Tampa Bay homebuyers embrace evolving trends

Florida developers say modern lines, natural tones, textured walls and flex spaces are must-haves. New homebuyers in Taylor Morrison communities are looking for warmer tones like beige and cream, as opposed to the grays of the past, according to Douglas Miller, president of the company’s Tampa division. “While white cabinets are still popular, more buyers are pairing them with a warmer-toned countertop,” he said. The same goes for black finishes. “Homebuyers are now opting more for gold plumbing and light fixtures.”

Mark Russell, of Russell & Russell Construction in Palm Harbor, is completing a four-unit, $12 million development on Siesta Key. He said the homes have minimalistic features, large-format tiles and polished concrete floors.

“A trend going forward these days is that the baseboards and casings in the homes are flush with the drywall so it looks very modern,” he said. Glass stair rails, walls trimmed in wood or with textures like waves or water droplets are highly desirable, as are smart-home systems (lights, sound, blinds) controlled remotely.

Homes in Taylor Morrison’s Esplanade communities are pre-plumbed for outdoor kitchens. Luxury community-wide amenities, including lap pools, dog parks and gyms, as well as on-site massage therapists, are standard.

Windows

No need to feel stuck inside on a rainy day if you have Aura Illuminated Shades. The Hunter Douglas shades have built-in lighting that can make an overcast day look like a bright afternoon. The automated window coverings can go from dim to bright light and make a room look softer or cooler, said Peter Haggar, who has owned the Blind & Shutter Gallery in St. Petersburg (bsgstpete.com) for the past 23 years.

While the Aura shades are the bougie new option in window coverings, Haggar also sells a variety of roller window shades that block out ultraviolet rays, blacken windows for sleeping and protect furniture and artwork from too much sunlight.

They come in a variety of colors, materials and thicknesses, designed especially to filter any harsh glare in Florida’s waterfront homes or condominiums with sweeping views. Haggar also offers shutters, including traditional plantation shutters, which he said, “never go out of style.”

That goes for drapes, too. They are making a bit of a comeback, he said. In his Fourth Street studio, about half of the customers in the past month were there to see his drapery designer, Susan Dean. She believes the renewed interest in curtains stems from the trend toward minimalism in newer homes.

Flooring

With all the popularity of large tiles and luxury vinyl flooring, are high-end homebuyers still in the market for carpet? Yes, said Kelly Beale of The Carpet Store in St. Petersburg. And, she said, browns are back. Think 1970s oranges, rust tones and deep blue teals without so much shag. “Buyers really want richer, deeper, earthier colors,” she said. But, since not everyone is ready to abandon gray yet, buyers are moving toward a blend of brown and gray – taupe. Plush carpet is still a favorite. Recently, Beale said, more customers, especially younger ones, have been buying multicolored carpet.

Explore Tampa Bay’s sights and bites

Subscribe to our free Do & Dine newsletter

We’ll serve up the best things to do and the latest restaurant news every Thursday.

Loading...

You’re all signed up!

Want more of our free, weekly newsletters in your inbox? Let’s get started.

Explore all your options

Designer Trina Turk recently launched rugs by FLOR in the signature style of her 1960s and ‘70s childhood. Her rugs are brightly colored with geometric shapes and names like California Dreaming.

Customers who want hardwood flooring are leaning more toward light, airy colors, said Beale. And tile, she said, “never goes out of style in Florida.” Ceramic tile resembling hardwood is preferable. The same goes for luxury vinyl plank floors. The engineered material is perfect for Florida because it can withstand high humidity and moisture. It’s also easy to maintain, said Beale.

Learn more at fortheflooronline.com.

Condo perks

In the luxury condominium sales market, it’s all about amenities. Yes, buyers want modern designs, water views from floor-to-ceiling windows, chef’s kitchens and spa-like bathrooms. But developers are more often promoting perks.

Buyers who spend from approximately $800,000 to $2 million to live in the soon-to-be-completed Reflection tower near St. Petersburg’s Mirror Lake (reflectionstpete.com) will have access to a building concierge who can shuttle them to and from downtown businesses on the weekends. “We built that into the homeowners association fees,” said developer Nick Hansen of HP Capital Group, who expects units to be move-in ready this summer.

In Tampa, sales are underway for the second tower (the first phase, being completed this month, is sold out) of The Ritz-Carlton Residences along Bayshore Boulevard (theresidencestampa.com). Residents of the condominiums, which range in price from $1.5 to $6.6 million, will have access to the hotel’s concierge, full-service spa, 24-hour valet and on-premises security.

Both projects offer swimming pools, gyms and pet areas - all things owners expect from modern urban condo life. Reflection developers have positioned many of those amenities on the roof of their 18-story building. The first level of the development’s 88 residences is on the seventh floor. Those units also have individual terraces and balconies.

