Presenting

10 | Michael Saunders & Company Times however, have certainly changed. In the forty years since Michael started her business, the types of homes available have changed immensely. The needs of visitors, as well as residents, are different now, and the homes that dot the salty shores of Florida's Gulf Coast have followed suit. Many residences have become luxurious estates, comparable to resorts in the world's most cherished destinations. One such crown jewel, featured on our cover, is poised prominently in the Sanderling Club on Siesta Key with hundreds of feet of Gulf front, startlingly modern elements, and grounds solidly in the realm of heavenly. Today, social activities are no longer only taken outside the home. Rather, the home itself is now a focal point for entertaining. Kitchens are now much more than work spaces: they are integral gathering spots around which the most important action in a home takes place. No longer small, cramped rooms at the back of the house, kitchens have become center stage in modern design. Walls have come down and ceilings have been raised. Today's homes feature open floor plans with soaring elegance, an abundance of natural light, and architectural elements that infuse the old Florida style with a truly global influence. One such home, a Bay-to-Gulf estate on the northern end of Casey Key, sits as a testament to this idea. Entry into this home greets one with a sweeping, Italianate stairwell, and throughout the home, dark wood arch ways open to windows with pristine views of the water on both sides. On the back porch, a lavishly appointed sitting area, complete with oversized, wood-burning fireplace, provides ample room to entertain guests until long after the sun has set. Another room that has seen dramatic changes in recent decades is the master bedroom. No longer just the largest bedroom in a home, master suites have expanded to become mini-residents with sitting rooms, morning kitchens and elaborate spa baths. Walk-in-closets have expanded to become furnished rooms with elegant cabinetry replacing wire shelving. Master bedrooms in today's finest estates are truly fit for a king and queen. Today's home, of course, takes advantage of the 21st century's advent of technology. Digital thermostats and blinking clocks on stoves have morphed into total home automation systems, where lighting, temperature, window treatments, doors and customized functions can be controlled locally or from the other side of the globe. Technology is also being used to make our homes more environmentally responsible. From energy saving appliances to architectural aspects that earn coveted LEED certification, today's home saves money while saving the ecosystem. The Internet plays a large part in how homeowners of 2016 live their lives—with more and more business being conducted from the privacy of the home. Offices are no longer small nooks, tucked away inside of closets, or a desk built into the corner of the kitchen. The home office has grown to become a technologically savvy, designated room. With advances in communication, tele-commuting has become an option for many, allowing some residences to enjoy the Florida lifestyle while conducting business around the world. How will the needs of Florida's homeowners change over the next 40 years? It's difficult to say, beyond the obvious prediction that technology will continue to provide inventive construction techniques and materials as well as solutions to streamline our lifestyles. One thing, however, is certain: the natural elegance and astonishing beauty of Florida's Gulf Coast never fades, and we will be here to preserve it for future generations. TOP LEFT: Westway Drive waterfront residence featuring an open floor plan overlooking the Gulf, featured on page 49. TOP RIGHT: Master bathroom fit for a queen in Casey Key estate, featured on page 23. BELOW: Gardens of the cover property, featured on page 12.

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