Art in Architecture: Bringing a Fresh Perspective to Port Royal
As featured in Home & Design Magazine, May of 2016
See complete story and photos online: http://www.homeanddesign.net/art-in-architecture/
A breath of fresh air blew through a once-staid neighborhood when Stofft Cooney Architects and BCB Homes, Inc. joined forces to create this stunning contemporary home in Naples’ Port Royal.
Featuring 9,141 square feet of under air living, this seven bedroom, eight-and-a-half bath home was designed and built for a young family with active children, who often entertain, host regular out-of-town visitors, and who wanted a contemporary home with a modern look and a cozy feel.
“The terms ‘modern’ and ‘cozy’ aren’t often found in the same sentence,” laughs John Cooney, a partner of Stofft Cooney Architects. “The use of stained woods, natural stone, and natural light give this expansive home warmth while keeping true to a contemporary genre. My firm was intimately involved with all aspects of the architecture, including the interiors. This was a fun and gratifying project for myself and my associates.”
Such a modern minimalist approach required builder Joe Smallwood to think outside the box when running plumbing, air conditioning ducts, electrical wiring, and geothermal heating for the pool out of view.
“It required great precision by many tradespeople to pull it all together,” says Smallwood, “but, in the end, we enjoyed working with the visionary owners and the cutting-edge technology necessary to construct their complex and beautiful home.”
All ground floor rooms in this stunning home open onto the spectacular outdoor area, overlooking Galleon Cove. A complete summer kitchen with outdoor dining area overlooks the magnificent geothermal-heated pool. To the far left of the pool, a sandy “beach” entry is perfect for the youngest children while the far right provides a water shelf for adults to enjoy sunning in chaise lounges. At the center of the pool, the dividing white line delineates the 75-foot lap lane following USA Swimming regulations. A water feature, fire ribbon, and turf area for the children complete this magnificent area.
The flat-roofed loggia, extending from the front entrance, covers the limestone entry courtyard installed by Limestone Dimensions. Uplit stainless steel columns and statuary make this into a modern sculpture garden. The emerald-hued water feature is a feast for the eyes and, via the white noise it creates, one for the ears as well.
A huge saltwater aquarium holds center stage in the great room’s living area, serving as home to the owner’s collection of tropical fish and a room divider separating this room from the billiard’s room just behind. A cocoa leather sectional, twin leather recliners, all by B&B Italia, the simple glass and chrome coffee table by Roche Bobois and the tone-on-tone silk rug suits the family’s causal lifestyle.
The kitchen and dining area share this vast space, giving true definition to the term ‘great room’. The two-story space, with a 22-foot ceiling, is awash in light from clerestory windows. The custom mahogany drop sail panels serve several purposes: They bring LED lighting closer to the seating area and visually lower the ceiling height down to what the architect calls a “more human scale”. Cable LED lights also ring the room for added illumination. Stained walnut panels delineates the entertainment center with a TV descending in front of the aquarium. The floor is an American oil-rubbed walnut and continues through to the kitchen, where the quartzite island provides seating for a crowd of friends and family and is used for gatherings instead of a formal dining room. Brushed stainless steel railings hold the glass panels and walnut wood stairs leading upstairs to the children’s lounge and bedrooms.
See Complete Story and Photos Online: http://www.homeanddesign.net/art-in-architecture/
