Snell Isle is one of the few places in St. Petersburg where a 1920s Mediterranean Revival house and a newly finished concrete-block waterfront home can sit a few lots apart. The island was laid out by developer C. Perry Snell, and several early homes still carry the arched windows, terra cotta block and hand-painted detail of that era. Alongside them, recent construction has raised the bar for what buyers expect inside: open-water views from most rooms, outdoor kitchens, and primary suites planned like private retreats.
Our work here is luxury interior design for full renovations and new builds, led from our Tampa studio across the bay.
An older Snell Isle home often has rooms sized for a different era, original plaster and tile worth keeping, and systems that have been patched for decades. The design question is what to protect. Arched openings, decorative ceilings and fireplaces can anchor a renovated house; dated kitchens, small baths and closed service areas usually cannot. We document what is original before demolition so the new interior reads as a continuation rather than a replacement.
With new construction the risk is the opposite: a beautiful shell with generic finishes. Bringing interior design in while drawings are still flexible lets us place lighting, plumbing walls, cabinetry and built-ins around the views and the way you entertain, instead of adjusting after framing.
Much of the island sits in a FEMA special flood hazard area. If an existing home is below current base flood elevation, renovation costs above roughly half the structure's value can trigger requirements to bring the whole house into compliance, which can mean elevating. It is worth confirming your flood zone, elevation certificate and the City of St. Petersburg's substantial improvement rules before design gets detailed, because the answer can change the entire scope.
Inside, we specify for the setting: finishes that tolerate humidity and salt air, performance fabrics near pool doors, hardware that will not pit, and flooring choices that make sense on a ground level that may see water.
Our closest projects are in St. Petersburg: the AB Residence, a waterfront home with a cohesive material palette, and the AT Residence in Crescent Heights, just west of the island. For the wider city, see luxury interior design in St. Petersburg or our guide to a St. Petersburg gut renovation.
Often yes, but it depends on the home's elevation, flood zone and the value of the work compared with the structure. Under substantial improvement rules, larger renovations of homes below base flood elevation may require full compliance. Confirm with the City of St. Petersburg and your elevation certificate early.
Where they have integrity, yes. Arched openings, decorative ceilings, fireplaces and tile can often be preserved and become the starting point for the new design.
Before construction drawings are final. Lighting, plumbing locations, cabinetry and built-ins are far easier to get right on paper.
Full-service projects begin at $80,000, and most whole-home work we take on is $150,000 and above.
Start with a $199 in-home consultation. We walk the house or the plans with you and give a candid read on scope and next steps.
Sixth Sense Studio · 1646 West Snow Avenue, Suite 64, Tampa, FL 33606 · (813) 727-7293