HERALD PHOTO BY GORDON BOWER
Patrick Farino built his dream house on the Peace River as near to round as he could. The main house has 17 sides and the pool and hot tub are built in a similar manner but with fewer sides.

HERALD PHOTO BY GORDON BOWER
Spacious views from balconies are available both inside and outside of Charlene and Patrick Farino’s famous round house on the river.

Patrick Farino, a retired U.S. Army photographer and recruiter, took thousands of photos during his career. He gave them all to the public library in his home town of Woburn, Mass, except for this one, which he took of Gen. Douglas McArthur (second to the left from the flag) in Boston after World War II.

HERALD PHOTO BY GORDON BOWER
Charlene Farino takes advanatage of the stunning view of the Peace River from a north-side balcony.

HERALD PHOTO BY GORDON BOWER
The Farino home is full of unusual angles that draw the eye.

HERALD PHOTO BY GORDON BOWER
This riverside view of the Farino house is the one familiar to motorists on the Interstate 75 bridges. The in-law apartment on the left is also round. The elevator in the middle was square until Hurricane Charley blew it into the pool and the river. It was rebuilt as sturdier six-sided structure.

HERALD PHOTO BY GORDON BOWER
Nancy Andreae always loved her floor plan but not the house itself until she filled it with contemporary furnishing, art and things she loves.

HERALD PHOTO BY GORDON BOWER
Artist and designer Mike Martin used flexible wallboard and bright colors to transform this formerly boring corner of Nancy Andreae’s house into an eye-catching work of art.

HERALD PHOTO BY GORDON BOWER
One of the most striking works artist Mike Martin created for Nancy Andreae, a cat lover, is a giant wallboard cat that hovers above the great room atop the striking and very contemporary metal and cable banister he picked out for the second-floor veranda and stairs.

HERALD PHOTO BY GORDON BOWER
Nancy Andreae unclogs a colorful fountain that brightens up the screened-in sitting area at the front of her house.

HERALD PHOTO BY GORDON BOWER
Artist Mike Martin loves to use metal in creative ways and transformed several boring doors into modern sculptures.

HERALD PHOTO BY GORDON BOWER
These, believe it or not, are antique wood pillows Nancy Andreae picked up on a trip to China and now uses as a decorative accent on a modern-style metal and glass table. The head rests on the concave surface between the feet and the head.

HERALD PHOTO BY GORDON BOWER
Look closely. Juli and Mike Riley lurk among the colorful furnishings in a house that must be one of a kind.

HERALD PHOTO BY GORDON BOWER
In Juli and Mike Riley’s house, you can’t be sad because you are going to see something that’s bound to cheer you up, like this colorful mural and the table and chairs Juli painted.

HERALD PHOTO BY GORDON BOWER
This view of Juli and Mike Riley’s home captures just a small piece of the musical instrument theme.

HERALD PHOTO BY GORDON BOWER
Mike and Juli Riley’s home is full of guitars, but other instruments get plenty of visibility, too.

HERALD PHOTO BY GORDON BOWER
Mike Riley likes to brighten up his collection with lights, bright paints and even silhouettes near or behind them.

HERALD PHOTO BY GORDON BOWER
Mixed in with Mike Riley’s real guitars are some that are just decoration, like these, and even furniture made to look like guitars.

HERALD PHOTO BY KYLE SCHARF

Serge Jean-Jaques of the Port Charlotte High School Pirates runs with the ball as Jake Martinez, representing the LaBelle High School Cowboys, defends during the junior varsity game on Sept. 20.