Ellen Ruby Blog's: Wild on the Waterfront: This Custom-Built Florida Mansion Is So Totally ’80s

Monday, 11 January 2021

Wild on the Waterfront: This Custom-Built Florida Mansion Is So Totally ’80s

Florida waterfront — Rafal Wazio/ Cary John Photography

A custom-built waterfront house with serious “Miami Vice” vibes is on the market for $3.2 million.

Built in 1986, this throwback house on Belle Isle Avenue in Belleair Beach, FL, is on the Intracoastal Waterway. Located near the warm waters of the Gulf, it sits on a key just outside the city of Clearwater.

“From the exterior, it’s an architecturally stunning home, because it doesn’t conform to anything in today’s easy, breezy, coastal, aesthetic demands. It’s quite the opposite of that,” says the listing agent, Rafal Wazio.

No gray walls, quartz countertops, and vinyl plank flooring here. Instead, you have an 1980s masterpiece with oodles of color, recessed and neon lighting, and bold geometric shapes.

“It’s a completely architecturally stunning home from the outside and from the inside. You know, it just wasn’t built as a McMansion,” Wazio says.

The colorful residence measures 5,579 square feet but has only three bedrooms—and the agent is well aware of the unique floorplan.

“There aren’t too many 5,500-square-foot, three bedroom homes. This one is designed as an en suite, so each bedroom comes with its own bathroom, its own closet, and beautiful open water view,” he explains. “It’s designed for the lifestyle of the owners.”

Exterior of home in Belleair Beach, FL
Rafal Wazio/ Cary John Photography

Exterior
Rafal Wazio/ Cary John Photography

Interior
Rafal Wazio/ Cary John Photography

Master bedroom
Rafal Wazio/ Cary John Photography

Bedroom
Rafal Wazio/ Cary John Photography

Each of the bedrooms comes with a not-so-modest feature: An open-air bathtub occupies the same space as the sleeping quarters.

Wazio compares the look to the Venetian Hotel in Las Vegas or the Parker resort in Palm Springs.

“The bathrooms themselves are separate, but the tubs are all within the bedrooms,” he notes.

Master bedroom tub
Rafal Wazio/ Cary John Photography

Master bathroom
Rafal Wazio/ Cary John Photography

The master bedroom features elaborate glass doors and a statement mirrored ceiling, with a black jetted bathtub near the entry doors. An all-black bathroom with a number of accent lights and pops of gold is a private retreat.

Outdoor space
Rafal Wazio/ Cary John Photography

A secluded outdoor space right off the master bedroom includes a spiral staircase leading up to the other decks.

Kitchen
Rafal Wazio/ Cary John Photography

The kitchen is sleek and glossy, including a cooktop on the peninsula and space for eating. The dining space nearby overlooks the water.

Game room
Rafal Wazio/ Cary John Photography

Main living space
Rafal Wazio/ Cary John Photography

The main living space is two stories high, with plenty of chrome and a wall of windows. The bedroom entrances are on a balcony overlooking the space. A game room is located off the central space.

Several interested parties have toured the property and some have put in bids. Wazio says. Most of the visitors say they would keep it as it is, he says, with only one advocating for a complete overhaul.

The outdoor space is ideal for the Sunshine State lifestyle, with a pool, dock, and terraces on multiple levels.

“It’s an entertainer’s home—and it’s unapologetically an entertainer’s home. That’s probably one of the coolest features,” says Wazio.

The entertaining deck atop the home has 2,300 square feet of party space, with easy access to the home’s multiple levels via a glass elevator.

Quite apart from the sheer amount of space for throwing a bash, it’s the breadth of the vistas that attract attention.

“It’s incredible,” Wazio says. “You basically have four different views from four different directions from up there. You can look east, west, north, south.”

On the ground level, a patio area offers a gorgeous spot to take a dip.

“The pool and spa are stunning with unique tile accents, using the same tiles the designers of the Versace pool in South Beach used,” Wazio says.

The home also boasts a dock out back, making it easy for the owners to navigate the short distance to the Gulf of Mexico.

The sellers designed and built the home and are planning to move out of the area. They’re waiting for the perfect buyer to come along in an area that is not known for its flamboyance.

“It’s an architecturally cool beyond words home. It’s probably going to end up selling to an entertainer,” Wazio says. “If we were in Miami, Vegas, or L.A., this would already have been a done deal.”