Spellbinding mansion with beautifully bizarre interior
This stately ancient home immediately captures your imagination with its painted stucco walls, giving it the appearance of a pink and white frosted wedding cake. Located on Dunedin’s shoreline in Florida, this exquisite example of Mediterranean Revival architecture stands out. This stunning building is unfortunately about to be demolished, so this is your final chance to see it, courtesy of photographer Leland Kent of Abandoned Southeast. Let’s take a quick peek inside!
Enter a dream scene interior
As one steps into the entry foyer, the marble columns crowned with gold-leaf Corinthian capitals and the Moorish arches with hand-painted murals enchant. Some of the murals were commissioned by the most well-known owner of the home, William Keith Kellogg, the inventor of Corn Flakes cereal, whose creation might very well be in your breakfast bowl every morning, according to the Dunedin Historic Preservation Advisory Committee!
Built in the Roaring Twenties
Stunning mosaic intricacy is seen when the detailed paintings are examined more closely. The mansion was erected during the Roaring Twenties, which is probably when the sparkling chandelier was added. Businessman Edward Frischkorn started building the Dunedin Isles subdivision in 1925 on a waterfront tract in Dunedin, Florida. His goal was to establish “a city within a city.” Originally named Villa Moreno, this home was constructed for him and sits in a fantastic location with a view of the picturesque Caladesi and Honeymoon Islands.
Magical Mediterranean Revival architecture
This candy-colored living room, once the height of grandeur, wouldn’t seem out of place in a French Château. Indeed, a major influence on Mediterranean Revival architecture, which peaked in the flashy 1920s, came from royal palaces and large villas. One particularly striking element is the hand-carved wood coffered ceiling, which resembles pastel pink honeycomb. The fire surround’s columns are little replicas of the foyer’s columns.
Dramatic dining room
This dining room is different from the other downstairs areas in style and is bursting with flair. It has a macho appearance instead of a pastel pink one thanks to the navy-blue color scheme and natural black wood. With its distinctive hand-painted flourishes of flowers and greenery, the vaulted wood ceiling takes center stage. With its stunning wall painting, glistening chandelier, and floor to ceiling windows topped with long velvet curtains, this room exudes drama and feels like you’re coming into a theater set.
Winter home
Simple wooden cabinets, exposed brickwork, red tile flooring, and a mosaic picture of a Mexican scene adorn this hacienda-style kitchen below. Both the gateway and the dazzling stained-glass window have repeating arches. The mansion was purchased by William Kellogg in 1934 as a winter retreat, and it was dubbed the Kellogg Mansion. Even though Kellogg is said to have only spent two winters here, the well-known moniker stuck.
Spanish love affair
One distinguishing feature of Mediterranean Revival interior design is curved stairs. Take note of the cupboard, which is tucked away to the right behind elaborate lattice screens and Moorish keyhole designs. The famous American architect Addison Mizner, whose passion for Mediterranean and Hispanic cultures influenced his designs, is said to have created the home.
Lift me up!
Take the elevator to the second floor if you don’t feel like negotiating the narrow stairway. But this elevator’s interior was lined with opulent velvet with a leopard print, so forget about dull metal furnishings! The landing features interesting spiral columns that mimic vintage telephone wire, more murals, and walls of black marble. Situated on over an acre, the almost 8,000 square foot, two-story estate features a private dock.
Grand base for Marines
The polished wooden floor and pastel ceiling with painted floral embellishments make the second-floor landing appear more like a great ballroom than a corridor. The home was converted into a US Marine base during World War Two. The military used the enormous, terrifying “Alligators” to test tank-like amphibious vehicles by driving them from the property to the eponymously named nearby Honeymoon Island.
Billion-dollar cereal flakes!
On a beautiful day, picture yourself lounging by this arched window, gazing out over the shimmering river and down to your private dock, all surrounded by exquisite wall paintings. heavenly While attempting to create a new vegetarian health meal for guests at a spa facility they managed in 1894, it is believed that the Kellogg family made the unintentional discovery of cornflakes. Presently, Kellogg’s goods are available in 180 nations, and the corporation is estimated to be worth $14 billion.
