1247 Westway DriveSarasota, FL 34236Sale Price: $7,475,000

Boasting an imaginative design with hidden interior courtyards, terraces and an expansive open floorplan with awe-inspiring water views, this captivating contemporary home is truly an architectural marvel. The home's design by acclaimed Sarasota architect Guy Peterson has been recognized with awards from the American Institute of Architects (AIA). Completed in 2001, the 5,039 Square Foot residence is located in Lido Shores, a Sarasota neighborhood developed in the early 1950s by visionary developer Philip Hiss to demonstrate modernist architecture. Double mahogany doors open to an enchanting front courtyard featuring a pool with a waterfall, raised spa and crushed-shell patio surrounded by scenic landscaping, including palms, bamboo and an array of carefree trees and plants. An 8-foot-high wall around most of the property offers privacy and is a key aspect of the architectural plan's multiple courtyards and terraces. Visitors enter the home through a second mahogany door that leads to a 90-foot-long corridor lined with 8-foot-high windows and doors on the left that open to the front patio, one of many indoor-outdoor spaces that are ideal for large-scale or intimate gatherings. The dramatic hallway flows past the formal dining room and into the great room, where walls of glass showcase stunning views of New Pass, with nearby access to both Sarasota Bay and the Gulf of Mexico. Travertine floors and cypress ceilings are found throughout the first level, which includes a slate mantle gas fireplace in the great room and well-appointed kitchen with walnut-stained cabinets, granite counters and a breakfast area. Just off the great room behind solid-wood pocket doors is the private owners' suite, which features water views, a custom closet with built-ins and bathroom with dual vanities, roll-in shower, Jacuzzi tub and linen closet. The first floor also showcases a spectacular living room with soaring two-story ceilings, floor-to-ceiling windows with millwork and glass doors to both the poolside patio and waterfront terrace. Completing the main floor are a butler's pantry with adjacent powder bath, hallway with a large painted bamboo fountain and office with a two-story ceiling. A spiral stairway with marble steps ascends from the office to a second-floor study with built-in shelves that could serve as a library, with access to a 924-SF covered and open terrace overlooking the pool on one side and a serene courtyard on the other. The terrace also provides access to a large-second-floor room that is perfect as a game room or upstairs living room, with an adjacent large patio boasting gorgeous water views. The second floor also includes two guest bedrooms separated by two full bathrooms. Other notable highlights of the home include a new roof, impact-resistant UV-treated windows, seawall and dock and six AC units. Residents enjoy easy access to a private gated Gulf-front beach and St. Armands Circle's diverse collection of shops, boutiques, restaurants and galleries just a mile away.