Homeowners abandoning the Mediterranean for the exotic Orient
By Special to the Naples Daily News
October 16, 2005
There's no doubt that Mediterranean-style homes have been popular with Florida homebuyers for many years. [Why ... no one can actually explain ...]
[more silly comments near end of article]
But, a new trend is emerging that could leave even the late Addison Mizner, often considered the father of Florida's Mediterranean-style architecture, shaking his head in disbelief.
Gavin Sword, along with his wife Leslie, own Florida Interior Shutters at 6014 Shirley St. in Naples. The company offers an assortment of shutters, blinds and window treatments. Sword said the trend away from Mediterranean-style influences to more Asian design is growing in popularity in the Southwest Florida marketplace.
"A couple of years ago, the Asian-design influence in Southwest Florida was virtually non-existent from our perspective," said Sword. "Today, it represents about 20 percent of our business and that number continues to grow."
Susan Pells, senior sales director for Florida Interior Shutters, has seen the trend away from the Mediterranean influence to the Asian influence firsthand. She not only works closely with the company's staff, but also with many leading interior designers throughout Southwest Florida.
"I believe the saying 'less is more' applies here," said Pells. "Interior design is like fashion trends change. Many of the clients we are working with are looking for something new and fresh, something different from their neighbor. It appears that the Asian Contemporary influence is just the look."
Mary Michael Rinaldi is a sales director at Florida Interior Shutters with a design background. She sees a focus on less complicated interiors with an emphasis on Asian influence as an important trend headed our way.
"It's very contemporary by way of its minimalism," she said. "The combination of simple lines warmed by natural materials renders it less 'aloof' than strictly modern interiors."
Elements that help create the Eastern/Asian look in window coverings include unique woven materials, bamboo accents, delicate woven reeds and Shoji screens.
"Typically used as room dividers and sliding doors, the Japanese Shoji panels are a great solution to filtering the Florida sunlight in a subtle and simple manner," said Rinaldi.
Allan Hendy of Allan Hendy Designs Inc. works with many high-end clients in the Naples area. He also has seen an increase in Asian-influenced design and incorporates Oriental colors and materials into many of his projects.
"I'm not referring to a home that is totally Asian influenced, but rather elements of Asian that are used as accents and focal points throughout the residence," said Hendy, who recently completed a condominium at Pelican Isle Yacht Club on Vanderbilt Drive in North Naples.
"The owners of the waterfront condominium wanted a Manhattan-contemporary look which has very sharp, clean lines," said Hendy. "Buy adding elements of Asian, we were able to soften the harsh lines to tone it down and make it more casual. In the end, the new owners were extremely pleased with the outcome."
Some of the Asian elements Hendy designed for the high-rise home included a raised platform in the dining area and adding black and red as secondary colors on some furnishings and fabrics.
"No single element jumps out, but rather complements through color and texture the look of the Manhattan contemporary," said Hendy. "The Asian influence is soft and relaxing, Zen if you will."
Kathryn Cook is the president of the Southwest Florida Chapter of the Interior Design Society (IDS), one of the largest chapters in the United States. She is also the director of design for the retail store, East Indies Home at 11985 U.S. 41 N.
"From a design perspective, the Asian influence is increasing in popularity partly because we are living in an era of enlightenment," said Cook. "It appears that many people are scaling back and simplifying their homes as well as developing an awareness of cross-cultural design living and are learning to appreciate items that are handmade or handcarved by artists from the Far East using indigenous materials."
The booming interest in Asian designed furnishings and accessories, according to Cook, has also helped to push the interest in antiques from the area.
"Because many of these furnishings and accessories are handmade and use century-old techniques by the artists, they've stood the test of time," said Cook. "The strength and integrity of the pieces have made them timeless because of the materials that are used. And they are so appreciated there."
Part of the Asian culture is the passing down of stories from generation to generation. Cook believes the increase in interest in Asian-influenced design is due in part to the fact that every furnishing, every accessory has a story to tell.
"When people walk through the store and see items such as spice island pottery, they have an instant aesthetic reaction," said Cook. [BARF BAG !] "But, when told the rich history of how they are made, that ladies of Lombock handmade them and then put them in a field and covered them with banana tree leaves and then set the leaves on fire to create a kiln of sorts, they begin to understand what makes the pottery unique despite some of their imperfections and black burned marks."
East Indies Home recently furnished a single-family model home, built by Stock Development, in the golf course community of Grandézza on Ben Hill Griffin Parkway in Estero. The interior design takes storytelling to an unprecedented level.
"It took more than a year for East Indies Home to hand-select each piece of furniture and accessorize the Sea Pines model, [SLOW ... STUPID ...] but the effort was well worth it," said Cook. "It's not your typical Mediterranean-style model, and we were all optimistic the public would like the concept, and they have. We forecasted the trend, and the response to Asian design has been greatly received."
The Sea Pines model, available to tour through a leaseback agreement, is unique because the owner requested that a written history for each piece displayed in the home. [LOSER ...]
"So, not only do the future owners get to see an old Asian wheel mounted to a stand, they also get to read the history of the wheel, where it came from and its age," said Cook. [GET A LIFE !] "The wheel may have traveled a long distance and found a new home, but its journey and story will be told and retold."
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