Minto on the Cutting Edge of Home Design

By Nancy Gross

Minto Communities is one of North America’s leading builders offering a wide array of award-winning new homes and resort-style master-planned communities in warm, sunny Florida.

It’s no surprise that Minto is at the vanguard of building homes with the latest and most sought-after design trends. This preeminent Florida builder has earned multiple national awards in community and home design.

Minto’s Most Popular Design Elements

Minto’s on-site design centers make it easy for new homeowners to choose from a wide selection of cabinetry, flooring, lighting, and more. According to Minto’s Design Coordinator, Angela Rinaldi, today’s buyers are most interested in these design elements, all offered by Minto:

• Home designs that bring the great outdoors indoors
• Open great room floor plans with high ceilings and disappearing sliding glass
  doors
• Smart technology to control home security and temperature from cell phones
  when away from home
• Outdoor kitchens and fireplaces that surround pools, spas, and other water
  features
• Large his and hers closets

Rinaldi also notes that the following colors, finishes, and design details are very popular with Minto’s customers:

• Coffered and beamed ceilings
• White or light glazed cabinets
• Quartz countertops
• Porcelain tile wood look-a-like floors
• Hardwood floors
• Glass tile backsplashes
• Stainless steel appliances
• Coastal details like white wainscoting

According to Minto’s model home merchandiser, interior designer Rhett Alexander, “Today’s buyers consider themselves design experts, and are looking for highly designed spaces that reflect close attention to details in areas such as architectural moldings, carefully designed kitchens with highly specialized cabinet functions, and luxurious bathrooms with multiple high-end finishes from flooring to counter tops.”

Open Floor Plans in Demand

Perhaps the strongest lifestyle element in today’s new homes is open floor plan living. Minto has several plans where the main dining area has been incorporated into what would have been the kitchen nook area. This creates dynamic entertaining spaces where owners can comfortably host up to 15 dinner guests.

The Importance of Color

Grey continues to be an important element for interior finishes, including flooring, fabrics, and woods. “Grey Plus One” color schemes are very popular, and can be adapted to both contemporary and more traditional schemes.

Variations of blue, green and teal are also popular, especially with homeowners who choose coastal themes. Gold metallic finishes are making a comeback, and are seen in lamps, art frames, and metal accent furniture such as cocktail tables and table bases.

Minto’s Unique Community Environments
Minto designs dynamic environments that provide a whole new take on contemporary living. Minto’s Florida communities embrace and reflect the natural environments in which they are located, along with offering an abundance of resort-style amenities that give residents easy access to nature, fitness, and social activities.

“Minto developments are meticulously planned to create sustainable communities that embrace nature and the active lifestyles of today’s buyers,” notes Minto Senior Vice President William Bullock.

Relaxed Island Living at Minto’s Harbour Isle
Harbour Isle—an island community of luxury coach homes and resort villas located on Anna Maria Sound in Bradenton, Florida—features a gated entry that is distinguished by a lighthouse-inspired observation tower. A Royal Palm-lined streetscape borders a 38-acre lake for kayaking at the center of the community, and residents enjoy a two-mile walking path that encircles the island.

Residents can cool off in any of the three resort-style pools, stay in shape at the fitness center, and relax at the Beach Club that overlooks gorgeous Anna Maria Sound and features a Sky Bar Lounge.

The Isles of Collier Preserve in Naples
A uniquely situated 2,400-acre community, The Isles of Collier Preserve is bordered on the south by Rookery Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve, north by Naples Botanical Garden, and west by Dollar Bay.

Minto has dedicated more than half of the community’s land to preserves and natural habitat. Residents are connected to this beautiful, pristine setting by a network of recreational trails, bike paths, and waterways for kayaking. The Isle of Collier Preserve provides a tranquil, natural environment, along with the convenience of being only minutes from downtown Naples.

Home styles reflect a casual coastal elegance and include luxury villas, coach homes, and single-family homes. Minto’s distinctive luxury touches feature architecturally detailed ceiling treatments, bay windows in the master bedroom, bright, open floor plans, large kitchens with dining and preparation island, great outdoor spaces, plus intimate, get-away rooms such as reading and hobby rooms.

More Beautifully Designed Minto Communities in Florida
You’ll want to explore all of the outstanding communities Minto has to offer, including:

• Laureate Park neighborhood within Lake Nona and Festival in Orlando
• Bonita Isles in Bonita Springs
• TwinEagles in Naples
• Sun City Center in the Tampa Bay area
• TownPark at Tradition and LakePark at Tradition in Port St. Lucie
• PortoSol in Royal Palm Beach
• Villas By The Sea in Lauderdale-By-The-Sea
• Artesia in Sunrise

If you’re considering moving to a master-planned community in Florida, keep in mind that Minto offers state-of-the-art home design in the most desirable Florida locations. For 60 years, Minto has been building award-winning communities. Which one will be your new home?

60+ Years o f Design Excellence
Founded in 1955, Minto is a family-owned business that has grown over the last 60+ years into one of North America’s leading builders, with more than 70,000 homes built, including 20,000 in Florida. Minto creates a wide array of award-winning new homes and resort-style master-planned communities to meet every lifestyle. The company has earned national awards and recognition that include consistently high rankings from Eliant Customer Service Surveys, Leadership in Energy and Environment Design (LEED) and multiple national awards in community and home design. For information, visit mintofla.com.

Photo Captions
1. Minto’s Grand Retreat coach home model at Harbour Isle in Bradenton, Florida features high, detailed ceilings, and a popular open floor plan.

2. Minto’s Hibiscus Grande Retreat coach home model reflects the active lifestyle at The Isles of Collier Preserve with themes of boating, water and fishing, touches of classic nautical in navy blue and white with pops of kelly green to create a light and cheerful mood.

3. Minto’s Wisteria model at The Isles of Collier Preserve truly brings the outdoors in and uses the popular color scheme of “grey plus one” with pops of yellow.

4. Minto’s Wisteria model master bedroom carries the “grey plus one” color scheme and features Minto’s distinctive and popular touches of detailed ceiling treatments and bay windows.