A-List: Local Designers

March 2022

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Collins Interiors

941-383-0131
CollinsInteriorDesign.com 
595 Bay Isles Rd, #120 F, Longboat Key, FL 

Interior designer Barbara Vanderkolk Gardner (IDS, IFDA, IIDA) of Collins Interiors never wants someone to enter a home and say, “this home was designed by Barbara Gardner.” Quite the contrary. For Gardner, it is not about her personal preferences, it is all about yours. It is the individuality of her timeless, award-winning and luxurious interiors that has kept this talented and skilled designer in high demand for more than fifteen years.

“It starts with our ‘Home Choices Design Deck’™, which we developed at Collins Interiors,” says Gardner. The design deck helps Gardner understand her client’s lifestyle needs, preferences, color/texture favorites, and family member wishes to optimize personalization. She strives to make each client experience as smooth as possible, even working around family visits to ensure the least amount of disturbance to the family. If you have specific contractors you like to work with, she will gladly do so, or she will bring in her own team of accomplished artisans.

A former healthcare executive in New Jersey, Gardner points out how beneficial her prior career was to her design career. “With my healthcare background, ergonomics become important in my designs, and that includes not only the organizational aspect, but also comfort, safety and well-being. 

“Barbara Gardner is an interior designer extraordinaire! Her exquisite taste, attention to detail and professionalism are second to none. She works closely with her clients to achieve a classy, yet comfortable living environment.” 

– E. Danielle

Gardner is very much a hands-on designer and is involved in all aspects of the project from start to finish.  When you hire Collings Interiors, you get Barbara. She stays away from “hot trends” and spares her clients the expense of falling for a style that won’t be “in” a few years from now.  “There are some trends I do think can enhance the design and I won’t hesitate to incorporate these in my interiors. I particularly find the use of different metal finishes and hardware such as brass and gold instead of chrome and silver to be one trend that is here to stay.”

Gardner designs new construction residences, updates, and turnkey furnished residences which typically includes all furniture, window treatments, lighting, bedding, paint colors, rugs, fine art, linens, kitchen equipment, and bath accessories. She is also designing for smart homes, which integrate air conditioning and heating, sound, light, security, and pool controls. Since a Collins Interior project is luxurious, Gardner’s designs are found in properties valued at $1 million upwards to $10 million.  

There are few local interior designers who have received such high and consistent customer accolades as has Barbara Gardner. From Sarasota to Longboat Key, to Lido, St. Armands, and Bird Key, she has created some of the most talked about dream homes of impeccable taste, style and comfort.

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Vertical Design Build

941.263.4999
verticaldesignbuild.com
1371 Blvd of the Arts, Suite B
Sarasota, FL 34236

Who do you serve? What is your mission and design philosophy?

Vertical | Design+Build is an award-winning designer and builder of custom homes between $1M and $2M. Our clients are professionals who currently live in Sarasota or are discerning vacationers who have decided to move to Sarasota part-time or permanently and want to build the home of their dreams, but don’t know where to start. 

Our mission is to put our clients first in designing, building, and remodeling exceptional homes in a fun and fully accountable design and build process. By doing so, we provide creative solutions that exceed the expectations of all stakeholders through highly collaborative, sincere, and earnest hard work. 

It is this every-step-of-the way alignment of interests with our clients that makes our process straightforward and worry-free. We fully embrace the timeless values of accountability, reliability, and efficiency and apply this approach to our work every day—taking great pride in our ability to deliver exceptional results and customer experiences.

We guarantee that our process of designing and building your home with care and attention to detail will result in a home that is built both to stand the test of time and to delight and impress you, your family, and visitors alike for generations to come.

Any new and notable successes? 

Vertical Design+Build recently sold all the remaining lots and have broken ground on five new custom homes in The Granada Park subdivision West of Tamiami Trail near Oyster Bay in Sarasota, Florida. 

Our integrated process and buck-stops-here approach brings together Southwest Florida’s leading architects, residential designers, interior designers, and trades under a single contract in a fully coordinated concept-to-completion effort to allow our clients to move into the home of their dreams.

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Tube Dude

941.735.6009
tube-dude.com
1710 Main St, Sarasota, FL 34236

Wander the streets of downtown Sarasota and suddenly your eye is drawn in by a bright tubular figure. You just discovered the handiwork of Sarasota yacht-builder-turned-sculptor, Scott Gerber, creator of the iconic “Tube Dude.” 

How did Tube Dude begin?

When a recession forced Gerber to close his yacht building company and lay off more than 120 employees, he felt devastated. “In 2010, everyone was hurt by the economy,” says Gerber. “I built the tube dudes to inspire people to be happier. I initially made four and put them outside, each holding signs like ‘Hang in there’ and ‘It’s going to be better.’” 

Not originally intended as a business, word of the tube dudes got around, and soon demand grew for the whimsical people, animals, and shapes constructed from powder-coated metal tubing. The bright, upbeat sculptures are sturdy enough to endure the harsh coastal environment. 

“Every work is hand-crafted in Sarasota and designed by the customer,” says Gerber. “Each is unique and one-of-a-kind.”

He and his team now offer choices suitable for work and home—ranging from waving figures to mermaid mailbox holders, to playful dogs, flowers, sports motifs, and peace signs. 

What’s the latest?

Today, more than 8,000 Tube Dude creations are displayed coast-to-coast. They’re even a hit on Instagram. 

“We presently have the most photographed art in NYC,” says Gerber of the 10-foot tall Peace, Love, and Happiness sculpture permanently installed at South Street Seaport in Manhattan. “When you drive across the Brooklyn B ridge, you can see that on the pier. Because of its popularity, we got a contract to do the same thing for Mexico City.”

And closer to home, Gerber plans to donate a 13-foot tall sculpture called Love Sarasota with a giant heart with the letters SRQ. Learn more at tube-dude.com or drop by their showroom at 1710 Main Street.