A
Perfectly-Planned House
Leave it to John McGarvey and Dan Gerner of
McGarvey Custom Homes in Naples to literally ‘think of everything.’
Just like their motto says: “It’s our attention to detail
that sets us apart,” and the Saint Helena II is proof that every
detail, no matter how large or small, is an integral part of their building
philosophy.
Paramount to this commitment is their ability to ‘think outside
the box’ and to anticipate their clients’ needs by building
homes that will grow as the homeowners’ lifestyle evolves. In this
home, details, like the guest wing that doubles as a hurricane safe room
or the two-story storage space that could easily be converted into a nanny’s
or mother-in-law suite, or the drive-through garage, which houses his
& her golf carts, are just a few of the small details that make a
big difference.
The sprawling home with its splendid entrance, multi-gabled roofline,
varied one and two-story façade, Chardonnay ledge fieldstone accents
and Bahama-style shutters, has a distinct Mediterranean feel, peppered
with a touch of the tropics.
This home is all about the views. Views of the pool and ensuing lake can
be seen from most every room in the house, but nowhere are they more brilliantly
showcased than through the reception area’s five-paneled mitered
window and transom. The fountain, with its three bubbling water features,
acts to enhance the already spectacular view.
Water effortlessly cascades from the fountain and onto the sun shelf before
flowing into the uniquely shaped pool. A row of stone steps, each with
a large slate inset, ties the large pool area together.
The main living rooms are to the right of the entrance, while the master
suite is to the left. Blending numerous architectural details, the sunken
dining room is one of the home’s most enchanting rooms. Underneath
the room’s lighted, glass-topped table, a rug has been fashioned
out of a deeply veined, rich brown Maron Emperador marble. Above, a backlit
and sloped tray ceiling, which has been finished in a rich Venetian plaster,
mimics the shape of the flooring inset. A row of three arched, 18-inch
setback wood-cased windows make the room look larger.
Adjacent to the dining room is the extraordinary wet bar. The groin vault
ceiling, faux finished in a blended, antiqued manner, spotlights the bar’s
rich Iroko wood countertop, which is an unexpected detour from the norm.
The decorative stain glass inset is repeated in the family room’s
custom designed entertainment center.
The kitchen and family room are in close proximity to the dining room
and wet bar. The two-story, integrated kitchen comes with all the bells
and whistles. Architectural elements, such as the interesting soffit detailing,
which divides the clerestory from the beautiful, chocolate-stained alder
wood cabinets and deeply freckled and veined granite countertops, enhances
the space. A large center island, which houses an additional sink, vegetable
refrigerator and second oven, adds to the functionality of the wonderfully
designed room.
The kitchen, breakfast cafe and family room boast beautifully nuanced
and grained, hand-scraped maple flooring, which was laid in a straight
pattern to lengthen the space visually. The focal point of the family
room is the enormous, octagonal shaped, beamed and sloped tray ceiling,
which has been sheathed in natural raffia.
On both sides of the family room, a series of pocketing sliding glass
doors open to reveal a covered loggia, summer kitchen and expansive pool
deck to the left and a cleverly conceived outdoors sitting area and subsequent
two-bedroom/two-bath guesthouse to the right. Versailles patterned slate
flooring – in shades of copper, gray and honey – travels throughout
the covered outdoor spaces.
The beauty of the guesthouse’s octagonal-shaped living space is
that it was built as a hurricane safe room, complete with impact-resistant
windows, exterior hurricane shutters, reinforced concrete walls and a
full-sized generator.
Unlike most Floridian homes where the pool and spa are combined, the builder
created an enclosed outdoors garden especially for the hot tub, ensuring
complete privacy for those brave enough to take the plunge on a cool winter
night. Below the stone enhanced fountain and hot tub; ceramic Koi fish
swim in the spa’s lower pool. The garden is adjacent to the outdoors
sitting room and guesthouse, as well as being accessible through a third
guest room.
Returning to the foyer, strikingly beautiful floors designed using a combination
of honed Adelia Beige and Mustancia Travertine combined with rich Maron
Emperador and Rojo Alicante marble accents – travel down a long
corridor from the two-story reception area toward the master suite.
Preceding the master suite is the luxuriously appointed study. Rich Australian
cypress wood floors and dramatic wrap-around, floor-to-ceiling custom
millwork create the perfect ‘at home’ office space.
The perspective down the long hallway and toward the master suite is breathtaking,
and just like the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, this hallway
also leads to a treasure. In this case, the gold is an intimate and idyllic
Zen-like garden that words alone cannot describe. Cobble stone pathways
intertwine among a quilt of lava stone and boulders and a cascading waterfall,
which form a tranquil and ambient outdoors refuge between the master bath
and bedroom.
Flat panel wood laminate cabinets and a matching tub deck and tub surround
add a sophisticated and linear aesthetic to the master bathroom, while
the room’s unpolished, chiseled-edge granite countertops and granite
vessel sinks add a visceral element to the meticulously designed environment.
The careful integration of the same highly polished red, brown and beige
marble and travertine flooring used in the hallway solidifies the natural
transition between the hall and bath.
The master bedroom, with its richly hued cinnabar walls, custom stained
millwork and remarkably conceived, bamboo and grass cloth enhanced sloped
tray ceiling, sets the mood for the incredibly private, Asian-inspired
enclave.
The home exemplifies the harmonious union of the basic principles of a
clean, linear contemporary design with the rich architectural elements
and magnificent detailing homeowners in Southwest Florida favor, giving
the home its comfortable, ‘lived in’ ambiance.
According to Gerner, who is the executive vice president of McGarvey Custom
Homes, “This is a house that I could call ‘home.’”
For more information or to arrange a private tour of the McGarvey Custom
Homes’ collection of luxury properties, please contact: Dan Gerner
at 239 738.7800 or visit www.mcgarveycustomhomes.com.
Courtesy of McGarvey Custom Homes
9530 Marketplace Road, Suite 301,
Fort Myers, FL 33912
239 738-7800
Written
by Marla J. Ottenstein
Photography by Tom Harper Photography
