HEAVENLY HALL: A serene vestibule marking the entrance to the master retreat filters the transition from public to private realms. Ethereal faux paintings, a custom floor medallion, and a lighted art niche invite quiet reflection.
James F. Wilson HEAVENLY HALL: A serene vestibule marking the entrance to the master retreat filters the transition from public to private realms. Ethereal faux paintings, a custom floor medallion, and a lighted art niche invite quiet reflection.
SWEET DREAM: Rich fabrics and sumptuous finishes lend elegance to the master retreat. The space includes a quiet sitting area and a coffee bar.
James F. Wilson SWEET DREAM: Rich fabrics and sumptuous finishes lend elegance to the master retreat. The space includes a quiet sitting area and a coffee bar.
LOVED AND ADORNED: With its ornate tile work, fireside roman bath, and textured finishes, the master bath reads as the ultimate pampered retreat. For drama and privacy, this space is slightly buffered from the bedroom by yet another vestibule with a groin-vaulted ceiling.
James F. Wilson LOVED AND ADORNED: With its ornate tile work, fireside roman bath, and textured finishes, the master bath reads as the ultimate pampered retreat. For drama and privacy, this space is slightly buffered from the bedroom by yet another vestibule with a groin-vaulted ceiling.
SOFT LANDING: In addition to stone and wood flooring, carpeting by Shaw Industries covers various parts of the house. The home has Coastal Lights 44-ounce Anso Caress nylon in a 36-inch-by-36-inch pattern; Encore Performance 59-ounce Stainmaster nylon in oak moss in the master bedroom; and Subtle Impression, a 39-ounce Stainmaster that is ideal for heavy traffic areas, such as the kids' rooms.
James F. Wilson SOFT LANDING: In addition to stone and wood flooring, carpeting by Shaw Industries covers various parts of the house. The home has Coastal Lights 44-ounce Anso Caress nylon in a 36-inch-by-36-inch pattern; Encore Performance 59-ounce Stainmaster nylon in oak moss in the master bedroom; and Subtle Impression, a 39-ounce Stainmaster that is ideal for heavy traffic areas, such as the kids' rooms.
FAN APPRECIATION: Bath fans should be neither seen nor heard, which is why the design team opted for Broan's Silent Bath ventilation fans. Energy Star–rated to conserve energy, the units move 110 cubic feet of air per minute and operate at a low 1.3 sones. Plus, the 13-inch-by-14-inch grill's low profile does not call attention to itself.
James F. Wilson FAN APPRECIATION: Bath fans should be neither seen nor heard, which is why the design team opted for Broan's Silent Bath ventilation fans. Energy Star–rated to conserve energy, the units move 110 cubic feet of air per minute and operate at a low 1.3 sones. Plus, the 13-inch-by-14-inch grill's low profile does not call attention to itself.
TILE STYLE: Crossville tiles create a large variety of vibrant surfaces throughout the house. The upstairs princess bath, for example, features elements of the company's Illuminessence Radiance collection of cast glass tile. Designed to emulate the quality of light on water, the tiles measure 3 inches by 6 inches or are available in 1-inch-by-1-inch sheets and come in colored, clear, and frosted finishes.
James F. Wilson TILE STYLE: Crossville tiles create a large variety of vibrant surfaces throughout the house. The upstairs princess bath, for example, features elements of the company's Illuminessence Radiance collection of cast glass tile. Designed to emulate the quality of light on water, the tiles measure 3 inches by 6 inches or are available in 1-inch-by-1-inch sheets and come in colored, clear, and frosted finishes.
WATER WORLD: The luxurious master bath is outfitted with a variety of Kohler fixtures and faucets. The custom shower includes the WaterTile Rain shower with four low-profile shower heads and 22 spray nozzles; DTV digital showering allows up to six different users to program precise temperature settings. And the tankless, one-piece Purist Hatbox toilet adds a touch of high design.
James F. Wilson WATER WORLD: The luxurious master bath is outfitted with a variety of Kohler fixtures and faucets. The custom shower includes the WaterTile Rain shower with four low-profile shower heads and 22 spray nozzles; DTV digital showering allows up to six different users to program precise temperature settings. And the tankless, one-piece Purist Hatbox toilet adds a touch of high design.
WINDOW TREATMENT: Custom window fashions by Hunter Douglas create a sense of privacy in the home. Silhouette (in the master bedroom) features Toujours fabric suspended between sheer panels and has an UltraGlide single-cord lift system. The boy's room has Provenance woven wood shades. And Duette shades in various areas of the house “trap” air in honeycomb pleats, insulating against heat loss in the winter and heat gain in the summer.
James F. Wilson WINDOW TREATMENT: Custom window fashions by Hunter Douglas create a sense of privacy in the home. Silhouette (in the master bedroom) features Toujours fabric suspended between sheer panels and has an UltraGlide single-cord lift system. The boy's room has Provenance woven wood shades. And Duette shades in various areas of the house “trap” air in honeycomb pleats, insulating against heat loss in the winter and heat gain in the summer.
INTERIOR DEPARTMENT: Handcrafted doors aren't only for the entry, which is why the design team selected carved interior openings from Old World Door. The door to the master suite, for example, is made from solid 1 ¾-inch-thick alder and has no engineered composites or veneers. Mortise-and-tenon construction comes standard. It features a Tuscany distress fruit-wood stain.
James F. Wilson INTERIOR DEPARTMENT: Handcrafted doors aren't only for the entry, which is why the design team selected carved interior openings from Old World Door. The door to the master suite, for example, is made from solid 1 ¾-inch-thick alder and has no engineered composites or veneers. Mortise-and-tenon construction comes standard. It features a Tuscany distress fruit-wood stain.
A SEPARATE PEACE: A light and airy flat above the three-car garage provides a comfortable retreat for guests. Accessible only via an outdoor back stair (below), the hideaway could also serve as an art studio, meditation spot, home office, or other flex space.
James F. Wilson A SEPARATE PEACE: A light and airy flat above the three-car garage provides a comfortable retreat for guests. Accessible only via an outdoor back stair (below), the hideaway could also serve as an art studio, meditation spot, home office, or other flex space.
James F. Wilson
HOB KNOBS: All interior doors feature Kwikset Laurel egg knobs and Dorian deadbolts in Venetian bronze by Black & Decker Hardware and Home Improvement. The interior privacy knob features an anti-pick six-pin system, a decorative egg shape, and concealed screws. Here, a dark finish complements the rustic appeal of the house, but other finishes are available.
James F. Wilson HOB KNOBS: All interior doors feature Kwikset Laurel egg knobs and Dorian deadbolts in Venetian bronze by Black & Decker Hardware and Home Improvement. The interior privacy knob features an anti-pick six-pin system, a decorative egg shape, and concealed screws. Here, a dark finish complements the rustic appeal of the house, but other finishes are available.
GREAT WALLS: The design team specified a variety of wall preparation products, paints, caulks, and sealants from The Sherwin-Williams Co. Builders Solution interior latex primer-surfacer establishes an even surface for the top coat. Pro Select acrylic latex caulk is used to fill nail holes and surface blemishes. And Color Accents latex paint covers everything.
James F. Wilson GREAT WALLS: The design team specified a variety of wall preparation products, paints, caulks, and sealants from The Sherwin-Williams Co. Builders Solution interior latex primer-surfacer establishes an even surface for the top coat. Pro Select acrylic latex caulk is used to fill nail holes and surface blemishes. And Color Accents latex paint covers everything.

