For an active family of six, a new custom-built home was key—a space that would be as contemporary as it was comfortable, situated on a corner waterfront lot in Tampa’s Beach Park.
“We wanted a contemporary home and design that brought together our love of natural and fabricated elements. We also wanted a residence that would not feel dated 10 years down the road,” says homeowner Ashley Wuliger, whose family includes her husband, Michael; nine-year-old twins, Charlie and Carter; five-year-old son, Oliver; and three-year-old daughter, Eleanor.
Natural elements add interest
The 2018-constructed house features 5,975 square feet, six bedrooms and six and a half bathrooms, with a mix of powder-coated metal, concrete, stone and wood elements. The Wuligers picked Sunset Properties of Tampa Bay to create the home they envisioned. Mark Jordan, builder and partner at Sunset Properties, says the modern design of the home is uniquely enhanced by multiple, 10×4-foot Corten steel panels secured to the front façade. The steel’s natural oxidizing process functions as an art installation.
Upon entering the five-foot wide pivoting front door, guests find themselves in the two-story foyer boasting a dramatic staircase and walkway leading to the second floor. Precast concrete treads, adhered to a steel backbone, form the main staircase, which is framed with stainless steel cable railings capped in Ipe wood.
“Another element that truly stands out is the all-glass wine room,” Ashley says, adding that the room serves as an artistic focal point for the foyer and formal dining room. “Holding just under 300 bottles, the entire system is temperature-controlled with double-insulated glass, and it has a bottle suspension system to create a floating effect.”
Catering to family
Once guests pass through this amazing entry area, they are acquainted with the home’s central core: the kitchen, with its two quartz-topped islands and its cantilevered, puck-lit shelves that provide display areas along the white counter-to-ceiling herringbone-tiled walls.
“Our lifestyle is very busy with four kids all under the age of 10,” Ashley says. “As one would expect, we spend a large amount of time in our kitchen, so having a functional and open kitchen that served as the heart of the home was paramount.”
An entirely retractable bi-fold window wall opens the kitchen peninsula to the outside patio, connecting the two highly-utilized spaces. And seamless transitions like this are peppered throughout the floor plan.
The living room has a 60-inch linear, in-wall fireplace surrounded with chiseled black slate. Bi-fold doors allow the homeowners to open up the living room to the covered porch and outdoor kitchen, all of which overlook the refreshing pool and water beyond. The master bedroom’s accent wall is clad in Brazilian walnut and highlighted by integrated, floating nightstands and a floating headboard. The en suite has a freestanding tub and faucet, as well as an infinity-drain, curbless shower and waterproof TV.
Merging indoors and outdoors
Moving to the exterior, the patio and deck have wall-to-wall concrete pavers that add a clean, minimalistic backdrop to the surrounding furniture. This look is further enhanced by a large boat dock with Trex Transcend planks and a Trex cable railing. “Precast concrete makes another appearance around the pool and as the bridge steps between the spa and pool,” says Jordan.
Every inch of the interior and exterior has kid-centric yet timeless construction and a welcoming vibe—just what the Wuligers need for easy, stylish family living.
“With styles changing so much, we have created a home that is allowed to grow with us,” Ashley says. “And grow with our changing perspectives and desires.”
RESOURCES Builder Sunset Properties of Tampa Bay; Architect Meyer Weitzman Architecture; Kitchen and bathroom designer Olde World Cabinetry; Interior designer Eric Krause Design
Article by Abby Weingarten/Photos by Bos Images
Article originally appeared in Housetrends Tampa Bay – November/December 2019