Feature
Luxe Life: People, Places, Things
By Jacqueline Miller
When it comes to enjoying and collecting the finer things in life, you deserve only the best. To make your life easier, here are some people, places and things which will help you get there.
TECH DREAMS
He’s been called by celebrities and the ultra-wealthy to outfit their private jets, yachts and palatial estates with all the bells and whistles. He’s also the first person those in the know call in our town to outfit their digs.
His name is Andrew Guenther and if you want to have your life made easy and smart, he’s the man. Andrew and his son Andreas own and operate Advanced ESI (941.554.5000 | advanced-esi.net), and they are at the forefront of fully integrated smart home systems for lighting design, lighting fixtures, lighting control, motorized automated window treatments, heating/cooling, audio/video including true and immersive home theaters, cabling and networks, and security systems.
While there are other companies who offer similar services, all are not created equal. An industry pioneer, Andrew has been in the business for more than forty years, and with that long-term knowledge and experience, he has a natural talent for understanding how everything works, integrate, and how it should look.
Both Andrew and Andreas understand that design is key, something that could easily get overlooked if you’re using different companies for each system or a company that doesn’t understand the ins and outs of properly integrating a home.
They start with lighting, because “it sets the mood and showcases everything including art and sculpture, and most homes are not properly lit,” says Andrew. Once his clients see their lighting design, including controlling window light, they “can’t believe they were living without it.” Andrew does a lot of the design himself, and if you’re not sure how great lighting can change your home, a visit to his showroom to see the technology in action, including a functioning kitchen, will make the difference in your understanding and decisions. Integrating music is also a big part of setting the right mood.
Andreas is all about listening carefully to the clients’ wishes, and when everything is accomplished, he doesn’t leave until they are comfortable with everything and understand everything about their news systems. Plus, Andrew and Andreas and the entire Advanced ESI team are there for their clients anytime they are needed. Excellent service is key to their success and they know providing red carpet service to everyone is key to remaining on top in their field.
Holding many industry certifications and associations, awards and consistently earning a Top 100 spot in nationwide industry professional rankings, Andrew and Andreas are the team preferred by many of the top builders and architects and interior designers in town. While integrating your home can be done anytime no matter the age of your home, there’s no better time to plan for these systems than during the planning and design stage.
“Automation only happens well if it’s properly programmed, and when it is, it’s a dream,” says Andrew. “If you can imagine it, we can do it. If you can’t imagine, we can do that for you too.”
Nothing says modern luxury more than bringing your home into the future, and this father/son and their team is definitely leading the way.
PEACEFUL PAMPERING
What could be more luxurious than pampering ourselves in a peaceful refuge? It is one of the most important things we can do for our overall health and wellbeing.
So just where do we find the perfect place where we can spend a few hours, or the entire day, relax, have lots of services, and leave feeling quite luxe? Where they get serious about pampering, of course—Sirius Day Spa (941.357.4611 | siriusdayspas.com).
Providing luxurious pampering havens is something very important to Karen Medford, who now owns and operates two Sirius Day Spas in our town (one on Cooper Creek Blvd. and one on S.R. 70 in Lakewood Ranch). She always understood the importance of taking time to care for oneself. In her prior careers, she was a high-powered sales executive in the music and medical industries. Karen needed that personal time to rejuvenate. She knew what she expected and has brought her high expectations to serve her clients at Sirius Day Spas.
From massage to body wraps, hair color, cuts, and keratin treatments, and manicures and pedicures, to facials, waxing, tinting, eyelash extensions, teeth whitening, and even guided meditation, you can walk out a new person! For advanced facial treatments, you can schedule ultrasound therapy, dermaplaning, microdermabrasion, microcurrent facials, microneedling and more.
There’s also the option to add a non-habit-forming CBD oil treatment, derived from natural ingredients, to several of your treatments including massage, facials and manicures and pedicures for relief form minor aches, pains and muscle stiffness.
Luxury awaits. All you have to do is call!
