What The Ca d'Zan & Topsy Turvy Have in Common

The view from our room at the beach.

Topsy Turvy is taking a few days off, to spend some time at our favorite spot on Holmes Beach, Anna Maria Island ... no computers allowed. I'm so ready.

When we go to the beach, it's for total relaxation, but we always have a few things in mind to do - if the mood strikes.
• I like to explore the shell shops for coral, sea fans, etc.
• My husband wants to cruise through Ringling College of Art & Design, his alma mater.
• Perhaps we'll have time for a visit to Sarasota Salvage, a favorite spot for architectural salvage and antiques.
• And we'll definitely have dinner at the highly recommended Beach Bistro, meeting up with friends and sharing a glass of wine on the beach at sunset.

On a previous trip, we visited the Cà d'Zan, the John & Mable Ringling mansion near the Ringling Museum of Art (which is just down the road from the beach).

In 1924, the circus czar and his wife commissioned NY architect, Dwight James Baum, to build this Venetian Gothic palace, on the waterfront in Sarasota.

The Ringlings held lavish parties with orchestras serenading guests, in the ballroom, on the terrace, and on the Ringling yacht moored just outside.

No ceiling surface is left un-coffered or unadorned. Elaborate carved details and painted designs like these are typical throughout.

In the bedroom, excessive ornamentation is restricted to the furniture.
There is a lot of gold on the ceiling trim and cornices, but this room seems serene compared to the rest of the house.

Along a path on the grounds of the mansion, banyan tree roots overtake a statue.

I count 5 different colors of marble tiles that make up this unusual pattern.

Steps lead down to Sarasota Bay.

Those steel casement doors and windows with multi-colored glass panes are quite unusual, and run around the entire house.
(The handsome guy in front is my husband, Tim.)

Sometime after our visit to Cà d'Zan, we discovered that Baum was, more than likely, the architect for our own home - which was built the same year that the mansion was completed, 1926. How cool is that! Of course, our house is just a bit more down to earth, but can you see the resemblance?

Topsy Turvy Headquarters

Baum and M. Leo Elliott were the architects for many of the original houses in Temple Terrace. Two of each of Baum's plans were built in the city. Our house's "twin", which is about 5 minutes away, was located last year by a local architect/friend Grant Rimbey.

Topsy Turvy Headquarters, 3/4 profile

We bought the house about 5 years ago, but haven't yet gotten to the landscaping. It was recommended that we complete any interior renovations first, which makes perfect sense.

So, we replaced sliders with french doors in the living room and in the master bedroom, and added covered porches that the doors open onto. As for the cottage out back - we added clay tiles to the roof and french doors in place of the garage doors, and some canvas awnings. But then there were a few unexpected expenses. The interior framing of the cottage had to be replaced in order to support the weight of the new clay tiles. And, the flat roofs on the main house leaked, so we had to replace those, twice. We had the house painted, and we lost a major tree, and lightning claimed part of another.

Topsy Turvy Headquarters, 3/4 profile, different angle

A rendering of our house was recently found (also by Grant) in a newspaper ad from the 20s, so now we know what the original facade looked like. In the 50s, the owner (and then-mayor of Temple Terrace), filled in two front arches, which were screened, and added the little entry stoop. We want to get rid of that little stoop, and open up the arches once again, and fill them with glass panes and doors (steel casement would be lovely) designed to fit the arches.

As for the landscape, we at least have names designated for different garden areas. Surely the actual gardens will follow. Our property includes 2 lots, and the area with the huge oak trees is what we call the Woodland Shade Garden. The sunny area in front is the Dewy Meadow. Behind the little notched wall with the arch (at the left end of the house as you look at the picture), is the Secret Garden. This name came about when I was clearing out overgrown ferns, and uncovered a buried stone path. And, in front of the cottage, I recently started, of course, the Cottage Garden with a small bed of roses and lavender.

All photos above by Topsy Turvy.

These are some of my inspiration gardens and landscapes.

Top 2 photos by Marion Brenner for C Magazine. Bottom right, Cindy Crawford's LA home.

Meantime, I feel a bit pained every time I drive up to our house and clearly see its unfulfilled potential. It usually exists in my mind's eye as it will eventually be - with all the lush mediterranean landscaping in place, splashing fountains, a lap pool in the back, stone walkways through lush plantings along the sides, and hidden leafy enclaves.
Can you see it too?
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