A synchronous house would not be complete without recharging areas for body and soul. This home's five bedrooms and 5 ½ baths satisfy that human need without skipping a beat—and that means nurturing not only physical, but also emotional needs for comfort and repose. This understanding is evident in residential designer Morales' use of transitional spaces in the floor plan to facilitate a psychological shift from public to private realms. For example, a circular vestibule off the main hall, with its low lighting, antiqued walls, and celestial ceiling, instills a sense of calm as one passes into the master retreat.

Harmonious cohabitation is also deftly engineered with the realization that there is such a thing as too much togetherness. The roomy master bath provides plenty of space for two, with his-and-hers vanities and double entrances to a spacious walk-in closet. At the opposite end of the house, a studio flat above the garage (accessible only via an outside staircase to the rear of the home) offers private quarters for out-of-town guests, a live-in housekeeper, or a boomerang child living at home.

SMALL WONDERS The InSync Home makes a grand statement, to be sure. But its overall effect is largely the culmination of myriad intricacies and aesthetic cross references—what interior designer Donnie Saxon calls “extreme details.” Here are a few worth noting:

Click here for "Sanity Now," the next article in this series.

BEGUILING TILE: Interior designer Donnie Saxon's shower compositions go for broke, pushing glass to the max. One harlequin-style design (below) uses Crossville deco tile to simulate grout lines.
James F. Wilson BEGUILING TILE: Interior designer Donnie Saxon's shower compositions go for broke, pushing glass to the max. One harlequin-style design (below) uses Crossville deco tile to simulate grout lines.
James F. Wilson
MASCULINE MYSTIQUE: Ornate woodwork, a coffered ceiling, and leather flooring give the study a stately air.
James F. Wilson MASCULINE MYSTIQUE: Ornate woodwork, a coffered ceiling, and leather flooring give the study a stately air.
CURVE APPEAL: The rounded drywall edges upscale buyers have come to expect in Florida are easy on the eyes, but they're a pain for trim carpenters. Baseboard wrapping was a bit trickier with non-mitered corners. And drywall had to be built around pre-installed door jambs, minus the casings that would normally fit over a mitered edge.
James F. Wilson CURVE APPEAL: The rounded drywall edges upscale buyers have come to expect in Florida are easy on the eyes, but they're a pain for trim carpenters. Baseboard wrapping was a bit trickier with non-mitered corners. And drywall had to be built around pre-installed door jambs, minus the casings that would normally fit over a mitered edge.
CONCAVE SCENE: Hanging flat art on a curved wall was a non-option in the entry rotunda. As an alternative, faux artist Ann Telford painted a vignette of Tuscan countryside directly on the wall. A cultured stone surround frames the mural and meshes cleanly with the foyer's baseboard detailing.
James F. Wilson CONCAVE SCENE: Hanging flat art on a curved wall was a non-option in the entry rotunda. As an alternative, faux artist Ann Telford painted a vignette of Tuscan countryside directly on the wall. A cultured stone surround frames the mural and meshes cleanly with the foyer's baseboard detailing.
CIRCULAR MOTION: The ornamental diamond motif from the floor medallion in the front-entry is repeated on the second floor in step risers up to an octagonal game room. The filigreed wrought-iron balustrade by Cumex Metalworking echoes a pattern that also appears in the home's grand central staircase.
James F. Wilson CIRCULAR MOTION: The ornamental diamond motif from the floor medallion in the front-entry is repeated on the second floor in step risers up to an octagonal game room. The filigreed wrought-iron balustrade by Cumex Metalworking echoes a pattern that also appears in the home's grand central staircase.