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A Home for the Ages
Palazzo del Lago, R.L. Vogel Homes’ entry in the 2006 Street of Dreams in Bella Collina, represents the very finest in architectural design, interior innovation and handcrafted artistry. With architecture by Greg Hyatt of Hyatt Design, the interior design and exterior specifications are the work of Susan P. Berry, A.S.I.D., of Classical Home Design.
This is a home that tells a story: Rich in detail and history, this waterfront residence looks as if it has stood for centuries, evolving beautifully over time. Weathered “ruins” provide a visual foundation for the tale woven by the home’s interior, with custom stonework and even replicas of ancient Roman coins accenting the environs. Walls with the look of aged plaster, copper-clad windows, medieval-style groin vaults and intricate wrought-iron accents further evoke the home’s old-world feel.
Those time-honored touches give way to a more polished, sophisticated look in the formal areas of the home, where imported marble and onyx, magnificent gold and crystal chandeliers, and exquisitely embellished floors and walls create a refined air.
Upon entering the home, it’s immediately clear that careful attention to historical accuracy and aesthetic artistry has been paid throughout: The dramatic rotunda above the stair tower is hand-painted to resemble the stained-glass dome of a Venetian conservatory spotted by builder Rick Vogel during his European travels. A visit to Rome inspired another home detail: The hallway floor is marble inlaid with an intricate wrought-iron pattern similar to one made of brass in the Vatican. Also contributing to the home’s to-the-manner-born atmosphere are a dramatic two-story wine room with a wrought-iron grate, a library with a textured ostrich-skin wall treatment and stone wainscoting, and a kitchen with custom-designed stone hood, pecky cypress ceilings and marble countertops in exotic shades of green.
Homage is paid to the demands—and pleasures—of modern life as well. To answer the present-day emphasis on alfresco living space, ingenious design provides the best of both worlds in the rear of the home adjacent to the pool. Here, massive pocketed sliding doors telescope open to create an indoor-outdoor space as the interior space blends seamlessly with the lanai and pool. Outdoors, extensive gold travertine decking leads toward elegant balustrades that frame the space that overlooks Lake Sienna. It’s an ideal entertaining space for open-air dining and casual gatherings.
Another nod to contemporary living can be found in the home’s innovative flex space, which can be used as a screening room, high-tech homeschool classroom or music-mixing studio. A raised platform and flexible seating and desk space assures that everyone can claim the best seat in the house while watching movies and music videos or taking online home school classes. Technological advances can also be found in the kitchen, where a phone booth off the main space contains the computer control panel for the house, providing a command center for security, lighting, sound and more.
Today’s emphasis on fitness is addressed in the cork-floored exercise room, where a ballet barre across one wall is a nod to tradition and colorful glass tiles evoke the ancient art of glassmaking in Murano, Italy.
Luxury rules in the private areas of the home, too. In the master bath, creature comfort is redefined with opulent details and pampering indulgences. Here, a hand-carved fireplace of Carrera marble fronts a massive six-foot-by-six-foot platform tub with a unique feature: The tub is filled by a waterfall that pours from a dome overhead. From the bath, French doors lead to a private courtyard with two splashing fountains; a sculpted arch that houses a bar links the bath to a private spa area with massage table. Further luxuries in the bath area include hand-stenciled walls designed to resemble antique silk wallpaper and Venetian-style his and hers vanities with burled wood inlays and Carrera marble vessel sinks. With its respect for history and appreciation for modern living, Palazzo del Lago represents the best of both worlds, old and new. It is truly a home for the ages, past, present and future.
Street of Dreams at Bella Collina
The Street of Dreams showcases the finest examples of luxury living in upscale communities throughout the nation. This year’s Street of Dreams will take place October 14-November 26 at Bella Collina in Lake County. For more information, log on to www.streetofdreams.com or call
425-483-0253.
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