Hansen’s team focused on the views from inside and atop the building, which he said is 68% glass. “In some of our units, they have windows over the sinks in their kitchens,” he said.

At the 30-story Ritz-Carlton Residences Tampa Tower II, the pool will be located on the fifth floor, but the rooftop will feature an oversized terrace and a bar. “Living in a luxury condo rather than a luxury home, owners can take advantage of all the wellness amenities and activities built into their building without the need to leave their walls,” said Alana Zeilander of the Antenna public relations firm. The tower residences were designed to give owners “the opportunity to essentially live in their favorite hotel year-round,” she said.

Storage

Because most Florida homes don’t have basements, finding storage space is crucial. Barbara Searcy has innovative solutions. As owner and vice president of Southern Closet Systems in Odessa (southerncloset.com), Searcy designs creative ways for clients to optimize their spaces. Southern Closet Systems was even featured on recent episodes of HGTV’s “Rock the Block” show, where teams compete to finish townhomes in Treasure Island.

“We do a lot of custom built-ins for storage spaces in all rooms of the house,” she said. “But in Florida, that requires using a lot of garage space.”

She designs built-in workbenches with tool storage, waterproof cabinets, overhead storage and custom shelving with hooks and racks to help homeowners preserve their garage floor space for their cars.

Clients nowadays also want the floor itself to look good. While designing storage, Searcy can also arrange for custom coating of garage floors in various textures and colors.

Indoors, “the trick we use is to go vertical with storage,” she said. Kitchen pantries and bedroom closets can be outfitted with shelves that go from floor to ceiling, adding much-needed space for seasonal items. “We also do a lot of dining rooms with built-in hutches that can function as additional pantry space as well,” she said.

Another challenge is downsizing. “A lot of people moving to Florida are retiring and downsizing at the same time,” said Searcy.

Big, bulky furniture is also on its way out, she said. Properly designed bedroom closets can eliminate the need for dressers and armoires. Her individually designed closets can include shoe racks, lighted mirrors, open and closed shelving, jewelry boxes, tie and belt racks, and drawers with everything from laundry baskets to pull-out ironing boards.

Searcy and her team also specialize in home offices. “We can turn even a small reach-in closet into an office,” she said. And no need to give up guest rooms. Searcy regularly installs office systems with pull-down Murphy beds in sizes from twin to king.

Staging

While staging a home is an added expense, Realtors and designers say that in the long run, it can save a seller money.

“Staged homes sell a vision of how a buyer could use the space, and those buyers then tend to find the home more appealing and see themselves making an offer,” said St. Petersburg Realtor Denise Nightingale. She recently hired Stephanie Acevedo of Casa Ria Interior Design and Home Staging to ready an $800,000 house in St. Petersburg. The stager took inspiration from the home’s wooden beams to create a mid-century modern theme.

Acevedo has been designing interiors for clients in Tampa and St. Petersburg for years. “It doesn’t matter what the house looks like - people don’t envision themselves in the house if it’s just a white, sterile space,” said Acevedo. Her signature is to decorate with lots of color.

Growing up in a Columbian family in South Florida, Acevedo said she likes “culturally and globally inspired colors,” including earth tones, terra cotta, and greens and blues. “There is so much history that has helped shape our lifestyles, (tastes) for music and perceptions that I express in my interior design and home staging,” she said.

St. Petersburg Realtor John Erik Savitsky, with Engel & Völkers, said staging is one way “to help buyers who have difficulty visualizing an empty space understand what the space can become with furniture,” as long as it’s done thoughtfully. “I first encourage clients to remove their unique personality from the home. They may feel at peace in a fun, jungle-themed bedroom or in a study surrounded by their prized collection of antique porcelain clowns, but successful sales often mean mitigating what made the home personal to the sellers for many years.”

Removing family photos or painting a neutral color “over a vibrant vermilion-colored dining room” can go a long way toward spotlighting the home’s inherent personality instead of the seller’s, he said.

Savitsky pointed to one client he coached on “depersonalizing” her waterfront home before putting it on the market. He advised her to remove heavy, dark and dated furniture and window treatments. “This waterfront home could have been anywhere in Middle America, the way it effectively turned its back to the water,” he said. “Afterwards, buyers routinely commented on how spectacular the view was from the main living area, and we sold the home quickly.”

Acevedo and Nightingale said they always advise homeowners to remove family photos and repaint any brightly colored rooms. “Once a buyer has one negative thing in their mind - it doesn’t matter what you put in that house, they won’t be able to blank it out,” Acevedo said.

Some Realtors pay for the staging, while others charge their clients. Generally, Acevedo charges between $2,500 and $3,000 for a 30-day rental of staging for a full house, which includes the kitchen, dining room, living room and two bedrooms. “I like to mix in pieces,” she said. “That makes it look a bit more like a real home rather than a staged home.”

Acevedo offers a variety of staging options on her website at casariadesign.com.