A Florida Lakeside Villa Where Mediterranean Grandeur Meets Modern Calm

This reimagined Mediterranean-style villa blends sculptural architecture, timeless materials, and contemporary design to create a serene multigenerational retreat.

Set on a narrow peninsula between two lakes in Central Florida, this remarkable retreat proves that reinvention can be far more compelling than replacement. Instead of stripping away the home's original Mediterranean-inspired character, the redesign embraces its rich architectural heritage, refining it with a contemporary layer that feels both timeless and connected.

Originally built several decades ago, the 12,000-square-foot residence arrived with an eclectic collection of Mediterranean motifs: stucco walls, tiled roofs, classical columns, a turret, and a dramatic glass mosaic dome crowning the central staircase. For the team at ACDO, led by founding partner Abe Chan, the goal was never to erase these elements but to bring clarity and cohesion to them.

interiors

A Creative Moscow Apartment Filled with Colour and Character

Elegant arched openings frame views of the surrounding landscape, softening the home's scale while strengthening its connection to the lakes beyond.

Nature Takes the Lead

While the architecture is undeniably impressive, it is the landscape that ultimately defines the experience of the home. Surrounded by water on two sides and framed by mature trees, the property possesses a sense of stillness that flows through every interior.

Large arched openings and expansive windows capture uninterrupted views of the lakes, allowing nature to become a constant companion. The changing light, reflections across the water, and dense vegetation soften the home's grand scale, creating an atmosphere that feels reflective rather than imposing.

Ancient trees and tea-coloured waters shape a landscape that feels both wild and tranquil.

A Palette Rooted in Permanence

Travertine forms the foundation of the design language. Chosen for its connection to Mediterranean architecture and its suitability for Florida's climate, the stone runs throughout the ground floor before continuing onto the pool terrace beyond.

Its warm, sandy tones establish a sense of permanence while visually extending the living spaces into the landscape. The material's natural durability and cool surface underfoot make it as practical as it is beautiful, reinforcing the home's effortless relationship with indoor-outdoor living.

Framed by mature trees and ever-changing light, the lakeside outlook provides a constant reminder of nature's calming presence.

Balancing the lightness of the stone is richly stained oak millwork, which introduces depth and warmth throughout the interiors. Outdoors, regional cypress timber appears in the summer kitchen and porte cochère, adding another layer of local authenticity. Together, these materials create a palette that feels sophisticated yet rooted in its environment.

Thoughtfully curated materials and sculptural detailing honour the home's Mediterranean roots while introducing a refined contemporary sensibility.

Sculptural Living

Art plays an essential role in shaping the home's identity. The grand staircase serves as a dramatic focal point, spiralling around a sculpture by Antony Gormley beneath the home's original mosaic dome.

Rather than acting as decorative additions, the artworks become directive devices within the architecture, guiding movement through the home and anchoring key moments along its journey.

The home's dramatic staircase spirals beneath a luminous glass mosaic dome, where architecture and art converge around a striking sculptural centrepiece.

Bringing Warmth to Monumental Spaces

Double-height volumes appear throughout the residence, from the dining room and primary suite to the principal living spaces. Yet despite their size, these rooms never feel overwhelming.

Travertine surfaces, dark oak millwork, and expansive gathering spaces create an inviting setting designed for multigenerational living and entertaining.

A series of carefully positioned arches, layered lighting schemes and thoughtfully selected furnishings help humanise the architecture, creating intimacy within grandeur. The effect is particularly evident in gathering spaces designed for multiple generations to share, where monumental proportions are balanced by warmth, texture and comfort.

Serene and sophisticated, the primary bedroom balances generous proportions with a calming palette inspired by the natural surroundings.

Quiet Luxury in the Details

The home's bathrooms continue the story of restrained elegance. Marble surfaces in soft shades of beige, peach, and muted green pair with natural timber cabinetry and dark fixtures, creating spaces that feel serene and restorative.

Natural light filters through wood-shuttered windows, while plaster walls and tactile finishes introduce softness throughout.

Bathed in natural light, this bathroo pairs richly veined stone with warm wood finishes to create a spa-like retreat.

Designed for Connection

Organised across two floors and two wings, the residence accommodates eight en-suite bedrooms, while maintaining a strong sense of cohesion. Throughout, the emphasis remains on gathering, whether around an oversized dining table seating 18 guests, or beside the pool and summer kitchen overlooking the water.

Layered textures, curated furnishings and framed views of the outdoors transform this living space into a place of comfort and quiet sophistication.

The seamless transition between interior and exterior spaces encourages a way of living that feels relaxed, social, and deeply connected to the landscape. It is a home designed for celebration and retreat in equal measure.

Warm-toned marble, matte black fixtures and natural timber accents come together in a carefully layered composition of texture and restraint.

Ultimately, this Florida villa succeeds because it embraces contradiction. It is grand yet intimate, and monumental yet deeply human.

By honouring the home's Mediterranean roots while responding to its remarkable lakeside setting, ACDO has created a residence where architecture, art, and nature exist in calm and enduring harmony.