147 Live Oak Drive
147 Live Oak Drive
Residential
Transitional
2025
Designing a custom luxury residence on the quiet peninsula of John’s Lake in Winter Garden, Florida offered us the rare opportunity to merge the intimacy of a private retreat with the grandeur of classical Tuscan architecture. The site itself, a slender stretch of land embraced on three sides by water, called for a home that felt both grounded and timeless, yet open to the lake and its shifting light.
Recollecting the months I spent studying under Traverso-Vighy Architetti in Vicenza, Italy, I turned to the enduring language of actual Tuscan villas for inspiration: thick stone walls that anchor the home, textured stucco façades in warm earth tones, and terracotta roof tiles that catch the Florida sun with a subtle glow. Arched openings and shaded loggias weave indoor and outdoor living seamlessly, while a central courtyard brings the traditions of Italian domestic life into the heart of the home. From this courtyard, the family can move easily toward the lakefront terrace where the day begins with sunrise exercise sessions framed by water on the horizon.
Inside, lofty timber beams span over gathering spaces, lending scale and permanence, while more intimate rooms tuck into quieter corners of the plan. Stone fireplaces, wrought iron detailing, and hand-finished plaster add depth and texture, grounding the modern comforts in a language of antiquity. Every material was chosen to echo the rustic elegance of Tuscany while being thoughtfully adapted for Florida’s climate.
Project Team
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Wm. H. Arthur IV, AIA, NCARB
Architect -
Yailyn O. Barrera, AIA, NCARB
Architect -
Maria P. Mejicano
Associate
The home is not just a showcase of Mediterranean architecture—it is a portrait of a family’s lifestyle. Spaces are arranged to foster togetherness, encourage movement, and embrace the changing light of day. At sunset, when the terracotta roof glows against the water and the courtyard fills with laughter, the house feels less like a new construction and more like a place that has always belonged to the peninsula.