Bird Key sits in Sarasota Bay along the John Ringling Causeway, between downtown Sarasota and St. Armands Circle. For decades it was a small island with a single estate, the Worcester home later owned by the Ringling family. In 1959 Arvida bought the property, dredged and filled the surrounding bay bottom and laid out an enclave of 511 lots, most of them on the water, with underground utilities that were unusual for the time. The Bird Key Yacht Club anchors community life, and the housing stock now runs from original 1960s ranch homes to large contemporary houses that have replaced them.
Sixth Sense Studio provides luxury interior design Bird Key owners can rely on for whole-home renovations and new construction, coordinated from our Tampa studio with site visits scheduled in advance.
Bird Key is governed by the Bird Key Homeowners Association and its Declaration of Restrictions. The association's Architectural Review Committee reviews new construction and exterior projects for consistency with those documents, separate from the City of Sarasota's permit review. According to the association's handbook for owners and contractors, the committee checks compliance with its governing documents, confirms whether the required city permit has been approved and issues an approval or denial letter within 30 days of receiving an application. The committee does not evaluate engineering or building code compliance; that remains with the city and your design professionals. We plan design packages so the information the committee needs, such as plans, setbacks and height, is ready when your builder submits.
As a filled bay island, Bird Key sits low, and much of it is in FEMA flood zones. Building permits come from the City of Sarasota, and renovations of older homes below base flood elevation can reach the substantial improvement threshold, where work valued at half of the structure's market value requires the whole house to meet current flood rules. For many original homes, that calculation decides between renovating and rebuilding. We recommend confirming the elevation certificate and talking with a builder before committing to a design direction.
Waterfront lots here can face the open bay, a quiet canal or the downtown skyline. We orient furniture, lighting and window treatments to whichever view the house was built around, and manage afternoon glare off the water so rooms stay comfortable.
Social life on the island often moves between home, dock and yacht club. Kitchens with a working back pantry, a bar that keeps guests out of the cook's path and terraces furnished like rooms help a house host easily.
Many owners split the year between Sarasota and another home. We specify finishes, fabrics and systems that tolerate humidity while the house is closed, and design storage so the home can be opened and closed without a weekend of work.
We have not completed a project on Bird Key or elsewhere in Sarasota. Our nearest published homes are across the bay in St. Petersburg, including the AB Residence, a waterfront home, and the AT Residence. For more on the region, see our Sarasota and Manatee page and neighboring Longboat Key.
The Bird Key Homeowners Association's Architectural Review Committee reviews new construction and exterior projects against the community's governing documents. City of Sarasota permits are a separate requirement.
The association's handbook says the committee issues an approval or denial letter within 30 days of receiving an application. Confirm current procedures with the association before you submit.
It depends on elevation, structure and how much you plan to change. The flood substantial improvement threshold often tips the decision, so it is worth checking early.
Yes. We are based in Tampa and schedule site visits, selections meetings and installation days in advance. Travel arrangements are confirmed before we begin.
Full-service projects begin at $80,000; most whole-home projects are $150,000 and above.
Begin with a $199 consultation. We will review the house or plans with you and give an honest assessment of scope, review steps and timing.
Sixth Sense Studio · 1646 West Snow Avenue, Suite 64, Tampa, FL 33606 · (813) 727-7293