ARTISAN SPLENDOR
Who doesn’t love everything made in Italy? Italian design is always masterful and unmatched, and everything is always made beautifully, with superior quality and with great care. Yes, products made in Italy always make a luxury statement.
And when it comes to discerning homeowners seeking high-end finishes for their home, look no further than Italian Interiors in Sarasota (941.706.4088 | italianinteriors.us). All of their products are made in Italy, and through a network of artisan suppliers and their partner carpentry workshops, they produce doors, closets, staircases, banisters, kitchen furnishings, bathroom cabinets, wine cabinets, bookcases, vanities and other custom interiors. Their selections are true works of art, designed to fit magnificent homes.
Doors from Italian Interiors include invisible doors and hinges, sliding doors, pocket and barn doors made of wood, melamine or glass, each with its own character that can be customized to fit your taste and surroundings. Individualized staircases—contemporary or classic in style—are crafted from glass or wood creating a wow factor. Glass wine cabinets, banisters made of steel or glass, and custom kitchen cabinets for modern or traditional styles make a luxurious statement in any home.
In addition to these high-quality products, Italian Interiors also has another quick luxury solution to give your existing doors a more upscale look. “You can keep your old frames and casings and replace them with beautifully styled panels, pivot hinges and handles. It’s simple,” says Italian Interiors business partners Jay and Federico. “They come in various colors and designs, are reasonably priced, and will increase the value of your home.”
Now who wouldn’t want that?
DESIGNING LIFE
If you want to enjoy an abundance of luxury in your living space, then look no further than the great exterior and interior designs of Timothy Del Vescovo, AAIA, ASID, (941.321.9507 | DelDesign.com). Widely known and respected in our town, he is the founder of Del Vescovo Design Group, which specializes in residential, hospitality and mixed-use projects.
An advocate of higher living standards around the globe, Del Vescovo creates spaces that are healthy, sustainable and employ renewable energy. His design of the Rosemary District’s European-inspired Citrus Square and Citrus Residences is a great example of this. With very distinctive designs and environments, his projects showcase Espiritu Loci (The Spirit of the Place)—one-of-a-kind spaces promoting community development that connects people and enriches the environment. His use of light, shadow and form in his innovative work and technologies are strongly influenced by the eminent “masters in architecture”.
He works closely with clients to learn and develop their individual vision and needs resulting in designs that excite and inspire through the interplay of form, light, material, color and texture. This is a hallmark of a Del Vescovo design, which seeks to arouse the senses and stimulate memorable experiences. According to Del Vescovo, he and his team “understand the haptic and tactile sensory perceptions of touch and how rough and smooth textures bring subtle dimension to spaces. We use lighting to affect the overall character of space as if we are painting with light to create mood and evoke emotion.”
With degrees in both architecture and interior design, Del Vescovo has studied extensively in Europe—an education that serves as his foundation for creating harmonious relationships between a building’s exterior and interior. His intense intellectual curiosity drives him to explore concepts from architectural history and archeoastronomy, using techniques in unexpected ways, such as a moon-gate that aligns with a homeowner’s birth star much as ancient megalithic structures like Stonehenge were designed to showcase celestial events.
SPECIAL TREASURES
While young in comparison to many in their industry, this high-powered pair has already been highlighted in the well-respected industry publications Antiques and The Arts Weekly and Antiques Trade Gazette. It’s no wonder why. Quite worldly and very passionate about their trade, Austin Helmuth and Brandon Stone have turned a love for art and antiques into a thriving and esteemed auction house and gallery.
If you visit Helmuth Stone Gallery (1467 Main Street, Sarasota | 941.260.9703 | helmuthstone.com), you can view fine art ranging from 17th Century Old Masters to contemporary works, bronzes, sculptures, Chinese object and porcelains, and estate jewelry. These works are available for purchase in the gallery, and they also host live and online auctions to sell these works that attract buyers from more than 50 countries.
