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The
Annabelle Robinson house was built in 1905 by architects Charles and Henry
Greene for Laurabelle and Henry Robinson.
The house is over 12,000 square feet and is situated on 4 acres. It was originally landscaped to appear
majestically through a curving driveway of orange groves.
The
Robinson house was purchased in 1998 when it was completely dilapidated and
unlivable by Mark and Phaedra Ledbetter, the 4th owners of the house
and the third to live in the main house.
In six years, they completely restored and re-landscaped, and in many
areas redesigned the house and property while living in the carriage house. The
scope of the restoration included a new roof, new plaster, drainage, windows,
and screens, plumbing and all new light fixtures except for the entrance light
fixture and the sconces in the dining room. They installed new heating and air conditioning, designed a
theater, a wine cellar and sauna and reproduced and designed new furniture and
landscaping. The house is now completely computerized on a Crestron home
automation system.
Phaedra's Japanese heritage, career as a licensed interior designer, registered horticultural therapist and degrees in design and psychology greatly influenced the restoration and design process. Mark's passion for botany and career in production and manufacturing were instrumental in expediting their vision. Between 1998-2005, they contracted with numerous talented craftsmen and women committed to bringing the dilapidated estate back to life. In the once abandoned four acre gardens, Phaedra and Mark designed and re-landscaped the entire estate, planting over 100 citrus trees and hundreds of other unique plants, over 50,000 square feet of sod, new outdoor features and numerous unique garden destinations. The river and beach, a swim up bar and infinity edge pool, a fire, glass and water fountain, a lotus pond, a rose garden, two outdoor kitchens, a bar and lounge deck under a canary island palm tree, a fire pit gathering, an herb garden, a cactus garden, an orchard, a double helix potager, a woodland tipi garden and a Japanese garden are all new garden rooms that developed out of a once neglected, overgrown site.
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