Paradise Found in Key West Home

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With five kids, five dogs, a large extended family, and numerous friends always in tow, Tampa retirees Lori and Michael Kosloske had long dreamed about a Florida Keys vacation home that would accommodate their gregarious group. In 2015, they began to put that dream into action when they snapped up two adjoining oceanfront lots in Key Haven, a high-end community about a mile east of Key West. “I call them ‘perfectly imperfect’ due to the oddly shaped peninsula and setbacks,” says Lori. “We are surrounded by the ocean on three sides, and we knew we had [plenty of design and construction] challenges ahead of us for sure.”

Before even envisioning the exterior, Lori knew who she would turn to for aesthetic matters inside: “Megan Newman and Sandy Moore of Accentrics Interiors are fabulous in every way,” she says. “We have been [collaborating] for almost 15 years on countless projects. I wouldn’t work with anyone else.”

Confident with that part of the equation, the couple then reached out to architects William P. Horn and Joe Scarpelli for the build-out of their five-bedroom, six-bath home in paradise. Their directive? “We spend as much time outside as we do inside, so I wanted my vision of modern coastal high design flowing throughout,” says Lori. “My husband, Mike, is a fun, active guy, and he had a list of outdoor activities he wanted incorporated, so the vision for the exterior was a blend [of both of our choices.]” As the planning continued and the wish list grew, the Kosloskes purchased a third lot in 2017, upping the ante on the dream home even further. 

Fast-forward to 2022 and the completed joint effort resulted in 6,400 square feet of interior space and 2,000 square feet in the form of covered porches topped with standing seam metal roofs and the very latest in hurricane-proofing technology. “We tried to keep things as modern and clean as possible,” says Horn about his firm’s approach to the architecture. “This house is a more Floridian traditional beachfront house, with modern features… and lots of glass.”

As far as the interiors go, Newman says the objective was to be the polar opposite of island kitsch. No mermaid motifs or Key lime-colored walls, but rather custom everything, including velvet-covered sofas from Italy and fabrics from all around the world. “Plus,” reveals Newman, “Lori definitely wanted gold touches throughout the entire house.” Those precious choices are not indicative of the homeowners’ way of living in any way, however. “They were not worried about sandy feet on the floor or wet swimsuits on the furniture,” says Newman. “Lori lives life to the fullest. If there’s a spill on a cushion, she’ll just have it replaced.”  

Because the main floor is mostly an open area, the design team worked extra hard to help define spaces. Large area rugs help anchor furniture groupings, and Newman and Moore incorporated custom light fixtures from high-end design houses to complement one another across the open space. 

Outside, builder, designers, and architect did right by Mike’s aforementioned list of leisure musts. A waterside bocce court ensures no afternoons need to be spent indoors. A pier was constructed just in time for the homeowners’ new boat. And on the west end of the property, a tennis court reveals the family’s love for the game. Amenities for miniature golf, sand volleyball, and basketball games are also part of the alfresco equation. Arguably, one of the most intriguing features on property is the elevated hot tub that sits 20 feet up from the ground in a nook of its own. “You can sit up there and relax with a glass of Champagne and enjoy the beautiful view,” says Lori, “or watch the kids jumping off from the cliff into the pool.” This wet perch, as well as the ground-level pool with its swim-up bar and the lazy river that runs underneath the house (a plus of having to raise the structure to adhere to flood zone regulations) were customized by the geniuses at Lucas Lagoons, a Sarasota-based pool designer that may sound familiar to cable TV watchers thanks to the show Insane Pools: Off the Deep End. “We call my husband the captain of fun,” says Lori, “so naturally we needed the [most fun house] in the Keys for him.” 

And fun is what this home is all about.

Story Credits:

Interior Design by Sandy Moore & Megan Newman, Accentrics Interiors, Tampa, FL

Architecture by William P. Horn & Joseph Scarpelli, William P. Horn Architects, Key West, FL

Landscape Architecture by Ecoscapes Key West, Key West, FL

Text by Riki Altman-Yee

Photography by Amy Lamb, Nashville, TN

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