Windows to their houses' souls
Sarasota architecture is rich with diversity. Mediterranean classic meets glass-and-steel construction, easily blending together in the same neighborhood.
The windows and entry ways are especially noteworthy – doors accented with stained glass and etched glass and windows with fan designs surrounded by columns, pulling in the bright, abundant Florida sunshine.
Florida homes are not afraid to let in the light in or the curious looks of neighbors and out-of-town visitors.
On St. Armands, stately homes feature multiple floors of windows with simple, classic surrounds. Windows and doors often have lush, green ivy growing around them to add texture to the facades.
A stained glass window with flamingos graces a home on Lido Key. Photos by Ric Miracle.
Facing the Gulf of Mexico Drive at one spot, you can see a simple, bold, geometric-style house that would look at home in the Greek Isles. It has numerous small windows that provide privacy on the busy road, yet, because of their sheer number, open the house to lavish light.
A home on St. Armands features a creative mix of house windows and tower windows.
A massive Mediterranean home at the northern end of Lido Shores seems to be adorned with hundreds of classic windows surrounded with columns, offering passersby a postcard moment in the western sunlight. With windows on all four sides, the house can capture the Florida sunlight all day long.
On Siesta Key’s Ocean Boulevard, homes in a line show off massive blocks of Art Deco glass. In some houses, the glass makes up entire front walls; in others, it accents walls. The Art Deco fashion allows a soft, diffused light to enter the home while still providing for privacy.
A new home on Siesta Key shows off an impressive front wall of glass block.
Even simple wooden homes on Siesta Key use windows for bold accents and to control the light. Shutters and French doors add to the style and help adjust the stream of illumination from Old Sol.
Wooden overhangs on windows also help tone down the light and shelter the dwellers from eyes in neighboring high-rise homes and condos.
Both traditional and contemporary homes use glass to welcome in the glorious Florida sunlight. Just gaze around your own neighborhood to see the architectural wonders.