If Julius Caesar lived on Siesta Key today, it would be at 3482 Flamingo Ave. Completed in 2019, the arches, columns and Old World carvings somehow look right at home next to the clean, white stucco lines of this home, which sits on an acre of land on the north end of the key. Wall-climbing vines and a water fountain by the regal front entrance beckon a modern-day monarch, while the wrought-iron balconies overlooking the Roman-style pool inside beg for a rendezvous between Romeo and Juliet.

With no prior experience in architecture or home design, owner Gary McDermott custom-built the four bedroom, three-and-a-half-bath home to incorporate personal details that still maintain mass appeal—which is fortunate, as he’s relocating to Raleigh due to work. The house is currently for sale for $5.8 million.

At the entrance, crane your neck upward—beyond the 10-foot-tall mahogany doors—to peek at frangipani, McDermott's wife’s favorite flower. There's also a flamingo, an homage to the home's address on Flamingo Avenue, carved into the more than 24 feet of Cantera stone. 

Inside the 4,152 square-foot home, the combination of Old World elements and modern design continues. There's an interior courtyard with a 45-foot lap pool surrounded by stone pillars; the five-foot-deep pool also overlooks a large backyard and canal access leading to Sarasota Bay.

“It’s a Roman bath, but also functional to keep the house cool," McDermott explains. "It lowers the house's temperature by 10-15 degrees and creates a natural draft. During storms, we love to watch the water rain down the center of the house."

“We wanted something clean, but I love the old world styles too so I searched all over the country for someone to hand carve the stone at the front entrance and found someone in Mexico,” he says. 

Extensive tiles throughout the home, with old-world furniture pieces and light fixtures, peacefully coexist with updated bathroom and kitchen cabinetry–check out the blue azul granite countertops in the kitchen and around the pool. 

"We searched for tile for years, but the delays in finding them gave us enough time to create our vision," he says.

The latest hot trend is also ready to go: for remote workers, a luxury office awaits in the one-bedroom, one-bathroom guest house that also has a kitchen.

The roof was slated to be the homeowers' next project. It was where McDermott was planning on setting up a greenhouse, a day bed, a putting green and bocce ball court—all lined with hearty cacti and bromeliads. But the next buyer can pick up the baton on that.

Interested? Contact Steve Abbe of the Abbe Ross Team with Coldwell Banker Realty in Florida.