Briggs Freeman Sotheby’s International Realty | Know Your Architecture: Mediterranean
Mediterranean Revival is a style introduced in the United States in the late 19th century, variously incorporating references from Spanish Renaissance, Spanish Colonial, Beaux-Arts, Italian Renaissance and Venetian Gothic architecture.
The movement drew on the style of palaces and seaside villas and applied them to the rapidly expanding coastal resorts of California and Florida. In the 1920s and 30s, Hollywood movies featured romantic Mediterranean sets, and celebrity magazines showed stars living in glamorous Mediterranean manors, creating the peak period for construction of this elegant style.
What to look for: symmetrical façades, stucco walls, red tile roofs, arched windows with grilles and balconies made of wood or wrought iron. Lush gardens often appear, as do courtyards. Other flourishes range from large, heavy wooden doors with ornate carvings and articulated surrounds to multicolored tiles for the risers of staircases.
Famous examples: In Miami, Vizcaya, built in the early 1900s by businessman James Deering, and Casa Casuarina, once the home of fashion designer Gianni Versace. In Beverly Hills, Greenacres, the 1920s estate of actor Harold Lloyd. In Sarasota, Florida, Cà d’Zan, the 1920s residence of circus tycoon John Ringling.
The one-of-a-kind home at 2324 Panorama Court in Arlington offers more than 22,000 square feet of Mediterranean-style. With no expense spared in its creation, it features six living areas, a large chef’s kitchen and a grand-tiered theater. The private master suite has two living areas, a spa-like bath and capacious custom closets; the home’s six other bedrooms have private baths, as well. Other luxuries include a full spa with two massage rooms, an indoor heated pool and separate guest quarters.
The home is represented by David Fielden and is priced $5,200,000.
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