Florida Design Magazine Vol. 14, No. 2 Page 3
"A BEACHFRONT SANCTUARY ",
 
 
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ABOVE: A woven-leather area rug delineates the dining area of the Great Room. Contemporary chairs surround a table from Matteo Grassi. The Great Room also includes the family room to the left and the living area to the right.
 
 
Located on Florida’s Gulf Coast, Gasparilla Island was once a legendary hideaway for treasure-seeking buccaneers. The pirates are long gone, but the island remains a haven for the residents of Boca Grande, a tiny village located in the center of the island.
Long familiar with this area, a Connecticut couple wanted to build a new winter home that would harmonize with the island’s natural environment and historical flavor. “With such a great natural setting, we wanted our house to have a very organic quality, and to be a welcoming destination for family and friends,” the husband says.

To achieve this, they retained architect Brian Kowalchuk and interior designer Chelon F. Rieniets. “There was an existing house on the property, but the owners wanted to build a new one that would fit in with the Florida Cracker vernacular,” says Kowalchuk, who had previously worked with the owners. “For the interior, they wanted to use cypress wood for the walls and ceilings, and angle each room so it had a water view.”
Built on concrete pilings, the three-story house makes a contemporary statement with its geometric design and open floor plan. In sync with its

 
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