With expansive indoor and outdoor living spaces and its Mizner-inspired architecture, the Noora model at Country Club East in Lakewood Ranch is a perfect blend of old and new Florida, says builder John Cannon, president of John Cannon Homes.

Winner of Best Overall in the 2009 Parade of Homes, the home garnered accolades for its floor plan, kitchen and interior design—all instantly apparent in the spectacularly comfortable great room. "The Noora was designed to take full advantage of the property and its surrounding views, with a center courtyard and open plan—and at 4,520 square feet, it’s still a very intimate home," Cannon explains.

Cannon’s vision for a comfortable home that would appeal to families with children and empty-nesters was interpreted by Lynn Hunter, ASID, of Distinctive Interiors, John Cannon Homes. "The Noora was designed to complement a lifestyle that centers on home, family and friends," Hunter says. Her skillful integration of contemporary and traditional elements in color scheme, furniture and accessories provides a winning formula, both for the Parade of Homes and for relaxed Florida living.

An eclectic mix of traditional and contemporary design elements, the great room balances dark warm colors in flooring, cabinetry and countertops with updated white skirted sofa and pendant light fixtures, 1. To visually connect various functional spaces, copper accents, 2, are repeated in the kitchen’s stepped ceiling, the range hood detail and wallpaper insets in cabinetry panels of the family room TV credenza. Easy-care ceramic tile, 3, from Stone Peak Ceramics is used throughout the main floor in a neutral earth tone that harmonizes with charcoal brick pavers lining the expansive patios of outdoor living areas The designer artfully combined cabinetry, a custom drywall built-in, 4, and accent paints to create a fresh treatment for the family room’s flat screen TV wall that replaces traditional built-ins or bulky armoires. Clever use of tile in a kitchen backsplash, 5, creates a designer look: Shaw’s wrought-iron accents enhance tumbled marble from Florida Tile, which is turned horizontally at the cook top for a harlequin pattern. The trend to two-toned kitchen cabinetry is exemplified in custom Albrecht Cabinets of Sarasota: The black island, 6, is an eye-catching contrast to main cabinets in an Heirloom finish that brightens the room. The warmth and movement of Yellow River granite on kitchen countertops, 7, inspired the great room’s color scheme, which picks up black accents in the stone as well as creamy white and yellow/gold tones.