After moving to the Tampa Bay area, it took almost three years for Tony and Jeanmarie to find the perfect home. The location, amenities and views were much more important than the condition of the home; and the couple knew they’d found the perfect place when they visited what is now their dream home in Apollo Beach.
“The house itself had not been maintained since it was built in 2005,” Jeanmarie says of her first impression of the home. “But it was in a prime location…right on the water.”
In fact, Jeanmarie adds that their home is on one of the most coveted lots in their community because they only have a neighbor on one side, leaving three sides of the home exposed to waterfront views. “It’s almost like being in a cruise ship,” Jeanmarie explains.
Not only did the couple have the task of redecorating the interior of their home, they also had the challenge of creating an outdoor oasis. “The house didn’t have a pool or any landscaping,” Jeanmarie remembers. “Tony focused on the landscape and design, and I focused inside the home.”
Tony and Jeanmarie had no trouble finding the perfect professionals to help them bring their vision to life. The couple knew they would be returning to Ethan Allen to make Jeanmarie’s dream of having a complete Ethan Allen home a reality. They also knew they need not look too far to find the perfect landscape architect.
“Our community is beautifully landscaped,” Jeanmarie points out. “So we met with Mr. Kim’s. We already knew he did great work, and we knew he’d get it done quickly.”
The enclosed pool creates the perfect outdoor entertaining area, which is a wonderful extension of the interior of Tony and Jeanmarie’s home.
“Tony and Jeanmarie have upscale style, but they need an atmosphere where they can kick their shoes off and relax with their dogs,” says Vivien Donahue, the Ethan Allen design consultant who worked with the couple to create a coastal environment in their home. “It was a total joy to work with Jeanmarie. We were in sync from the very beginning.