From Portofino to Florida

One of the key advantages of living in a temperate climate is the close connection you can have with the outdoors. Houses are invariably designed to provide an easy flow between inside and out and much of the living takes place outdoors.

This Italian-style waterfront house was designed to make the most of this connection. Not only do many of the living areas open up to the landscaped pool terrace and the view beyond, but also colors and materials are repeated inside and out.

The exterior of the house features a traditional Mediterranean terra cotta roof and gold plastered walls with green eaves colored to resemble patinated copper. The house also has extensive stone detailing, with stone window and door surrounds, columns and balustrades.

Interior designers Mark Hulsey and Scott Hall say these materials and colors provided the inspiration for the interior, which they were given free rein to design.

"Coming into this new home project at an early stage meant we could rework the floor plan and alter walls and doors to suit the owners' requirements," says Hulsey.

Like the exterior, the interior features classically inspired Corinthian columns and arched openings, with hand-carved limestone door and window surrounds. Limestone also features on the mouldings and decorative fireplace mantels in the reception rooms.

To create an appropriate backdrop for the furnishings, many of which are ornate, the design team specified traditional Venetian plaster walls. Peruvian travertine flooring was also chosen to replicate the look of a traditional European villa.

Hulsey says the designers specified a mix of reproduction and antique furniture and accessories. In the main living room, for example, a reproduction bachelor's chest sits beneath antique French mirrors and Rose Medallion porcelain.

Nomi Fortuna Teal draperies echo the soft terra cotta, green-blue and pale gold of the exterior. This room also features an antique Italian cocktail table and an antique carved French chair covered in Manuel Canovas Junko terra cotta fabric. An Oriental Oushak rug brings together the three key colors.

The formal dining room, with its large, vaulted ceiling, has a quiet, understated look. An antique beaded chandelier forms the centerpiece above an Italian dining table and chairs with a custom-designed Florio Collection embroidery on leather and solid raw silk.

Hulsey says much of the family living is centered on a room called the outdoor living room. Although it can be closed off from the elements, this room is designed to be opened right up to the terrace.

"The glass doors to the outside, and to the adjoining outdoor kitchen, slide into recessed pockets so they are completely hidden from view when open," says Hulsey. "This makes the space look and feel just like an outside room even the furnishings are weather resistant. However, the room can be closed and climate controlled if required."

In keeping with the traditional look, both the main and outdoor kitchens, designed by Heather Hungeling of Clive Christian, feature handcrafted solid wood cabinets. In the main kitchen, Antique Honey oak is paired with Antique English Green painted cabinets.

"This is the more formal of the two kitchens," says Hungeling. "To provide visual continuity, the kitchen incorporates similar stonework to the other rooms in the house."

The formality is enhanced by a sense of symmetry the wide door opening is flanked by an integrated refrigerator and freezer. The symmetrical furniture-style island incorporates a dining table with a similar Verde Laguna granite top to the perimeter cabinets.

Soft green, blue and gold shades also define the master suite, which incorporates a private sitting room. The color palette of this suite was inspired by the Cowtan & Tout fabric that features on the duvet cover, draperies and pillows.

Hulsey says the original design for the suite included a fireplace between the bedroom and sitting room.

"This made the sitting room seem a lot smaller and more enclosed," he says. "Removing the fireplace and redesigning the arches opened up the suite and made it more spacious, while still keeping an intimate feel. It also means the owners can enjoy the view from the bed."

Special furniture pieces in the suite include an antique armoire, which now accommodates a television, and an antique French display cabinet.

Story by: Trendsideas