George Cott/Chroma Inc.
Impact-resistant windows shore up the home's hurricane defenses….
In addition to its own considerable charms, this cottage on the Gulf of Mexico possesses an illustrious neighbor—the fabled Don CeSar, one of Florida’s grand historic hotels. The Pass-A-Grille, Fla., home’s owners, who live full-time in Tampa, reap the benefits of their proximity to the hotel by belonging to its golf club and spa. And spillover from the Don CeSar makes a ready-made rental market for the cottage. Architect Stephen Smith estimates the home is rented out half the year and used by the clients themselves for the other half.
Luckily for the clients, Smith and builder Rick Worley created a house that caters to both situations. Its interiors feature lots of painted wood wainscoting and trim that stand up to the pounding a rental house endures. “It really helps because drywall is pretty fragile stuff,” says Smith. “The painted wood takes the abuse of suitcases, kids, et cetera.” A lockable closet on the first floor provides a spot for the owners to keep personal items when the home is occupied by renters. With four bedrooms and four baths, the 3,000-square-foot residence works for an extended family or other group. Yet the generous sizes of the bedrooms and closets, especially in the master suite, are more typical of a year-round residence. “The house is unusual in that the owners outfitted it a little more like a permanent home,” Smith adds.
Whether it’s owner-occupied or rented out, the home must be able to withstand tropical storms, hurricanes, and the rigors of everyday beach weather. Worley built it atop underground pilings of wood encased in concrete.The building’s lower level consists of concrete and masonry, with breakaway walls of concrete block to let storm water run right under the house. Continuous steel rods run up from the concrete base through the wood-framed main and second floors, pinning the structure to its site.
Contrary to popular belief, Worley says, mold isn’t inevitable in a Florida house. “We don’t have mold problems in the houses we build because they’re all constructed properly, with windows that keep water out,” he explains. Not only are the windows tightly built, but they’re also clad in aluminum to prevent rusting. For the same reason, all of the home’s exterior hardware is stainless steel, the air conditioning coils are copper and aluminum, and the cedar siding is held up with bronze nails. Just under the standing-seam aluminum roof lies a rubberized membrane for further waterproofing.
Pass-A-Grille is one of the oldest beach communities on Florida’s Gulf Coast, and the house’s traditional English Caribbean style reflects that history. Smith also chose an old-fashioned way to handle the time-honored challenge of keeping sand out of the house: that beach classic, the outdoor shower.
Project Credits
Builder: Worley Contracting, St. Petersburg, Fla.
Architect: Cooper Johnson Smith, Tampa, Fla
Landscape designer: Tommy Todd Landscaping, St. Petersburg
Interior designer: Tina Todd Interior Design, St. Petersburg
Structural engineer: Miller Structural Engineering, Tampa
Living space: 3,200 square feet
Site size: .13 acre
Construction cost: Withheld
Photographer: George Cott/Chroma Inc.
Resources: Bathroom fixtures: Kohler; Dishwasher: Miele; Hardware: Baldwin, and Rocky Mountain Hardware; Light fixtures: Arroyo Craftsman, Rejuvenation, Restoration Hardware, and Shades of Light; Ovens: Thermador; Refrigerator: Sub-Zero; Windows/doors: Weathershield.
