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Fall 2021
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In an age where building plans can be downloaded from the internet and generic CAD drawings churned out of every printer, Architect Jeff Clark of Arcadia Design still carries a sketchbook. “I jot down ideas that come to me, think them over, sometimes put them away and revisit them later when I am presented with a new project,” he explains. “I like the original architecture of coastal Florida like those created by Addison Mizner (1872-1933) who was Beaux Artstrained. The traditional forms are not wholly modern nor generic, nor canned, but related to the climate and culture, organically and authentically. A home should have a sense of the place where it is found.” u
Front Elevation: This two-story coastal transitional home has 4,211 square feet under air with four bedrooms, six baths, and outdoor living entertainment spaces, bringing the total square footage of this property to 5,339. Dark gray Tremron roof tiles and burnished blue pavers by Allied Pavers are set against a creamy white exterior while burnished bronze window and door frames by Andersen Windows & Doors — sourced locally through Florida Wood Window & Door — recall a cherished Old Florida style. Rendering: Architect Jeff Clark was co-developer on the project. “When I get to do a spec home, I think of myself as the client and get to choose things based on my own proclivities,” he says. “Here I used lots of windows and glass, for an airy feel, and to suit the home’s environment. I wanted the home to look natural in its setting.” Clark’s vision of a light-filled home became a reality. 264
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AN ARTIST’S EYE A GRACEFUL, SYMMETRICAL RESIDENCE RISES IN OLD NAPLES
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Den: Wide gallery windows flood this executive den with daylight, and evenings are bathed in a warm glow by a Palecek chandelier made of mixed wooden beads, suspended by the Phillip Jeffries grasscloth ceiling panels. A trademark specific to Lisa Ficarra of Ficarra Design Associates can be found in the ceiling beams — they alternate between shallow and deeper depths for visual interest. — they alternate between shallow and deeper depths for visual interest. Textured linen chairs and a tree trunk table from the Phillips Collection front a faux shagreen console table desk. A patterned driftwood credenza adds storage and reduces clutter. Great Room: One’s eyes are drawn upward to the 24-foot ceiling highlighted by pecky cypress beams and a 40-inch round branch chandelier in this voluminous great room. A built-in bookshelf and bench flank the porcelain fireplace wall with the space above it purposely left blank. Ficarra says, “Not every wall has to be filled. Just like silence can add to a conversation, so can white space add to great design.” Woven seagrass chairs and a Vanguard sofa with wrap-around curves add seating in this subtle neutral space.
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Kitchen: The Castle Plank flooring by BOEN Hardwood is finished in Oak Old Grey and echoes the wood seen in the island and custom-range hood. The rest of the kitchen boasts pristine white cabinetry and Sub-Zero and Wolf appliances from Ferguson Bath, Kitchen & Lighting Gallery. The checkerboard tone-on-tone backsplash adds textured dimension without adding unwanted color. The island countertop, illuminated from above by Visual Comfort pendants, complements the rich brown earth tones found in the three upholstered chairs. “After the pandemic, people just feel jagged and want to be soothed by their furnishings and fabrics,” Ficarra says. “They want to come home and feel surrounded by warm color and comfort.” Dining Room: A Made Goods chandelier, complete with beads and raffia shavings, hangs above the maple table in this welcoming dining room. Host and hostess chairs feature sloping arms while open-back side chairs are upholstered in blue, gold, and white chenille velvet and complete seating for eight. A shiplap ceiling with painted wood beams contrast the dark framed pocketing doors to the pool deck and outdoor dining area.
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To that end, Clark designed a light and airy coastal transitional home with an open floor plan for this Port Royal site, complete with an offset side entry that includes a portico and an expansive bay window. Clark, a former professor of architecture, says the flow that bridges the inside of a home to the principle outdoor space is very important to good residential design, as is a touch of artistry — an undefinable ingredient introduced by an architect. As developing partner to Mike Assaad of Waterside Builders, Clark devises a big-picture plan and Assad brings Clark’s concept to fruition. The pair have worked together on past projects and Clark is Assaad’s biggest fan. “Mike is educated, professional, and very hardworking. We collaborate so very well. I admire him tremendously,” says Clark. The feeling is mutual. Assaad communicated with Clark from his Boston headquarters during the pandemic by phone and email only. Their shared trust, built over previous projects, came in handy. “There were plenty of challenges with materials and manpower building this spec home during the shutdown,” Assaad said, “but I knew Jeff’s plans would be perfect and I could rely on that.” Assaad and Clark also counted on another member of the triad — Interior Designer Lisa Ficarra of Ficarra Design Associates. “Mike and I have enjoyed working on many projects together, and when this particular project came up, he gave me a call and said he had a great project he thought I would be interested in,” says Ficarra. “That’s when he introduced me to Jeff and we worked together on the floor plan and interior details. He was a pleasure to work with, and I am very pleased with the finished product.” u homeanddesign.net
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Master Bedroom: Pecky cypress panels and the white-washed beams add a slight slope and visual contrast to the vaulted ceiling in this master bedroom. A Century canopy bed with upholstered head and foot boards takes pride of place in this neutral space while a Vanguard bench and twin armchairs — upholstered in geometric patterned textured cotton — offer cozy seating at the end of a long day. Kravet raw silk bedding and an Ann Gish quilt dress the bed which rests on a custom rug from Designers’ Rug Center for soft footing.
