Mediterranean Makeover

“Ninety-five percent of my firm’s business is remodels. We enjoy transforming old things and making them look fresh and new,” says Edward Kalenichenko of KALEN Construction & Design. “This was a solid home, we didn’t have to take out any walls or reconfigure the floor plan. In most of our remodeling projects, people want to reconfigure something — this was more of an update. We gave the house a huge facelift, a fresh Mediterranean look.”

Kalenichenko and Mindy Webb of Mindy Webb Design know a well-designed plan when they see one. Like Kalenichenko mentions, many of us associate a home remodeling project with knocking down walls, adding on rooms, replacing outdated cabinetry, or perhaps even building a pool. This property already had a solid home, with a great floor plan, in a fabulous waterfront location. So when Webb’s client reached out to her about updating the outdated Mediterranean elements, she partnered with Kalenichenko and together they reimagined the home’s possibilities without major reconfigurations to create a timeless traditional style!

This was accomplished with, more than anything, paint. Beginning with the exterior, Webb searched high and low for just the right color brown to tone down the rustic red typical of Mediterranean style. When she couldn’t find it, she created it! “I used Benjamin Moore paint, but custom-colored it,” Webb explains. “Then we applied it to everything — the roof, soffit, corbels, gutters, metalwork, garage doors.”

The dramatic transformation from dark, heavy Mediterranean to light, bright Mediterranean is most apparent in the kitchen. The intricate carving on the vent hood and bar hutch corbels is preserved and adds elegant texture to the newly-white cabinetry. The cabinetry was Italian-made, and the dynamic redesign duo wanted to keep its character, so they had all the cabinets refinished with The Right White paint and completed the kitchen with new appliances from Mullet’s Appliances.

Finding the right white paint for the interiors was a little easier. In fact, Webb used The Right White paint throughout the house, saying it was not too warm and not too cool. One room that did not receive The Right White treatment was the game room, for which Webb chose Sherwin-Williams’ Agreeable Gray.

In a slight departure from the white, the cabinetry in the master bath, base of the work island in the kitchen, and entertainment unit in the game room were painted with another of Webb’s custom-mixed colors in gray.

Kalenichenko cautions that this was not a case of just slapping on some paint, “It took almost six months to paint, sand, and refinish everything.” He admits it was a laborious process, but one that he “would happily repeat for the right customer. It’s always a joy to see the transformation happen.”

*Feature cover image: The pool deck was refinished with shellstone travertine and the intricate mosaic tile work along the coping and waterfall wall was added when they refinished the pool. KALEN Construction & Design refinished the railings with hydrostatic paint. The lanai and balcony ceilings were refinished with tongue-and-groove cypress, painted with interior designer Mindy Webb’s custom-mixed brown.

A crystal and silver Verona art glass chandelier — reflected in the precast fireplace mantel’s massive arched mirror — sparkles high above the living room. Table lamps from Dovetail provide eye-level lighting.

Handcrafted eight-foot-wide solid Sapele doors custom-designed by Webb greet guests. Oracle Flooring & Design installed Italian-made wood-look porcelain tile throughout the home. Webb chose a style-appropriate chandelier to illuminate the foyer and cast a warm glow on the custom artwork. Replete with custom fabrics, the living room furniture and the occasional tables are by Gabby Home, and along with the Loloi rug, were all sourced through International Design Source.

The dining room’s mirror-topped table reflects the double tier crystal pendant suspended above. Webb adds thoughtful texture with the ivory sculptural art above the elegant French-country style credenza and the dining chairs’ gray velvet fabric.

KALEN Construction & Design reconfigured the dining island, changing it from a high-top bar to countertop height and squaring it off. 301 Granite and Marble added quartz countertops and a waterfall edge and KALEN installed twin backsplashes with marble. Brighter LED lighting was installed throughout the home, and a pair of pendants dangle above the freestanding work island. With their rush seats and iron accents, Dovetail counter stools from International Design Source provide a rustic contrast.

Bassett chevron-patterned chairs, a Bernhardt sofa, and a console comfortably furnish the family room. The riveted metal-top coffee table and side tables are Dovetail from International Design Source. A subtly-striped Loloi rug anchors the seating group. A pair of silvered branches from Global Views are juxtaposed beneath the clerestory windows.

Webb custom-designed the flooring for the game room, using the same tile from Oracle Flooring & Design that appears in the rest of the home. The homeowner introduces the room’s Safari-esque theme with a zebra rug at the entry. Three oversized paintings from Leftbank Art set the stage, a pair of wood-and-hide chairs, and a variegated wood coffee table from Dovetail continue the organic scene. Behind, a new quartz top caps the custom-painted wet bar.

“This was the biggest thing we did,” says Kalen. “We changed it up quite a bit. There was a wall where the glass panel is now, with a built-in tub that took up most of the bathroom.” Oracle Flooring & Design grain-matched the porcelain slag tile on five different walls, cutting and fabricating the tile onsite. New fixtures from Ferguson Bath, Kitchen & Lighting Gallery and a new countertop on the refinished cabinetry complete the look.

Webb dressed the Bernhardt Furniture bed in linens from Ann Gish and a rabbit fur throw from Blu Home. On the floor rests an ombré gray rug from Rugs As Art. Webb used pillows from International Design Source to accent the client-owned chairs. An oversized mirror magnifies the light pouring in from the bay windows and sliders with access to the lanai beyond. Triple crown moulding highlights the asymmetrical ceiling shape and echoes the modern-Mediterranean style.

The cast work on the exterior is original to the home, although the swirled front entry pillars were smoothed over to match those on the left side of the home. The garage doors were replaced, and a new shellstone entryway was laid. The metal of the window exteriors was painted to match the roof. All of the exterior lighting fixtures were replaced, using updated styles to complete the modern-Mediterranean look.

Written by Ginny Peterson

Photography by Jimmy White

Luxury Home Builder

KALEN Construction & Design

6321 Porter Road, Suite 10

Sarasota, FL 34240

941.961.3901

kalen-construction.com

Interior Designer

Mindy Webb Design

1348 Fruitville Road, Suite 304

Sarasota, FL 34236