Page 41 - Demo

THE DURDEN RESIDENCE
WATERFRONT LIVING
“Our travels to Italy were the happiest times of our lives.
Each treasure purchased has served as a reminder.”
“Villa Chimera,” as the Durdens named their mansion, stands to evidence the owners' great love and celebration of life. Since her husband’s passing, Karen Durden has maintained the house just as it was. It serves as a reminder of the most cherished memo- ries. “We loved traveling to Italy. We immersed ourselves in “La Dolce Vita” and admired the beauty of Italy’s ancient and timeless structures. When we came back home one spring, I drew the basic layout of the house,” Karen reminisces.
Inspired by one of the most in uential Italian architects of the Renaissance, Andrea Palladio, Villa Chimera incorporates elements of classical Roman and Greek architecture–most poignantly the symmetrical layout and the dramatic 24-foot columns that dominate the façade as well as the stairs leading to an expansive terrace with beautiful views of the sculptured garden overlooking St. Andrews Bay.
Much time was dedicated to studying the original architecture. “For my birthday one year, I asked for a pilgrimage to all the existing Palladian Villas in Northern Italy. I researched all of Andrea Palladio’s remaining structures, and my husband and I started on an adventure to nd and tour the buildings that were still standing from the 1500s.”
Karen began collecting antiques from around the world as a young woman. Many aspects of the house were planned to show- case those furnishings plus the ones she discovered with her late husband; “Our travels to Italy were the happiest times of our lives. Each treasure purchased has served as a reminder.”
The house was designed for the comforts of the owners and their family. Unlike its Italian inspirations, with a four-car garage, the 45-foot in nity pool, and state-of-the-art smart house technology, it o ers all the amenities of a new construction.
Stepping inside the entrance hall feels momentous. With its domed ceiling, accentuated by a custom-made 7-foot diameter chandelier, Karen declares it her favorite room as it stays light and sunny year-round. The 127-step Travertine staircase, pillow-cut Crema limestone walls, and marble compass rose inlay in the honed limestone oor are among her favorite design elements.
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