The picturesque little river town of Sebastian had the power to soothe the stressed and provide glimpses throughout an afternoon of Florida the way it used to be, the way it looks in the Highwaymen paintings. The view of the lagoon alone makes the 20-minute ride from Vero worth it.
Tucked between Old Dixie Road and Indian River Boulevard in Sebastian is this week’s featured property at 7777 Grand Oak Circle. Lisa and Michael Natale are the current owners of the airy, but intimate home at that address, which has just enough gingerbread touches to make you feel as though you are in the Keys or the Caribbean.
After visiting friends in Sebastian, the Natales decided to move here from Fort Lauderdale with their daughter, who was starting high school, because of the quality of schools in Indian River County.
In 2009, they completed their custom designed 4-bedroom, 5-bath luxury home in Grand Oak Estates, an out-of-the-way development with only four homes. The house sits on the first two lots in the neighborhood, and has the advantage of water and green views. The driveway and three-car garage are protected by an electric fence, and the garage offers direct access to the master bedroom, in case you need to dodge your house guests.
“It comes in very handy when Michael is playing poker with the guys,” said Natale. “I go from the car to the bedroom without disturbing anyone.”
The spacious house has an open floor plan, making it perfect for entertaining. The couple has hosted fundraisers at their home for the Sebastian Exchange Club, Youth Guidance and other organizations.
Their college-age daughter brings friends home from school for raucous slumber parties, the latest of which was this past Halloween.
Guests are greeted under a portico, not only gracious but functional, leading to a simple front porch, the perfect spot from which to view the sunrise while relaxing in a rocking chair.
The high ceilings in the main room let the light in, and one of the vast walls in the main room is adorned with an intricate bronze sculpture of an underwater scene, complete with fish and plants.
“This house has everything,” said Mark Gudgeon, a realtor with Dale Sorensen. “I walk in and find something new every time.”
The creative couple split the decorating chores, with each getting a certain number of rooms to design on their own. They worked together, though, when it came to designing the kitchen, a caterer’s dream, with sand-colored Corian counters reminiscent of terrazzo. French doors lead to the pool, and rolling green spaces.
The kitchen has two dishwashers, two pull-out cutting boards, two sinks, a huge refrigerator, loads of storage space, including an incredibly organized walk-in pantry with built-in organizers, including a wine rack. The kitchen is also equipped with a wine cooler.
Two other stairways lead to the second floor: the main staircase plus a spiral staircase leading from the second-floor screened-in terrace down to the pool area.
The master bedroom suite is a mermaid’s dream, with soothing blue walls and side-by-side walk in closets.
Tropical green walls with crisp crown molding add to the healing atmosphere in the master bath. A deep tub is encased in a fish made of sea glass colored tiles. The grotto-like walk-in shower is equipped with a hand held sprayer and exquisite tile.
The second-floor guest bathroom has an updated tub/shower. One more perk is that the shower converts to steam, for your own wet sauna.
In addition to a lovely laundry room with a gorgeous view of the lagoon, there is a hot tub on the reinforced second floor terrace.
The experience of putting the house on the market is bittersweet for Natale.
“We do love this house, but it is time for us to start traveling.”