Ellis Consulting Group Inc.

MOKU - Tropical Island House

Stephen Ellis, Owners Representative, contracted with a Tampa based Developer with a young family who purchased this boat-access-only private island home near the north end of Longboat key.  The Polynesian style home, originally built in 1990 needed a complete facelift inside and out.  We worked together with a local architect to create a comprehensive scope of work, collect bids, select a contractor  and transform this otherwise sturdily-built piling home into a resort style paradise comprised of 5 bedrooms and 5 baths, with a new in-ground pool, outdoor kitchen and additional 
accessory structures.

MOKU

Bayfront Modern Sarasota

Dream Island Getawayex

Dream Island Getaway

Casey Key Sarasota Beachfront LEED Platinum Home

Denizens of larger, more complicated residences, the homeowners—a physician and his wife— had lived in upstate New York and on barrier island Casey Key for 30 years. When researching a brand new style of living, they were buoyed by Sarah Susanka’s book, “The Not So Big House” with its economy of space through smaller, intimate rooms. The couple wanted these rooms designed to feel bigger than they actually were in the projected 3,400 square foot property, however, with architect Yehuda Inbar on board and interior designer Bob Neal executing the plan in furnishings and color palettes. A new guesthouse, decking and garage were also on tap.
“The original structure was a 1950s beach bungalow on the property that was torn down,” says MGB’s Steve Ellis, noting the program included sustainable materials such as bio-based foam insulation, recycled glass kitchen countertops, dual-flush toilets and photovoltaic solar panels which helped it achieve LEED Platinum.

Deeply committed stewards of the environment, vegetative beachfront plantings using indigenous plant material and crushed coral pathways were also paramount for the homeowners, as was a dune garden defined by driftwood and other discovered beach “art.” The home’s interior has a tactile quality with fabrics and hues redolent of the sand and sea that surround it.

Carl Abbott Restoration

When the time came for a classic 1980’s Carl Abbott house renovation (Abbott is a preeminent member of the Sarasota School of Architecture), preserving an iconic piece of architecture was at the top of our agenda.
With the residence a real showcase for a noteworthy collection of modernist furniture (Eames; van der Rohe), we were charged with removing and replacing the entire façade. This included reapplying shiplap cedar siding and restoring exterior decking, replacing the existing pool and hardscape. Long, distinctive panes of glass that reflect the siding design were left intact as they are irreplaceable, unable to meet today’s energy standards.

Boca Grande Rebuild

Complete deconstruction and re-build of a 6000 square foot waterfront home and separate guest house in Boca Grande, Florida on Gasparilla Island Florida - Boca Grande Isles Subdivision.

Boca Grande Custom

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New Custom Home in the heart of Sarasota - West of Trail

Osprey Ave

Point Crisp

In a reverse kind of manifest destiny, a Hollywood actress and her producer husband sought to produce a dream home on Florida’s Gulf Coast.

Sited on a double plot of land that stretches purposefully into Sarasota Bay and the Intracoastal Waterway, the three-story Point Crisp residence interacts with nature and light. These were courted largely by virtue of a lush garden walk to the front entrance, an outdoor cooking/dining space, a glass-encircled “point room” for entertaining, a circular floating staircase ascending to a glass floor that channels sunlight into the space below, pneumatic glass tube elevator and large covered patio with a folding wall of glass.

The undulating shape of the roof was inspired by the water. The four-bedroom, five-bath home boasting 300-degree water views from most points including its ample closets, as well as the master bath shower with a large window of electrified “smart glass” that can be switched on for privacy or off to reveal a long view across Sarasota Bay. Amplifying storage and improving the use of exposed space, kitchen cabinets are 16 inches instead of the standard 12 inches deep and bathroom vanities lift with interior lighting and concealed outlets.

Designed by Mark Sultana of DSDG Architects, the home achieved LEED Gold status.

Sarasota Island House

Nestled on a 1.5-acre parcel on a private 38 acre island, this family vacation home looms large though homegrown and nurtured behind its boats-only access. Sited on stilts—22 piles driven 20 feet below grade and topped with beams—the 3,000 square foot home features only 1,860 air conditioned square feet, favoring outdoor space much in the way someone might live on a boat.
As a native New Englander, MGB Co-founder Steve Ellis worked his way through college performing bright work (varnishing; painting) and exterior maintenance on boats from Boston to Maine, serving as a mate on a 111-foot motor yacht traveling from Canada to the Caribbean. “Boats are about not wasting space,” he says, applying the tenet to his current profession whenever possible.

His love of all things nautical and sustainable is manifested in his vacation home, located on Jewfish Key, with salvaged heart pine from an Ybor City tobacco factory, reclaimed cedar barn wood, repurposed sails for shower curtains and closet door panels, and aptly-named port and starboard decks. Soy foam insulation affords the option to close off bedrooms while opening doors to the main house. By pocketing away strategically-located sliders, the house essentially becomes an outdoor adventure subjecting its occupants to the meditative effects of gentle breezes, birdsongs and the sound of the sea.

To access the home’s second level, an outdoor wooden staircase makes it an adventure for the Ellis’ daughter and young children of visitors. Eves and angled ceilings resourcefully create bedroom spaces for 10, with inspired play nooks in the two upstairs suites.

“Our getaway is built on a very human scale and allows us to spend our time on the island ‘outdoors,’ even when in the kitchen preparing meals with friends, or lounging indoors,” Ellis says.

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When you are investing seven figures into a waterfront property, control, clarity, and protection matter more than optimism. Ellis Consulting Group represents one interest only: yours.

Ellis Consulting Group provides concierge owner’s representation for high-net-worth homeowners navigating complex waterfront construction and renovation projects throughout Sarasota and Florida’s Gulf Coast. We act as your independent advocate from early feasibility through final completion. No contractor bias. No hidden incentives. No divided loyalties.Our role is to anticipate risk before it becomes expensive, translate technical decisions into clear owner choices, and maintain disciplined oversight so your project reflects the vision, quality, and financial control you expect.Whether you are planning a custom waterfront residence, a major renovation, or evaluating a high-value acquisition, we protect your investment, your time, and your peace of mind. Key Differentiators	•	Independent owner-side advocacy	•	Deep Gulf Coast and waterfront expertise	•	Financial and constructability discipline	•	Clear decision pathways and accountability	•	Discreet, high-touch client service

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Award-Winning Luxury Builder Now Representing Executive Owners of Exceptional Properties

When you are investing seven figures into a waterfront property, control, clarity, and protection matter more than optimism. Ellis Consulting Group represents one interest only: yours.

If your time is valuable, your schedule is demanding, and you need a trusted expert to safeguard your interests from start to finish on your next project, let’s talk about how I can help.