Despite being more than two-dozen floors above the ground, Mark McLain’s St. Petersburg condo resides in the heart of it all. His well-appointed modern abode pays tribute to the inspiring views of life outside. “This is why I moved here. It has an energy that can’t be matched,” he says.
Mark spent nearly three years in the two-bedroom, two-bathroom Signature Place condo before he decided it was time to really make it his own. He asked around about design services and was pointed in the direction of Rita Bateman of Home Décor Consulting.
Bateman enlisted the expertise of Becky Cormier, design consultant for Tampa-based Scan Design, to generate ideas and establish an overall theme for the renovation.
“It’s important to get to know a client’s personality and lifestyle, since these are the things I need to take into consideration when designing a home,” Bateman says. “Mark wanted to create a clean, modern interior, with organic pieces and materials that complement the wonderful views.”
While the condo wasn’t outdated, Mark did want to make a few changes to the living spaces. “We turned one of the bedrooms into an office,” Bateman says. “We removed a portion of the wall to make the office accessible from the living room.”
Cormier and Bateman collaborated when it came to selecting the art seen throughout the condo. From the colorful paintings hanging in the hallway and office, to the addition of metal art and sculptures, each piece was carefully selected and placed. “Most of the art in Mark’s condo is Scandinavian,” she says. “These pieces create impact. We chose to add the metal art to offer dimension.”
The bathrooms were also completely revamped. The new master bath is accented by creamy marble walls and flooring along with a custom double vanity and complementary mirrors boasting rich sapele wood veneers.
The highlight of the master bedroom is the low-profile wenge dresser located below the wall-mounted television. “This dresser is very impressive,” Cormier explains. “It is actually three different pieces that can be moved. In this case we slid the middle section over, creating a sharp focal point.”
Since the living room, dining area and kitchen reside in one large, open space, Cormier and Bateman suggested a neutral color scheme of earthy brown, tan and gray tones. The design quickly came together after they found the German-made curved leather sofa at Scan Design. “The camel color of the sofa was our jumping-off point,” Bateman says.
The sofa perfectly complements the natural oak floors and the creamy beige walls, which feature a metallic finish. Small pops of color were added throughout the room, such as the cognac, rust and gold hues in the multi-woven area rug, as well as the unique art accenting the walls. “I’m a fan of abstract art,” Mark says. “I like the organic nature and the way the colors blend together. It adds personality.”
The entertainment center features an abstract look of its own, thanks to the floating shelves and smooth sapele wood veneer. Its minimalist design blends smoothly with the nearby dining area and kitchen, which underwent a makeover of its own.
While the kitchen’s original gray cabinetry remained intact, Bateman added a stainless steel wrap to the top of the cabinets and replaced the countertops with Black Pearl granite. A new backsplash, comprised of seafoam blue glass tile adds that extra pop of color seen throughout Mark’s home.
Bateman added a large mirror to the dining area wall, which now reflects the table and gray dining chairs with zippered backs. “I love sitting in here; the mirror really opens up the entire space,” Mark says. “And at night, when the lights are reflected, it truly is a sight to see.”
Resources: Designers: Rita Bateman, Home Décor Consulting; Becky Cormier, Scan Design; Contractor: Mike Franzek, Building Products Specialists; Furniture and accessories: Scan Design
While the kitchen’s original gray cabinetry remained intact, Bateman added a stainless steel wrap to the top of the cabinets and replaced the countertops with Black Pearl granite. A new backsplash, comprised of seafoam blue glass tile adds that extra pop of color seen throughout Mark’s home.