Unexpected Allure

Melanie Turner and Stan Benecki design an organic beachside oasis that’s as comfortable as it is luxurious.

When developer Stan Benecki and his wife, interior designer Melanie Turner, are at the helm of a design project, expect the unexpected. This Rosemary Beach getaway is the latest in a series of luxury turnkey properties designed, built and furnished by the design-minded duo on Florida’s idyllic stretch of beaches along Highway 30A.

“Turnkey homebuilding is making waves in luxury markets from Los Angeles to the Hamptons, and we believe it’s the way to go because it’s so simple,” says Benecki. Fully loaded with every amenity imaginable, from furniture and fine linens to silverware and soaps, the newly built and designed homes are move-in ready—requiring little more than packing and transporting clothes. “This process really speaks to buyers looking for something hassle-free,” Benecki explains. “Imagine the process of building a luxury home. By the time you’ve dealt with an architect, builder, decorator and landscape designer, multiple years can easily pass by. We cut all that out by presenting a beautiful home that’s ready to move into tomorrow.”

Employing her signature effortless elegance, Turner matched the home’s breezy beach setting by introducing organic textures and colors that create a sense of comfortable luxury. Deep linen sofas in the living room offer a cozy place to nap, while cushioned raffia chairs in the adjacent dining area provide the perfect spot for a game of cards around the table. Overhead, reclaimed oak beams play up the home’s earthy charm, as do the gleaming Venetian plaster walls.

The three-story abode also serves as a gallery for collections of beautiful artwork and rare objects that Turner purchases during her travels and stows away for future projects. She found the large vessels displayed in the stair hall, for instance, in Asia, where artisans submerge them deep underwater so that they become covered with barnacles. “I love to buy unique items knowing that I’ll eventually find them the perfect home,” says Turner.

Because she and her husband are constantly explosed to design, Turner wasn’t afraid to make a splash in select spaces such as the pool mudroom, which she wrapped in a cool blue from top to bottom. Upstairs, an all-pink bedroom is equally as eye catching. Their whimsy is a departure from the home’s predominantly neutral color palette and thus was met with some apprehension by real estate agents and even Benecki himself, but Turner was steadfast. “I like having little surprises in a home,” she says. “You have the calm, the effortless and then the wow.”

The risk certainly paid off. The home sold to an Atlanta couple after a few short weeks on the market. As for this designing duo, you can find them working on their next turnkey project along 30A.

INTERIOR DESIGN Melanie Turner, Melanie Turner Interiors. (404) 250-0134; melanieturnerinteriors.com. BUILDER Stan Benecki, Beneki Homes. (404) 250-0999; beneckihomes.com.