From Sunny Florida

project Spotlight

from sunny florida

Sunshine, sandy beaches, all with a piña colada in hand. That’s what we imagine when thinking of Florida. It is certainly lucky to have several projects in the Sunshine State! Bill took a trip to Florida this past January—a mixture of work, racing, and relaxation—which inspired us to dig a little deeper into our southernmost design projects.
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We get it. It may inspire a bit of envy to read about beautiful beachfront properties, especially when 

Exterior of House 4 at Oceanside (Credit © Oceanside)

contrasted with the drab, chilly winter here in Chicago (for the sake of journalistic integrity, I must confess that I’m currently writing about the “bleak” weather on a gorgeous 60-degree day— “false Spring”, as I’m told). Envy not, and instead join us in a daydream of the Sunshine State’s subtropical surroundings, which will hopefully offer a brief respite for us all!

You will start your journey headed due South, 

traveling down to Miami. Take Route 1 westward toward the Florida Keys, and about halfway between Key Largo and Key West, you’ll land in Islamorada, where this story takes place. Palm trees dot the landscape, and the turquoise water is so clear that you can see the fish swimming beneath. Travel just a little further through Islamorada, and you’ll come to your destination: Oceanside Resort.
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As the name suggests, the Oceanside Resort development is a subdivision of nine luxury homes that look out across the Atlantic Ocean. In your average subdivision, there would be perhaps two or three (perhaps just one) model homes to choose from; you pick your favorite and that’s that. Oceanside, however, offered something special: the opportunity to customize. Studio21 Architects was brought in for homeowners seeking a home better suited to their individual needs and styles. And as most of us would do given those same circumstances, the homeowners began to customize.
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Before we get ahead of ourselves, let’s add in a little backstory. How did this Downers Grove-based architecture firm end up designing in the Florida Keys? As many professional and personal relationships begin, this too started with friends of friends and mutual connections. Introduced through networking, Bill met one of the future Oceanside 

Rendering of one of Oceanside's homes. (Credit © studio21architects)

developers, Mike Boro, and they shared a common philosophy about design. Before Oceanside Resort, Mike was looking to make his Coral Cove home better suited to his lifestyle. He asked Bill for his recommendations, and with just a few architectural changes, like a change to the stairs, they turned a good design into a great one.
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Fast forward a little more, and we are at Oceanside’s beginnings. Mike partnered with Oceanside’s other developers and in turn, brought Studio21 Architects into the fold for our customization expertise. Defining your own sense of home played a key role in the Oceanside development; Studio21 Architects created tailored designs for eight of the nine Oceanside homes. Between those eight, some of the homeowners simply wanted small adjustments, like changing a bar to a dining area or moving a closet. On the other hand, other homeowners sought major modifications, like adding a third floor or shifting the staircase from one side of the house to the other.

The team at Oceanside graciously sent us some photos of House #4 (thank you, Bobbi and Ralph!). While we only have space for a couple of them in this article, you can click here to see the entire gorgeous gallery on Oceanside’s website. Let's start with the expansive porch, complete with its own pool—something we all would want in our own oceanfront oasis. Through the sliding glass doors, we open into the open-concept first floor; the first floor also houses one of the guest bedrooms. Upstairs, we have the remaining three bedrooms, each one with an ensuite bathroom. The primary suite has dual closets and opens out to the fifty-foot-long balcony. Needless to say, in this home there are multiple vantage points for the gorgeous Islamorada landscape!​

Island-Chic Kitchen in House 4 (Credit © Oceanside)

Living Space in House 4 (Credit © Oceanside)

We can’t talk about Oceanside Resort without delving a little deeper into those aforementioned major modifications. We’re an architecture firm; of course we love some personalized design! Mike’s house is certainly the focal point for modifications of the major variety, being a champion of customizations that he is; it’s a running joke at the site that Mike needs to have his red pen banned so construction can get started! “Key West Swank”, in Mike’s own words, was the aim for this home. While we don’t have photos of the house yet, as it’s still in the Construction Phase, you can see a rendering our team created of the home’s exterior on the title page. In the final product, you will walk through the front door, into a gallery-meets-foyer space with floor-to-ceiling glass windows. Some of the other focal points include a four-car garage with guest quarters above, a floating stair in the entryway, and a floor-to-ceiling wine storage display. Downstairs, we have the open living space and kitchen which opens to the porch and pool via sliding panel doors, offering an unobstructed view of the pool, patio, and the ocean beyond.
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Wherever your home may be, customization really is the key to making a house into a home. We will never stop singing this tune; it’s even encapsulated in one of our most often used phrases: Define Your Own Sense of Home. More than just a sunshine-filled story, the Oceanside project highlights all the benefits of tailoring your home to you (although, the sunshine aspect doesn’t hurt!).

Now, if reading this article has left you yearning for a Floridian vacation, we have more good news: three of these homes are available for vacation rentals! Get more info and see the rest of the photos from House #4 at Oceanside's website.

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written by: emma H.

Emma works as the Marketing Manager ​at Studio21 Architects. For each of our newsletters, Emma conducts interviews, writes articles, and formats the pages to make sure they reflect the great design we value so strongly at this firm. She may not be an architect, but she certainly makes sure that the marketing materials have architect-worthy design as well!