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Master Bathroom: Proving the peak of luxe glamour, seashell patterned grasscloth adorns the walls of this lavish master bath. Two under-mount sinks with Kohler polished nickel fixtures are set into the quartzite countertop above icy white cabinetry. Polished chrome and white glass sconces by Visual Comfort flank John-Richard arabesque mirrors. A rectangular soaking tub with a convenient step-up addition sits atop a white Thassos porcelain floor comprised of 24” x 48” tiles by Coastal Stone. The double vanity’s countertop adds subtle hues in tones of periwinkle blue, soft gray, and lustrous white. A crystal rod chandelier lights the scene and adds to the jewel-box effect in this sophisticated room, as does the large glassed-in shower by Builders Glass of Bonita that features Kohler fixtures. homeanddesign.net
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Loft: Clark says owners today want no space wasted in their homes, and he designed this flexible loft to accommodate those wishes. This space is bordered by an iron baluster and furnished with an inviting seating group, making it a perfect meeting space for guests to mingle.
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“Lisa is very creative and understands the high-end luxury homebuilding market well,” says Assaad. “I knew her design would be unique and appealing and, despite some trying times, my collaboration with Lisa and Jeff has had a very happy ending.” Before the building of the home was even finished, Assaad got a call on a Sunday. He ran down to the property with his iPad, gave a quick tour of the home to a potential buyer in Massachusetts, and barely got back out to the street before the house was sold for beyond full asking price — $5.5 million — beating out a previous potential buyer. “Demand is going off the charts and prices are going up with no sign of stopping,” says Assaad. “I’ve been at this since 1995 and have never seen anything like this. The pentup demand of the pandemic means people are turning their backs on their homes up north and never looking back. They are snapping up houses in Southwest Florida as fast as they can be built.” n This home was sold by Chris Wells | Olde Naples Real Estate.
Guest Bedroom: The Vanguard bed in this guest room has upholstered half rounds in mushroom Kravet Couture fabric covering its frame, and crisp organic linens dress the bed. A whitewashed resin tree trunk table services the silver rattan armchair. Underfoot is a latticework sisal and cotton rug from Designers’ Rug Center.
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Written by Kitt Walsh Photography by Blaine Johnathan Photography Interior Design Ficarra Design Associates 633 Tamiami Trail North, Suite 200 Naples, FL 34102 239.643.3450 ficarradesignassociates.com
Builders Glass of Bonita 24181 South Tamiami Trail, Suite 4 Bonita Springs, FL 34134 239.947.1505 buildersglassbonita.com
Luxury Home Builder
Coastal Stone 371 Commercial Boulevard, Suite B Naples, FL 34104 239.596.7700 coastalstoneinc.com
Waterside Builders 1400 Gulfshore Boulevard North, Suite 106 Naples, FL 34102 239.430.3883 watersidebuildersinc.com
Designers’ Rug Center 732 9th Street North Naples, FL 34102 239.434.9584 designersrugcenter.com
Architect
Ferguson Bath, Kitchen & Lighting Gallery 38 Goodlette-Frank Road South Naples, FL 34102 239.963.0087 build.com/ferguson
Arcadia Design Group 330 Bear Hill Road, Suite 202 Waltham, MA 02451 781.647.7494 arcadiadesigninc.com Resources: Allied Paver Systems 217 North Collier Boulevard, Suite 102 Marco Island, FL 34146 239.394.6152 alliedpavers.com
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Florida Wood Window & Door Andersen Windows & Doors 5691 Halifax Avenue Fort Myers, FL 33912 239.437.6166 fwwdinc.com Olde Naples Real Estate 536 Park Street Naples, FL 34102 239.262.2252 oldenaplesrealestate.com
Outdoor Living: The star of the outdoor living area is the two-toned stacked stone wall with its Isokern Fireplace offering the perfect place for warm conversations on cool evenings. Open-back bucket chairs in outdoor rattan with ivory Sunbrella cushions surround an ossified tree trunk in a silvery gray finish. The adjacent outdoor kitchen has a 36-inch Alfresco Grill, Blanco sink, and under-counter refrigerator to service an outdoor dining group under a stained cypress tongue-and-groove ceiling. Rear Elevation: The massive outdoor living space hosts a large pool, spa, and soaking sun deck. “The site has a northern exposure allowing for a generous outdoor entertainment area,” says Assaad. Shellstone lines the deck with Lunada Bay rectangular tiles shimmering in an array of blue hues in the pool itself. Hubbardton Forge Lighting wall sconces match those at the front of the home and light the way around the deck to the separate guest cabana above the garage.
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