36th Annual Siesta Fiesta!

Don't miss the Siesta Fiesta Art Festival This Saturday and Sunday!

Things Are Heating Up!

The beginning of spring signals longer days and warmer weather coming our way. You'll want to soften harsh sunlight and repel the sun’s heat with Hunter Douglas Designer Screen Shades, the right window treatment can make a big difference!!! Call or email us to get some for your home.

A peaceful place to relax

Some shade without blocking your beautiful view

A comfortable work space

Sarasota Kitchen Tour, featuring Cheryl Gaddie!

Take the opportunity to view this stunning award-winning kitchen designed by Cheryl Gaddie of CG Designs this weekend, located at 320 Calle Miramar on Siesta Key. The Simply Sarasota Kitchen and Garden Festival is an event hosted by the Junior League of Sarasota, offering visitors an opportunity to view some of the area's most noteworthy homes. Guests will also be provided with helpful party planning techniques, creative demonstrations for table setting and entertaining, craft ideas, and much more. Tickets are available for $20 at the door, and all proceeds will benefit the not-for-profit Junior League's efforts in nutritional outreach and education for the local Sarasota community. For more information, please visit http://www.jlsarasota.org.

Simply Sarasota Kitchen & Garden Festival

March 22, 2013 - 10AM-3PM

March 23, 2013 - 10AM-4PM

Congratulations Cheryl Gaddie! 

Please also join me in congratulating Cheryl on her award-winning kitchen as featured in the 2013 SRQ Magazine Home of the Year!  

Cheryl Gaddie

Board of Architecture and Interior Design

License # IB26001444

www.cherylgaddiedesigns.com

-Carrie  

HGTV Dream Home 2013

Although this home isn't exactly local and it's slightly more southern transitional than contemporary, we still thought it was an interesting subject for Contemporary Sarasota. Plus, there's no denying how great it would be to win this year's HGTV Dream Home on Kiawah Island, South Carolina! The network describes this year's prize as a "low-country zen cottage". The house sleeps 10 comfortably and has ample party and entertaining space. The color palette really takes advantage of the natural surroundings and at times gets bold, which adds that perfect element of playfulness for a vacation getaway! To finish things off, the property is surrounded in a lush southern landscape, which can easily be enjoyed from the numerous terraces and outdoor deck spaces.  

Guest Bedroom Suite 

Elegant Guest Bath

Master Bedroom 

Gorgeous Master Bath 

View From Master Shower 

Twin Bedroom 

Love This Color Combo! 

View of Kitchen and Dining 

Close Up of Dining Space 

Great Room with Marsh View 

Great Room with View to Upstairs Loft

Entry to Great Room

Comfortable Living Space 

Kitchen

Main Floor Powder Room 

Front Entry

Upstairs Hallway

Extra Bunk Space 

TV Loft with Sleeper Sofa 

Playroom with Ping Pong!

Relaxed Outdoor Living

Master Deck 

Deck View 

Home Exterior

What are your thoughts on this year's HGTV Dream Home? Do you have a favorite room? Would you do anything differently?

Let us know if you will cast a vote in hopes of winning this house, plus a GMC Acadia, and $500,000 in cash! Voting takes place daily now through February 15th at:
http://www.hgtv.com/dream-home/index.html


All photos (C) 2013 Scripps Networks, LLC. 


-Carrie 

Our Vision Becomes A Reality

We are pleased to share the long awaited unveiling of 320 Calle Miramar. This custom designed Siesta Key residence was created by Cheryl Gaddie of CG Designs. Architect, Mark H. Smith of Smith-Architects developed all plans, elevations, and renderings for the property. The home was built by Dan Gerdes of Gerdes Construction. All teams worked together seamlessly to create this contemporary coastal masterpiece, located just steps from Siesta Key beach. 

Exterior View From Lap Pool

Chef's Kitchen

Custom Brushed Stainless Steel Island

First Floor Master Bedroom Suite

Open Air Master Bath

Master Soaking Tub

Open Concept Living Room

Staircase 

Upstairs Bar

Pool Table and Office Loft Space 

Front Entrance 

Photos simply don't do this beautiful home justice. One must visit this exquisite residence in order to experience the breathtaking views of the Siesta Key skyline, the incredible reclaimed wood loft floors, the custom concrete and shell staircase, the super chic powder room, and every single sophisticated architectural and design detail. Congratulations to the team on a job very well done! 

Here's hoping for a win in this year's SRQ Home of The Year competition! Stay tuned. 

All photos by 414 FOTO studio. 

-Carrie 

Colors of Siesta Key

The eclectic styles and array of colors for our private residences and various condominiums contribute to Siesta Key’s charming appeal. Although there are only a few codes or rules that monitor color choices on private homes, should personal preference be your only consideration?

Home owners use different approaches when choosing colors for the exteriors of their homes. Mr. Hani Rihan chose to paint his home after purchasing in 2004. He went to the selections of Lowes Color Palettes and chose a suggested combination that he felt enhanced his home, landscaping and surrounding neighborhood. “I thought it was going to be ugly”, was Mr. Rihan’s first comment when he began painting. However after his completion, he appreciates the enhancement the colors have made in identifying the different architectural features.

The controversy will always be personal preference of you and your neighbor when painting exteriors. Interior colors are your own personal space, neighborhoods are shared.

So often we believe neutral is best, that it is risk free. However the beauty of color is appreciated by all. Well, maybe except for the neighbor who does not like color!

The houses have come a long way. The interior framing is completed, wires are being pulled... And now we are painting exteriors. It isn't easy attempting to tie in color with the neighborhood and still make the color palatable. So more often than not, I will blend with the colors of nature in the area.

Architecture is a beautiful element of design. There are times when architecture needs nothing more than the brilliance of sunlight or the casts from colors of natural surroundings.


Before you enhance your home with color, take all aspects of architecture and design into consideration. If you choose not to consult with a professional, it is simple to access information online. There is a plethora of websites with good advice available.


Three key points to remember:
· Focus on a combination of 2-3 colors that enhance your architecture
· Light colors add size, dark colors create drama
· Borrow from the nature that created one of the most beautiful places in the world!



Happy Holidays!!!