interiors

Lofty Expectations
Owners Seek New York Loft Look For Penthouse Unit
By Marcia Bradford
When Charles Rigdon and John McKay developed Grandview East and West Condominiums in Panama City Beach, they decided to keep one of the two penthouses in the 17-story East Tower as a place where they could entertain clients and enjoy time with their families.

"We wanted to create something that was extra special, and that began with allocating a large amount of space to the penthouse units," Rigdon said. "All the other floors have five units per floor, but we used the space on the top floor to create two 3,500-square-foot penthouses."

This is a very unique situation, according to Rigdon, because his penthouse unit also has 75 feet of beach frontage and unobstructed views. "The west tower next door is 11 stories tall, so we can see far off to the north and west," he said. "You probably won't see many other units of this size along this stretch of beach for many years to come."

Seeking to take full advantage of the view and the spacious floor plan, the developers brought in Barbara Gordon, owner of Barbara J. Gordon Designs in SeaGrove Beach, who had previously decorated McKay's home.

"At our first meeting, they told me they wanted to take this penthouse condominium to the next level," Gordon recalled. "They wanted to create a sophisticated loft look that would appeal to their executive clients as well as their families."

With that in mind, Gordon said she began working on a design that included some current trends while also maintaining classic lines. She consulted with McKay, who has an architectural degree, on the overall concepts and with Mrs. Rigdon, who had a lot of ideas about details, such as colors and fabrics.

"We agreed on creating a look that you might see in a New York loft apartment and then began to look for the pieces that would fulfill that look and meet the budget," Gordon said. "We sought a sophisticated style, rather than a beachy look, but I did feel it was important to incorporate the vivid hues of the Gulf of Mexico into the color scheme."

To accomplish that Gordon developed a color scheme that uses strong elements of black, accented with cream and champagne tones, to provide a dramatic feel. She then highlighted the décor with many shades of blue, from aqua to spa blue to deep blue. Satin or polished metals used throughout the unit complete the effect.

Immediate Impact
Anyone visiting this penthouse condo is immediately impressed by the size, layout and design of the unit, Rigdon said. And, of course, they are completely awed by the view, he added. "From the minute you walk in the door, the first thing you see is the Gulf of Mexico and at 17 stories, with the large expanse of floor-to-ceiling windows, it's an unbelievable view of some of the prettiest water anywhere," he said.

The vestibule, which features marble flooring with inlaid tiles, opens to both the main living area and the master suite, which occupies nearly half of the entire unit. A very large open space that is divided into sections by the furnishings and the living, dining and kitchen area is so large that it has comfortably accommodated a rehearsal dinner for a wedding party of 25 people, according to Rigdon.

As you enter this space, you can turn to the right, where a cozy seating area features two sofas and two animal print armchairs, all by Taylor King. Together with the large area rug, by Delos, and lamps, by Barbara Cosgrove, these items demonstrate the cool glamour of the black and champagne color scheme, set off by the blue shades in the artwork by Somerset Studios.

To the left of the entrance is a large kitchen area, with high-end stainless steel appliances, granite countertops and a walk-in pantry. The bar area accommodates six barstools by Elite. Between the kitchen and the large windows that open onto a spacious balcony is a glass-topped dining room table that has a stone base. Both the dining table and the coffee table in the seating area were custom made by Marquis of Beverly Hills, Gordon said. The eight chairs around the dining table, by Hickory White, include his and her captain's chairs upholstered in black suede and side chairs covered in a silk print. The light above the table is from Robert Abby Lamps.

Among the most striking features of the living area are the beautiful drapes that adorn the wall of windows overlooking the beach. Gordon had them custom-made using grommeted black string drapes backed by aqua sheers on stainless steel poles hung from the ceiling.

Places For Privacy
While the large living area provides ample space for extended families and groups of guests to gather, the condo also offers several areas where people can enjoy their privacy.

One of the aspects of the penthouse that Rigdon especially enjoys is the master suite, which includes a large bedroom, and a huge master bath, with his and her closets and vanities, a huge walk-in shower and a jetted spa tub, where "you can enjoy the amazing views to the north and west while having a soak."

In addition to the master suite, there is another master bedroom with a beach view and two guest rooms. Each bedroom has its own bath and there is a separate powder room that displays more of the dramatic effects designed by Gordon. The walls and ceiling, decorated in a faux finished Venetian plaster created by Artistic Distinctions, are accented with metal strips and inlaid turquoise glass stone. A black vanity and black plumbing fixtures, from Fixture Exchange, complete the effect.

Another special feature of this unit is the full-sized sauna that can accommodate four to five adults and is especially appreciated in the winter months, Rigdon said.

Rigdon, who lives in Destin, said he and McKay and their families are very pleased with the design of their penthouse condo. "When we engaged Barbara, we told her we really wanted to do something different," he said. "We did not want the beach look; we wanted something modern, but not too out there-something that had a more sophisticated feel. She hit it just right and we love the way it looks and feels. It's a place where you could live year-round, bring family and friends for vacations or entertain business clients, and it is situated on one of the most beautiful beaches in the world."