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Dream Home - Tuscan Charm In Western Florida
If you have ever visited Tuscany, Italy, you’ve no doubt been captivated by charming gardens and olive groves and unspoiled views of the surrounding hills and valleys.
Most people that visit the region often fantasize about living there, or at least bringing a piece of it home. Such was the case with Ed and Rosemary Cox, who brought a bit of Tuscany into western Florida in their new 8,500-square-foot dream home. The Cox’s home is located in the Port Royal community of Naples, FL. For many years, Mr. and Mrs. Cox had a home on the east coast of Florida, just north of Miami. When they decided that they wanted to relocate to Florida’s west coast, they spent a couple of “seasons” renting homes to find the perfect location. They found it in Port Royal, on a beautiful lot overlooking Gordon’s Pass. From the beginning, the Cox’s were set upon creating the look and feel of a Tuscan Villa in their new home. With the help of an architect, designer, and builder, that has been done. With wrought iron adorned throughout the house to give the old-world look and feel; warm yellow, tan, and orange colors; and the creative use of special wood, the Cox’s new dream home is one that feels as if it was built many years before. Every inch of the home is designed to impress, while at the same time creating a warm atmosphere and at-home feel. “ I had seen a few Tuscan-style homes on the Miami coast for years, and I really like that look,” says Mrs. Cox. “Plus, we’ve traveled to Italy and seen Tuscan villas. They’re so elegant. When it came time for us to build this house, that’s what I wanted. I also knew that I wanted stainless-steel appliances, because we have stainless-steel in our home in Jackson Hole, WY, and we’ve enjoyed that as well.” While building a new home can be a challenge, Mr. and Mrs. Cox say they enjoyed building this home because they knew exactly what they wanted, having built three previous homes. “ After it’s all said and done, I wouldn’t change anything about this home,” says Mrs. Cox. “After three homes and this one, I’ve got it down pat,” she jokes. “We put a lot of thought into building it and we improved upon the process with each home that we’ve built.” The Cox’s also knew that they wanted plenty of usable living space, given the fact that they have 10 children and 27 grandchildren! “We have a big family that visits often,” says Mrs. Cox. “It was important to us that we have comfortable areas for our children and grandchildren.” One of those areas, of course, is the main kitchen...
A Kitchen from a Tuscan Villa “ While we eat out quite a bit when it’s just the two of us, the kitchen is still used very often,” Mrs. Cox says. “I wanted the kitchen to be elegant, but functional, and not just for show. And, we entertain frequently, so it was something that we paid a lot of attention to when we planned the house.”That attention to detail is evident, with distinctive features such as an island in the center of the 676-square-foot kitchen, surrounded by appliances, countertops, and Alder wood cabinetry. The wood cabinetry alone tells a unique story: as Alder wood is available mostly in the western part of the U.S., the cabinetry was manufactured in Jackson Hole, WY and then shipped to Naples. “Alder wood is a great wood to use because you can pretty much do anything with finishes on it, especially creating the old-world look that the Cox’s wanted,” says Kathleen Snyder of Signature Colour and Design, the designer of the home. “It’s used prominently in Wyoming homes.” Exposed beams with Pecky Cypress wood in the ceiling add height to the kitchen. A Craftmade ceiling fan keeps air circulating, while cathedral-shaped windows above the kitchen sink provide a view of an entertainment area outside. A breakfast nook just a few feet from the main kitchen area allows the Cox’s and their guests to eat with a bit of privacy, yet with easy access to the appliances. The kitchen design was done primarily by Mrs. Cox with help from Ms. Snyder, particularly the appliance purchases. “I didn’t use a kitchen designer, because after building three other homes, I knew exactly where I wanted everything, such as the sink near the trash compactor with the dishwasher near, and the stove closest to the sink,” says Mrs. Cox. “I also knew that I wanted a trash compactor, which is something that none of our previous homes had.” But, she adds, Ms. Snyder and her architect, John Cooney of Stofff-Cooney Architects were instrumental in assisting with her appliance purchases, which includes high-end brands such as Viking, Thermador, Bosch, and Sub-Zero. The result is Tuscan charm and modern convenience blended seamlessly into a custom-filled, fully functional kitchen.
