedroom, all of the guest suites
have expansive private balconies.
The third floor is accessible by three different staircases, two of which continue upwards to the east and west cupolas for all-around views of the Gulf of Mexico and surrounding environs. The third stairway provides private access from the second floor to the spectacularly luxurious, 1,500 square foot master suite.
The master bedroom, painted
in a double-blended rhapsody of creamy vanilla and delicate, cloud-like
white, seems to float above the sea. Bamboo flooring, custom-stained in
a light, natural shade, is enhanced
by the multi-tiered crown moulding, which has been hand-glazed to emulate
the same poplar wood used in the custom-designed built-ins.
Plantation shutters, painted in a delicious shade of vanilla, further complement the room’s subtle ambiance. An octagonal-shaped, 21-foot high cupola with clerestory windows rises above the octagonal-shaped sitting area, which has an abundance of French doors and large windows affording panoramic views of the beach and water. The master suite is surrounded by a large, wrap-around veranda.
The architectural detailing in the master suite, including a large hanging soffit, arched windows, glazed wood trim and a myriad of multi-stepped crown moulding gives the impression that the cupola is actually floating above the bedroom.
Just beyond the bedroom is the large master bathroom. The cabinets have been custom-glazed and distressed with a crackle finish to complement the cast stone flooring, which is inlaid with a stunning rectangular-shaped medallion.
When designing this wonderful Marco Island home, the architect worked closely with the owners to create a private hideaway that would be perfect for both seasonal and year-round living. “Our goal was to design a home that would be comfortable either for a large family or for a couple who needed lots of room for visiting family and friends,” says Lewis. “The home was also designed to be the perfect venue for entertaining both large and small groups.”
Priced at $10.5 million dollars, this extraordinary residence is being sold fully-furnished.
For information or to arrange a private tour of this unique residence, please contact:
PREMIER PROPERTIES OF SOUTHWEST FLORIDA, INC.
Jim
Prange, P.A., CRS, GRI, Realtor
239 642-2222 x 225, 800 260-9081 x 225 or 239 642-1133
www.premier-properties.com
Written by Marla J. Ottenstein
Photography by Tom Harper Photography
