Walking into the foyer, a custom metal and glass front door mixes old world with an updated twist: glass doors that go from clear to opaque with the flip of a switch. Not wanting to erase all the existing character, we kept certain elements like wood paneling, fireplaces, and dramatic bookcases. New finishes including dark wood, porcelain marble, custom wallpaper, and a dimensional lava backsplash set a moody and sophisticated tone.

The stained wall paneling on the double staircase was painted dark and we added more paneling to the adjacent spaces for better visual connection. The living room is a decidedly brighter space, anchored by dark parquet wood floors with two white curved Baker sofas, and framed linen wallpaper above the marble fireplace. Flow was improved with two new openings between the living and family rooms, as well as removing the wall between the kitchen and dining room. New expansive sliders in the breakfast room look out to the soon-to-be updated backyard and pool area.

The custom kitchen and dining room mural is intended to evoke the natural and quiet landscape of “Old Florida” and what a misty Sarasota morning would have looked like when Bertha Palmer first settled at the nearby Spanish Point. Amenities shared among the kitchen, family room and beverage area include two dishwashers, two 150-bottle True wine refrigerators, an ice maker, a Sub-zero refrigerator, six refrigerated drawers, a microwave drawer, and a Zip faucet (on demand boiling, cold and sparkling water). A mudroom provides more storage and organization for the side entrance.