Adriana and Jay Silver did not set out to do a floor-to-ceiling remodel of their 1980s Tampa home. But the young, busy couple needed an updated home suitable for their growing family. They also desired an open floor plan that would comfortably accommodate their extended family and friends when they came to visit.
Revamping the renovation plan
The house remodel was originally going to include just a few bathrooms, the formal living room, dining room and family room—the couple figured they would possibly remodel the kitchen a few years down the road. But after meeting with interior designer Lisa Gilmore of Lisa Gilmore Design in St. Petersburg, they dived into an all-encompassing and exciting renovation project. “Due to the home’s floor plan, it would have been almost counterproductive to put together those spaces and then rip out everything for a new kitchen,” says Gilmore.
The Silvers had just purchased the home, which had an outdated and unusual layout. Gilmore was able to transform it into an airy, wholly modern residence. Nearly every room—from the living room, bar area, dining area, master bathroom, two guest bathrooms, formal dining room, kitchen and den area—was revamped to include soft décor and a high-contrast white-and-navy color scheme. The Silvers moved into the 3,600 square-foot, four-bedroom, three-bathroom house on Lake Magdalene in July 2016 after 18 months of interior overhauling.
“I was really happy when the homeowners agreed not only to renovate the kitchen but basically to take out the center of the house. A lot of these homes from the 70s and 80s have random angles that don’t make much sense,” Gilmore says. “The kitchen was this weird angle and it almost made what is now the bar area going into the sitting area kind of like a triangle shape. We made it a 90-degree angle kitchen and a much grander presence. We were able to minimize the load-bearing walls to make the whole space flow.”
A calming atmosphere
The Silvers adore living on the lake, and they wanted to have an outdoor-indoor feel that was calming and energizing.
“Adriana was really attracted to navy blues, so we did a navy and white color scheme, and I mixed in different textures like linens and leathers,” Gilmore says. “Each space feels important on its own. We got to use great lighting like the dining room chandelier. We modernized a lot of the finishes. And you see the lake from so many vantage points. Before, you saw it but you had to work for the view.”
Gilmore used furniture manufacturers such as Bernhardt, CR Laine and Worlds Away; textiles by Schumacher and Kravet; and area rugs by FLOR carpet tiles. The kitchen and bathroom cabinetry is by AlliKriste, and the countertops are Caesarstone. The floors are commercial-grade PVC, which is a luxury, waterproof vinyl tile.
“The homeowners like to entertain a lot and they do a lot of boating. The things that were really important to them were durability and everyday living,” Gilmore says. “There’s a certain glam elegance to the home but it’s so family-friendly. It was one of our best projects where we fused lake living with glamour.”
The perfect gathering place
The Silvers have a young daughter and one on the way, so keeping the space easy to maintain and livable was paramount.
“We wanted a really nice, open space where we could entertain and have family over,” Adriana says. “I’m Latin so it’s very important for us to have a home where the family gathers. I was born and raised in Costa Rica, and my family comes and visits twice a year (for Thanksgiving and for our daughter’s birthday). Siblings, cousins, everybody gets together. We love being able to do that here.”
To do that successfully, the Silvers wanted the upkeep of the home to be simple and stress-free. “One of our main concerns was we don’t like a lot of maintenance. We live on a lake so there was no way we were going to do hardwood floors,” Adriana says. “With what we have now, you can go in and out from the pool and the lake. We have a lot of white throughout the house and people think we’re nuts because we have a little one and another one on the way, but it’s so easy to clean.”
Blending the indoors and outdoors
The Silvers have a boat that they use daily. Jay is an avid wake surfer. And they all fish, paddle board and kayak. Having a home that fully accommodates their lifestyle is a dream for the Silvers. They are happy they went for the full-throttle remodel.
“It was a great experience. The process was very scary. When I first contacted Lisa, I had a 3-month-old daughter. It was a long process and it was not as easy as you might think it would be,” Adriana says. “But we absolutely love the house. It would be really hard to ever leave. It’s so comfortable and every room has so much love in it.”
Resources: Interior designer: Lisa Gilmore, Lisa Gilmore Design; Contractor: Helicon; Furniture Bernhardt; CR Laine; Worlds Away; Textiles: Schumacher and Kravet; Area rugs: FLOR carpet tiles; Kitchen and bathroom cabinetry: AlliKriste; Countertops: Caesarstone; Flooring: Karndean