Builders, designers tap global market for home finishes, decor

By Special to the Daily News

The countertop is from India. The floor from Italy. And the front door from Africa. Homes in Southwest Florida today deliver the world, thanks to interior designers and builders who scour the globe to bring home the best.

“Some stones are exclusive to certain areas of the world,” said Adam Mitchell, a sales representative for SRI Marble & Granite, a Naples store that supplies granite, marble and stone for counters, floors and decoration to local builders and designers. “We import stone and granite from 20 different countries.”

Incorporating finishes, furnishings and antiques from the world appeals to Southwest Florida’s sophisticated and well-traveled residents, said Troy Beasley, an interior designer with Beasley & Henley Interior Design in Naples. “They have a romantic relationship with the countries they’ve visited, and having something, whether it’s a fabric, a piece of furniture or artwork, in their homes that they’ve brought back brings back memories of the trip,” he said. “Daily life is fast-paced. Being able to look to the left or the right and see something special there brings a certain meaning to life and recalls the fun moments they’ve had.”

During a buying trip to India a year ago for a client, Beasley found 100-year-old carved stone column capitals. “He wanted to bring overseas influences into his home,” the designer said. “These capitals were almost artifacts; so it was like bringing a piece of history into the home.”

It’s no wonder natural stone often becomes the focal point of a room, catching the eye with its natural veining, crystalline sparkle and swirls of color.
“Because most of the stone we use is imported and comes out of a mountain, that makes it really special when we use it,” Beasley said.

Because of geography or topography, materials that are used to finish a home — from wood and bamboo to marble — are indigenous to certain regions. Some of the world’s best granite, the on-trend stone of choice for countertops, is mined in India and Brazil, said Mitchell. Italian and Spanish marbles are considered the best, with stone from Turkey also included in the upper echelon. “A variety of marbles come from Italy,” Mitchell said. “There are some stones that are exclusive to certain areas.”

Marble is used inside and outside homes in Southwest Florida, adding upscale elegance to bathroom countertops, hand-carved fireplaces and columns, and interior and exterior flooring, the latter usually in the form of travertine.

Wood, a popular choice for flooring, entry doors and cabinetry for select rooms, is also culled from various countries.

Brazilian cherry also makes appearances as specialty flooring in signature rooms like studies, libraries and game rooms. Beasley likes zebrawood and Madagascan ebony for their movement and design statement. “They’re not inexpensive, but they’re just fascinating from a design standpoint.”

Bamboo, a woody grass with characteristics similar to hardwoods, has become a strong presence in Southwest Florida homes the past five years, especially as flooring, where the grains of the dried grass add a dramatic contrast to the lighter base color in its more natural state.

Global travels also are reflected in interior design, showcasing distant locations.

Beasley, who recently completed the design of the three-bedroom, four-bath Penthouse 402 model in Estancia, a 26-story high-rise built by The Lutgert Companies in Bonita Bay, starts with the basics — selecting background materials such as marble flooring, granite countertops, wood cabinetry, plaster moldings and carved details such as fireplace mantels, stone balustrades or columns.

Stone flooring, he says, generally comes from Italy or Turkey depending on the color he’s looking for. Beasley favors Mexico for stone carvings because “they still follow old craftsmanship techniques. Everything is hand carved and it allows us to do really customized pieces. That’s very important to our clients because it gives them ownership,” said Beasley.

Mexico, said Beasley, is also a good market for iron and lighting fixtures and custom railings. Harbourside Custom Homes tapped the Mexican market for the signature iron front doors in its Ravello model in Shadow Wood Preserve. The doors, said Frank Jenkins, Harbourside’s president, were handmade.

Beasley used eclectic Asian-inspired chairs covered in ivory-toned fabric in the dining room of Penthouse 402 to contrast the traditional stylings of the wood dining table.

Southwest Floridians have a love affair with other countries, and it’s a trend that’s likely to grow as the area becomes increasingly sophisticated and well traveled. “Having elements that remind us of our travels creates a certain aura and feeling in a home,” said Beasley. “It creates a sense of experience and exposure.”