One of The Mediterra's most elaborately designed rooms is the formal dining room, which features Venetian plaster walls and a converging barrel vault ceiling embellished with an intricate, hand-painted design inspired by antique tiles from Spain. The Spanish marble floor features an inlaid water jet marble design.
|
|||||
|
The heart of this magnificent, 12,143-square-foot, spec-built turnkey home at Stone Creek Ranch is a spacious central courtyard that serves as an enchanting open-air extension of the $11.8 million residence's living space and transforms this rambling estate into a personal resort. With its distinctive focal-point fountain, sculpted pool, pavilion and spa, numerous loggias, walkways and terraces, this interior courtyard provides the ideal outdoor complement to the home's luxurious living space.
"Without a doubt, the design theme for this home was intended to be more grandiose and impressive than that of a conventional courtyard configuration," says Randy Stofft, architect of The Mediterra. "We really wanted to push the limits and make this project a real tropical paradise."
"This is not your typical courtyard plan," agrees builder Steve Charlse, who took advantage of the substantially sized site by encouraging Stofft to design the sprawling, eight-bedroom, Mediterranean-inspired residence to "spread out over the lot."
The home is one of the four estate-size residences built to introduce Stone Creek Ranch.
The Mediterra features a U-shaped footprint in which the living space surrounds the inner courtyard on three sides. The approach to the home begins with a two-level colonnade and bridge, which connects the main residence to a detached, two-story exercise pavilion with a separate guesthouse on the upper level.
Progressing through the courtyard leads to the formal entry, highlighted by a circular foyer. The Mediterra features a number of distinct living spaces that begin at one end of the home and transition smoothly from one space to the next, says Stofft. These include a separate master wing, formal and informal areas, and guest suites on two levels. Stofft says he stair-stepped the rear footprint to lengthen views of the water from all the key living areas.
Custom ceilings are featured throughout the home. Even the hallways were not overlooked; the gallery has a groin-vaulted ceiling that marks the transition from the formal to informal spaces.
The Mediterra also has an elevated billiards room with a custom-built mahogany wet bar, a two-tiered home theater and a recreation room in the upper-level secondary bedroom wing.
"Our real focus for this home was on quality," Charlse says. "No expense was spared on any element because we consider this home to be a showcase."
The Mediterra was completed in January 2003.
Style of Home | Mediterranean courtyard
Location | Delray Beach, Fla.
Total Square Footage | 12,143
Sale Price | $11.8 million
Builder | Charlse+Watt Estate Homes, Boca Raton, Fla.
Architect | Randall E. Stofft Architects, Delray Beach
Interior Designer | The Decorators Unlimited, Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.
Spec-built luxury residence
Major Products Used Appliances: Gaggeneau (espresso maker/steamer), Dacor (warming drawers, electric oven), Viking (gas range), Sub-Zero (refrigerator), Miele (dishwashers) | Countertops: granite | Cabinetry: Plato Woodwork | Plumbing Fixtures: Toto | Home Controls & Automation: Lutron (lighting system), Media Systems (sound system) | HVAC: Trane | Roof: Artezano | Wine Cellar: Wine Cellar Innovations | Windows/French Doors: Eagle
Related Stories
Custom Builder
Floodproof on a Floodplain
An impressive addition to the IDEA Home series, the NEWLOOK Experience Home is a master class in engineering and creative design, with builder Michael Freiburger out-thinking an exceptionally tricky lot
Custom Builder
3 Questions Answered About Reliable Energy in Home Construction
Energy expert Bryan Cordill makes a case for why and how propane is an answer to growing concerns about reliability and resilience in home construction
Business
Custom Builder to Talk Color Design with Becki Owens at IBS
At this year's IBS, renowned designer Becki Owens will sit down with host James McClister, editor of Custom Builder, to discuss a variety of topics from basic color play in design to the Allura Spectrum palette, a collection of Sherwin-Williams colors curated for the benefit of pros
Business
PERC Highlights Sustainability and Efficiency at IBS with 'Clean Build Conversations'
Hear from industry standouts Matt Blashaw and Anthony Carrino at this hour-long Show Village event
Custom Builder
Telling a Story That Preserves the Past
Custom builder and historic restoration and preservation expert Brent Hull walks us through the careful details of his Pennsylvania Farmhouse project
Business
Defining Outdoor Living in 2024
Residential experts weigh in on outdoor living trends in new report
Construction
How to Air Seal the Garage
A poorly sealed wall or ceiling between the garage and the main house can let harmful fumes into the living space
Business
Taking Advantage of Incentives Through Weatherization
Industry insider Kristen Lewis walks us through the basics and benefits of weatherization
Custom Builder
2023: A Year of Case Studies
A look back at the custom homes and craftsman details we spotlighted last year
Customer Service
A Smart Home Built Smart
Custom builder August Homes blends efficient, high-tech home automation systems with high-performance, sustainable building strategies