The focal point of the kitchen is a Viking 48-inch range/cooktop with six burners and 12-inch wide char-grill that provides commercial-type cooking power. Drawers beneath the stove store spices or matchboxes. Stainless-steel burners with electric spark ignition accommodate an infinite range of settings, a VariSimmer™ setting provides gentle, even simmering on all surface burners across the entire cooking vessel surface, and an automatic electric spark re-ignition allows burners to be lit at any position on the knob and re-lit if extinguished. Other cooking needs are met by a Thermador double-oven with a microwave in the top oven. The 30-inch black double convection oven with microwave upper can convection bake, broil, and roast. “We use that all of the time,” says Mrs. Cox. “It’s placed at the perfect height, is convection cooking, and is self-cleaning. It’s perfect for cooking most of our meals. We’ve had Thermador in all of our homes.” For cleanup, the main sink and the island sink both have In-Sink-Erator disposers, in addition to a trash compactor, which is increasingly finding its way back into kitchens, especially high-end kitchens such as this. In fact, the Viking Professional Series Trash Compactor is one appliance that Mrs. Cox specifically requested. It allows for loading of small items without opening the large trash drawer, a 1.7-cubic-foot trash drawer, may be used with or without bags, and has a breakaway trash basket. It easily holds the weekly trash of a family of four. A high-torque motor reduces trash to approximately one-fourth its original size in 35 seconds. While the compactor could not be hidden behind the cabinetry, its stainless-steel look still blends well into the kitchen décor. The kitchen’s refrigeration needs are met by a Sub-Zero refrigerator, a Sub-Zero freezer with two freezer drawers, and two refrigerator drawers within the center island, behind the main sink. All are integrated behind wood cabinetry. The look is so seamless that, upon first glance, it’s difficult to find the refrigerator without opening it. “ The refrigerators are my favorite appliances,” admits Mrs. Cox. And with good reason. The Sub-Zero refrigerator with icemaker, model 700TR, is as top of the line as you can get, as the Sub-Zero name not only emits quality, but high-end style as well. It features an integrated design to provide a seamless look, in addition to a tall refrigerator unit with upper cabinet refrigerator and refrigerator storage drawers, a refrigeration system with two temperature zones to ensure fresh food and energy efficiency, up-front electronic controls for easy use, flat-to-the-ceiling bright lighting in the cabinets and the drawers, and a door alarm that tells you when a door or drawer is left open. Inside, a deli drawer allows for storage of smaller items, while a removable crisper cover with a clear view window can be used in either storage drawer. The Sub-Zero freezer, model 700 TFI, is an upper freezer cabinet with two freezer drawers beneath. In total, it provides more than 15 cubic feet of freezer space. It also features up-front electronic controls, a removable divider in the top storage drawer, flat-to-the-ceiling bright lighting in the cabinet and the drawers, and a door alarm. The kitchen’s center island, where most of the food preparation takes place, features a sink and two Sub-Zero refrigerator drawers, model 700BR. Refrigerator drawers are increasingly gaining popularity, especially for storing fruits and vegetables and extra groceries. The Cox’s refrigerator drawers often house vegetables and other “spill-over” items from the main refrigerators, and are especially handy, says Mrs. Cox, when she entertains. “I never thought that I’d need such additional refrigeration space, but I’m really happy that I have it,” she says. A Bosch three-cycle Integra Design dishwasher makes cleanup easy. With concealed controls, an uninterrupted full-length wrap-around door, and a softly contoured handle, the dishwasher is as beautiful as it is quiet. Bosch is especially known for its quiet dishwashers that are so quiet that consumers often question whether they are working. “This is certainly the quietest dishwasher we’ve had,” says Mrs. Cox. “It also cleans our dishes well. I don’t have any complaints with it.” With the dishwasher, model VUC181, all of the controls are on the upper door rim so that the appliance can be fully integrated. Therefore, the dishwasher is seamlessly blended with the cabinetry, and in this case, the entire kitchen. Not seen, and certainly not heard. The Bosch Integra Design uses an audible end signal to indicate the completion of a cycle, which is necessitated by its quiet operation. The silent operation is attributed to the company’s sound reduction technology and a suspension motor. The only two appliances that sit on the kitchen countertops, and rightly so, are a Krups coffee maker and a Cuisinart four-slice toaster. Overall, each appliance works well with the others due to the positioning, making it easy for the Cox’s to cook and maneuver around the kitchen.
Butler’s Pantry In the past, a Butler’s Pantry was a storeroom connected with the kitchen, especially in a large home, for preparing tea and beverages and for storing liquors and preserves. That may be the case with some older Butler’s Pantry’s, but increasingly, these spaces are being designed into homes for much more. They are an extension of the kitchen, and are often the main area used when entertaining.The Cox’s Butler’s Pantry was always in the original plans for the home, along with several appliances. “I like having a warming drawer in there,” says Mrs. Cox. “Originally, I didn’t want to have a dishwasher in there, but looking back, it might have been a good idea since there’s a lot of walking distance from the dining room to the kitchen.” “ Still, the Butler’s Pantry is one of my more useful rooms for when I entertain,” she adds. “When I have dinner parties, I do the cooking myself and my warming drawer helps me. I’m not a gourmet cook, but I can hold my own,” she jokes. The 105-square-foot Butler’s Pantry features a Viking 30-inch stainless-steel warming drawer, model VEWD102, which keeps food at a warm temperature without cooking it. It’s perfect for a small dish that has been prepared ahead of time. It provides temperature settings from 90 to 250 degrees F to accommodate all types of food, with a low setting for plate warming or bread proofing and a high setting for keeping soups and sauces hot. Its size is perfect for such a room, at 20 1/2-inches wide by 6-inches high by 22-1/2 inches deep. A moisture-selector control regulates the amount of moisture released from the drawer, and adjustments can be made without opening the drawer and affecting the interior temperature and humidity. A Sub-Zero 245 undercounter stainless-steel refrigerator/freezer in the Butler’s Pantry is perfect for storing sodas, bottled water, party trays, and other items for entertaining. It includes a 3-cubic-foot refrigerator, 1.9-cubic-foot freezer, and auto defrost. It offers a 24-inch depth-true design for a complete built-in look. An automatic icemaker provides an ample supply of crescent-shaped ice.
Entertainment, Family, and Fun As Mr. and Mrs. Cox often enjoy having their children, grandchildren, and friends visit, they wanted several areas and ways in which to help them entertain.One such room is the 306-square-foot Media Room, which is located between the kitchen and the family room, and includes a projection television system, a CD player that plays music throughout each room in the home, and several “theater-style” chairs. “ The Media Room was always in our original plans,” Mrs. Cox says. “We use it the most when our kids are in town, but often, Ed and I rent movies and watch them in there.” More Editorials |
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