An auction in early April will feature important illustrations and Chinese paintings from the James A. Helzer collection (1946 – 2008). The Fine Art, Antique and Jewelry Auction will also feature a curated selection of American and European Art as well as early Chinese antiques, Ethnographic, Oceanic and Pre-Columbian antiques.
Helmuth and Stone travel domestically and internationally searching for distinctive pieces and recently brought pieces from the impressive James A. Helzer collection for its April 5 auction. Helzer, a well-known stamp and art collector, was the founder of Unicover Corporation.
Brandon Stone says portions of Helzer’s illustration and fine art collection will be offered over the next few auctions along with fine art and antiques from local and nationwide collections. According to Brandon, “This assortment offers pieces for both the novice and sophisticated collectors worldwide.” Helmuth Stone is accepting quality consignments for its upcoming auctions so fine art and antique collectors should definitely keep in touch.
the “White House” is an architectural gem.
$8,250,000 | A4459857
MAGNIFICENT LIVING
When it comes to buying or selling luxury real estate, you need a real estate professional with a proven record of success. From waterfront and country club homes to Downtown Sarasota and beach condos, properties in the greater Sarasota area are some of the finest anywhere.
While there certainly are some luxury real estate teams in town to choose from, there are few with the longevity, success rate and generational selling of the Ackerman Group (AckermanGroup.net). This mother/son team’s achievements include being ranked in the top .05% internationally out of 94,000 agents at Coldwell Banker, and the #1 ranked team with the highest residential sales volume over small real estate teams in Florida as well as Sarasota-Manatee counties.
Strong principles and practices throughout the years have earned community leader and philanthropist Barbara Ackerman (941.780.6045) numerous local, state, and international real estate awards. Watching his mother earn the respect of many and achieve great results inspired Barbara’s son Ryan (941.387.1818) to follow in her footsteps, joining her in residential sales after 18 years as Vice President of CBRE, a global commercial real estate company based in Miami.
Together they are a formidable duo who know how to create an outstanding real estate experience and build lasting relationships. Their exceptional service and personal touch make the Ackerman Group the “go to” team in luxury real estate.
ECLECTIC FINDS
If you’re strolling down Main Street, there’s no doubt the storefront window of Parker Robinson (941.363.3343 | parkerrobinsonsarasota.com)will make you stop and stare. This eclectic store—one half lux décor and one half high-end European couture fashion and accessories—is a destination of fabulous finds.
Founded by Erik Kent (ASID), Parker Robinson Interiors showcases a mix of modern and antique luxury home furnishings including Christopher Guy’s mid-century design furnishings, art, and accent pieces. From Louis XVI style furnishings to the latest in Italian contemporary design, Erik Kent is widely known in our town and beyond for his exquisite taste, and his interior design services are in demand.
What makes Parker Robinson even more special are its exclusive European designer fashion lines from Paris, curated by jewelry designer Liliya Kent, a woman with impeccable taste. In addition to luxury perfumes by Nicolai and Juliette Has a Gun, Liliya carries clothes designed by Weill, French fashion with Parisian style and a Chanel flair; the chic and timeless Max & Moi line; Amoralle, luxury loungewear to feel beautiful at home and beyond; Tricot Chic, an Italian company that uses surprise combinations of fine yarns and technical fabrics, precious laces, perforated leather and extremely soft fur in its designs; and, Beate Heymann, a designer whose unusual cuts and imaginative material compositions are the epitome of modern luxury.
For special occasion and wedding, Liliya is the official distributor of Italian-made O’Blanc couture gowns, lauded in Harper’s Bazaar, Elle and InStyle magazines. O’Blanc gowns are elegant and feminine, yet a bit sexy, and are worn by celebrities on the red carpet and in pageants worldwide including Miss World and Miss Universe. For brides looking for something extra special, O’Blanc wedding gowns are quite breathtaking. People are flying in from all over for these gowns. If that doesn’t wreak of luxury, we don’t know what does!
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