A Tropical Home Melds Florida Style & Island Ease

Fort Lauderdale becomes home again for a couple returning to their roots.

The entrance to a Fort Lauderdale home by building contractor Robert G. Mayer and architect Mitch Kunik features a custom sapele door from Smith & DeShields with louvered shutters on the windows for light control and privacy; the stainless-steel handles by Key Tiger complement the height of the space. Mahogany marble flooring, chosen for its wood-like appearance, starts at the entry and flows through the entire house and rear loggia.

A painting that the owners found on a trip to Havana, Cuba, dominates a wall in the hallway that leads from the great room to the master suite. They also purchased the Chinese-style chair years ago on South Dixie Highway's Antique Row.

Interior designer Stephanie Merryman created a sapele-paneled wall in the living area for added warmth as well as for more practical reasons: The paneling hides a television that's revealed when an Eclipse vertical art lift from Media Decor raises the Deborah Bigeleisen painting. Merryman then chose white-leather Henredon lounge chairs for a contemporary look and added a chrome-chain side table from Windsor Smith Home for a nautical touch. The Fibreworks jute rug is from Flor Source.

The great room centers on the dining area, which features a live-edge table by E.M. Soberon and chairs, also by E.M. Soberon, upholstered with a Pindler fabric. Merryman chose a darker finish for the table to balance the living area's paneling and the driftwood stain on the kitchen cabinetry. The painting, Water Dance, is by Tatyana Klevenskiy.

Fleetwood Windows & Doors sliding glass doors open the entire length of the great room to the loggia. Sofas from Kreiss in Los Angeles are slipcovered with an indoor-outdoor fabric from Kravet and feature pillows covered in Aviva Stanoff fabric. The steel-and-coral-stone coffee table is also from Kreiss.

In the kitchen, Merryman designed floating shelves in front of the windows to create storage without blocking the view. The Wolf range and Thermador hood are from Ferguson, and the Calacatta marble countertops are from Opustone. The room at the end of the kitchen is an art studio for the homeowners' grandchildren.

Custom cabinets by Mutual Woodworking with hardware from Siro Designs disguise appliances such as a Sub-Zero refrigerator in the kitchen; the Blanco sink is paired with an Elkay faucet. The designer chose Design Master swivel counter stools, upholstered in Duralee faux leather, from Designer Resource Center, and the pendant lights overhead are by Kichler.

Merryman designed the master bedroom on an intimate scale with a custom Duralee faux-leather headboard flanked by sapele faux shutters and nightstands, built by CSI Interiors. The mounted lamps are from Ralph Lauren Home, and the cashmere-and-silk bedding is from ABC Carpet & Home.

A wish for symmetry and natural light guided the master bathroom's design. Calacatta marble, installed by Euro Floors, lines the counters, floor and shower. The cabinetry features Richelieu hardware and a toe-kick sensor for nighttime lighting. The Kohler sinks have Newport Brass faucets. A custom shell chandelier by Stephanie Ferguson hangs over the Victoria & Albert tub.

The sitting area in the master bedroom looks out toward the pool. The tub chairs and ottoman are Barbara Barry, and the side table is from Judith Norman. The painting, Linear Depths by Martin Mastkey, was commissioned specifically for the space.

The pool, designed by Parkwood Pools, was kept clean and simple, with shell-stone coping for a tropical feel; the loungers are from Carls Patio. Landscape designer Michael Myers conceived the landscaping plan, which was carried out by Dias Brothers Garden Services.

Oolite, a South Florida coral stone, forms steps that lead to the dock, where the nautical theme continues with a suite of woven furniture from Kettal that was designed to resemble mooring ropes.