WRITTEN BY Bek Mitchell-Kidd
INTERIOR DESIGN BY Amanda Webster Design
GENERAL CONTRACTOR: McAneny Builders, LLC
PHOTOGRAPHY BY Jessie Preza
Just a few blocks from the Atlantic Ocean is the house we all wish our grandparents owned. Completed in 2015, this grandkid getaway is what dreams are made of. It even has a cupcake loft—need we say more?
It’s a newly constructed, three-story modified Craftsman home. At approximately 8,400 square feet, it’s warm, textural, inviting and friendly.
Given that this is not the client’s primary residence but a place to escape with their granddaughters and three four-legged family members, creating a cheerful environment was a must. Interior designer Amanda Webster says, “As much as our client would’ve loved to look at off-white furnishings, she requested that we use colorful fabrics for the children and pets.”
One of the challenges of the site was a smaller lot and limited parking options, but once you walk in the second-level entry, all that is forgotten. Opening into the foyer, with a powder room to the left, the main entry has a white marble floor with an elevator off to the right. The console is from the Phillips collection, chamcha wood reclaimed with a live edge.
The powder room itself is a delight, with a print titled “Mermaid Dream” from Perigold and First Coast Supply white oak cabinetry with a custom gray-white stain to match the floor.
The interior doors are TruStile doors with a senior bevel panel. “We wanted to keep the paint jobs light and inviting with a semi-gloss Wedding Veil coat from Benjamin Moore,” Amanda says.
Just off the foyer is the great room which features a fireplace. A TV is positioned against a backsplash made from cement tile with a pins and needles design from Aguayo. The First Coast Supply cabinetry is custom cherry with a gray walnut stain. Amanda says, “I love the fireplace wall with TV, the handmade tile, floating mantel and custom storage and display cabinetry.”
The great room has a vaulted ceiling with handmade boxed beams. “The sectional was actually something the client picked out! It’s a pretty blue-green Emerson Bentley in chenille fabric,” Amanda says. “The throw pillows were custom designed and constructed.”
The kitchen has stop-you-in-your-tracks countertops sourced from Belmarmi. There’s an exquisite polished pitone bianoco quartzite, and the island is pietra grigio quartzite. The hexagon backsplash tile is a marble Carrara tile from Tile Market. Amanda says, “The kitchen faces north and looks out onto the front entry and garden. It’s a completely open plan, so you can look across the rooms and see the picnic table outdoors.”
The dining room overlooks the backyard deck and gardens, where the grandchildren have their own garden. The breakfast room features a restaurant-style banquette with a built-in breakfast nook.
On this same level is the master suite and bath. The master bedroom palette is a rich marine teal, with ombre velvet and golden amber accents. A porcelain wall sculpture by Gold Leaf Design Group above the bed lifts up the heavy-linen botanical drapery; the print is “Flowers of Paradise” by Chivasso and looks like a hanging watercolor landscape. The nightstand is from Curate Home Collection with a robin finish.
There is also a children’s guest bedroom and bathroom on this level. The bathroom countertops pop with an aqua speck. The flooring and shower tile is by Tile Market, in a porcelain Calcutta marble pattern. The sconces, which speak to the approachable elegance of the house, are blue blown glass by Cyan Designs. The lighting is also one of the best examples of the special detailing present throughout the design.
On the first floor is the garage, mud room, elevator, bathroom, laundry closet and additional storage.
On the third level is the “cupcake loft” which serves as a playroom, art room and party room for the grandchildren. There’s also a dramatic play area/dress-up room. Vinyl plank flooring which can be easily cleaned is used throughout the space. The backsplash is made from Milano rain drop mosaic glass and stone tile.
There is an additional guest bedroom, referred to as the “citrus suite” given the colors and prints, that also features dark driftwood and antique mirrors. The guest bathroom enchants with Florida sea glass colors and a graceful glass wall, all tied together with a recycled glass countertop. The result is a feeling of relaxed sophistication—a feeling that one could simply float away…
The home is like being in a museum of beautiful artifacts, but here you’re actually encouraged to touch things. It’s obvious that the space was created for love, life experiences and memories that will last a lifetime.
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