When I first moved to this region of Florida two years ago, I wasn’t really sure how my sleek, black leather-and-chrome living room furniture and retro artwork was going to fit in a condo building full of tall arches, imposing columns and terracotta roof tiles. Just how do you fit a Mueller Moebel shelving unit under the Tuscan-inspired sun in these parts?

Turns out I’m not the only one who was wondering. Although they would never say it to a client, many of the Gulfshore’s interior designers I’ve met have groaned about the proliferation of Mediterranean designs found throughout our region. And while they’ll certainly cater to their clients’ desires, more and more of them are venturing into contemporary—or at least transitional—interiors. Nowhere is this more evident than in the batch of winning Pinnacle, Sand Dollar and Aurora award designs and many new model homes that have opened in recent months.

The deep rusts, oranges, tans and golds that make up much of the Mediterranean-style
interiors have been replaced with neutrals paired with bursts of bold colors or black accents. But the Gulfshore’s contemporary design has a twist of its own—it’s not that cold, hard, industrial ultra-modern motif, but rather a warmer take on contemporary with sleek, unusual woods, dramatic art and funky accents all around that remind us we’re still in a tropical paradise.

A few months ago I had the opportunity to view the models in the new Lutgert Companies’ high-rise, Azure at Bonita Bay, just before they opened to the public. Some of our area’s finest designers have created beautiful rooms in Azure that capture the Gulfshore’s willingness to embrace a more modern style. To get ideas for creating your own sleek design, visit some of the new model homes in our area, many of which are award winners.

And speaking of new designs, we’ve added some new features to Gulfshore Life’s Homebuyer. Our new Home Front section is filled with community news, personalities, design trends and happenings around the region. And be sure to check out our revamped Web site, www.florida-homebuyer.com. We’ve made it easier than ever for you to find the home you’ve always wanted in Southwest Florida. To get you started, we offer some tips on how our site works, so you can scout out the neighborhood that best fits your needs. So as always, happy new-home hunting.