Designer Made with Lee Ross

We caught up with Lee Ross of Ross Built to see the ebb and flow of designing by the sea!

Tell me about your design & construction firm. How involved are you in the construction process, and how much of your work is in interior design?

Ross Built has been around since 2006. Our focus is the high-end luxury home market in Bradenton and Sarasota, Florida. While our primary focus is to build the home, we hand select a few homes every now and then, like Jewfish Key, where we do the full design/build/interiors.

Jewfish Key is technically a sandbar, not even an island, accessible only by boat. What challenges did that pose to the design of the home, or its accessibility?

When we first were approached about taking on this project, we initially thought, “Well, this seems hard.” Since several homes have already been built on Jewfish, there is a fluid system for managing the construction efforts on the island. As part of the build, we had access to a small barge, a large barge (for trusses, appliances, countertop, etc.), and a small boat that is the primary transit for all our subs and smaller deliveries. There were two docks that we could send people or material to, and the boat captains were always readily available. The captains were some of the nicest and most interesting folks around. Believe it or not, the entire build was a smooth operation. I found it hard to get mad about anything the minute I stepped onto the dock. We did, in fact, see a dolphin, shark or manatees almost daily.

The adage, “Don’t Mess with Mother Nature” comes to mind, as nothing in the design of the home’s exteriors and interiors competes with the views, but merely enhances or reflects them. How did you achieve that?

As we all know, Mother Nature always wins The design of this home was a nod to her in so many ways. Since there is no way to get concrete to the island, the home is built on wood pilings and is all frame construction. This construction method is reminiscent of classic old Florida. We zeroed in on this construction method and carried the openness throughout the design. The homeowner really wants kids, family and friends to run wildly in and out of the home. The home has a lot of decks, sliders and bifold and overhead doors that blur the lines between the exterior spaces.

As far as the finishes, we really focused on the geography of the island. Because it is a sandbar in the middle of Sarasota Bay, we leaned heavily into all colors and textures that connected with the sand, shells, barnacles, and driftwood found all over the island.

The home is well designed to take in the views and provide ample space to connect with the outdoors. How did you choose the outdoor furnishings? What were important elements or materials?

The outdoor furnishings were a strong focus for us since the entire home is a celebration of outdoor living. Our primary focus was durability–anything that was resin, concrete, teak and/or couldn’t blow away in a storm was key for us. On both the interior and exterior of the home, we incorporated a lot of swivel chairs which further helped us connect the interior and exterior spaces. Well, and the fact that they allow a 360-degree view of the entire island.

The home is exposed to all the elements, and given the location, susceptible to storms. How big a factor was that in the design of the home? How does today’s environment challenge your work?

Since we primarily build on the coast, we put a laser focus on construction methods and materiality for our homes. We have outstanding relationships with the leading brands in the country– Sherwin Williams, James Hardie, Timbertech, Pella, etc. The use of these products was put to the test at Jewfish Key as Hurricanes Helene and Milton passed through our area. The storms of 2024 were unprecedented, and all our homes were put to the test. We were delighted to see that all our homes under construction performed beautifully. We also received many calls from previous clients stating that all their homes were unaffected. As a result, we have a deeper appreciation for all of the rigid building codes in our area and we feel we have lots to share about choosing the right products for our salty environment.

The outdoor space on the lower level appears as a playground of sorts, with a pass-through bar, hot tub, dining and lounging spaces, even an outdoor shower. How did that space develop?

The moment I knew this job was going to be different is when I stood in the backyard of the house while it was being framed and the client said “I want this be the ultimate family gathering space. I want kids to run around all day and do nothing but enjoy the outdoors.” He gave me a long leash as far as design and the only rule was to “make things memorable.” The swings, rooms that are accessed through garage doors, the perfectly round hot/cold pool (with mermaid scale tile), bar, etc. evolved quickly. There is ample space for his large family to run amok and each and every feature on the ground level has outstanding views of Sarasota Bay.

What is your favorite book?

This might be an odd response, but this book truly shapes my thoughts at work and in life– Unbroken by Lauren Hildebrand. Owning and growing your own business from scratch is a challenging endeavor and I learned so much about resilience, determination, focus, hope and humor from this book. I also feel like this book influences how I design. There are always roadblocks in construction, and I try to see these moments as beautiful opportunities. For example, the client at Jewfish really wanted a unique and memorable ceiling detail in his dining room. We played around with many concepts over about 10 months. Many of the original ideas felt forced or were price prohibitive so nothing felt just right. At the last month of construction, the island was hit by two hurricanes. This very unnerving and unprecedented event ended up delivering us the perfect (and very cost effective) solution for his much-desired ceiling detail. Sadly, as a result of Hurricane Milton, one of the old piers in the area was decimated from the storms and many of the planks washed ashore. With the help of a very talented carpenter, we used these found boards and created one of the most fun and appropriate custom details in the home.

What would you put on a billboard?

“It’s not what happens to you, but how you react to it that matters.”

Life can be messy, and we all know construction is filled with puzzles to solve daily. We feel the strength of our company has powered us to get through so much personally and professionally.

Do you have any favorite pieces from Universal Furniture?

Universal Furniture products are the perfect match for this unique home. The timelessness, durability and unfussiness of the product we selected worked perfectly for how our client plans to use this home.

There are so many pieces that are my favorite. From a usage standpoint, the outdoor furniture is simply perfect. From a fun factor, pretty much everyone loves the Sullivans Arm Chair from the Weekender Collection. We found the perfect setting for this chair—we see many years of kids fighting over the rights to sit in this special spot.

Why does Universal Furniture make a good partner for your business?

Universal Furniture was an outstanding partner for us on this project. We met at their amazing High Point showroom—the ability to touch and feel their products was invaluable. From this trip, I went home with a flash drive of everything I needed to present a design story board to the client. The entire process of shopping, purchasing, storing, delivering and installing the Universal Furniture products was seamless. Our client is delighted with all their products.