The Indian River Club is a fairly new addition to the golf scene in Vero Beach. Located in the Highlands area in South County, the club is a favorite among golfers in the know, who say it has one of the best courses in Vero. It is also home to many members like Ray and Judy Cawley, who own this week’s featured property: an elegant, very private custom home at 965 Woodhaven Lane, SW, overlooking the 15th fairway and lake.
“If you come from living on thirty acres of land with deer on the property, you are used to privacy,” said Judy Cawley, speaking of their former home in Bucks County, Pennsylvania.
Because of the color scheme, walking into this pristine home is little bit like walking into the sky – which is appropriate since both Ray and Judy are pilots. The house is decorated in a variety of blues, Judy’s favorite color, along with crisp whites and other neutral colors, giving the home its heavenly atmosphere.
The 5,000-square-foot, beautifully-maintained 3-bedroom, 3 ½-bath house was built in 2004, and is categorized as British colonial architecture. It is filled with extensive and exquisite custom woodwork and built-in cabinetry, serving as a backdrop for antiques and handcrafted wood pieces made by Judy’s father, a carpenter from New Hope, Pennsylvania, where the couple is from.
The well-thought-out details are what make this house special. One example is the well-lit pantry made from space under the stairway that can also serve as a safe room in the event of a tornado. There is also a designated closet for installation of an elevator, if desired.
The first-floor plan flows nicely. The creamy white chef’s kitchen is the perfect spot for entertaining a crowd, with counters and seating so guests can chat with the cook. The kitchen, with butler’s pantry and wine cabinet, looks into a gorgeous, airy great room with an intimate eating area with a view of the pool. The floors throughout the first floor are ivory colored tile, low maintenance and lovely.
A gracious foyer opens to a formal living room with a gas fireplace, coffered ceiling, custom columns and molding. Triple French doors lead to the veranda and pool area.
At the far end of the house is a study, as it is used by the Cawleys. An exceedingly private, cheerful space, it has large windows and is set up with plumbing, in case the new owner would like a first floor master bedroom suite.
Currently, the second floor is where Judy Cawley finds peace. Another study is painted a calming sky blue and houses several wood pieces Judy collected over the years as a fourth grade teacher in Bucks County.
The master suite on the second floor large and luxurious, with two separate bathrooms, one for each member of the couple.
But the true delight of the room for Judy is her master closet, meticulously organized with loads of built-in space, nearly the size of another bedroom. There is also another smaller, but still spacious, closet in the master suite.
The second floor space is the perfect spot to stow houseguests, especially because the stairway leads to a nicely finished the 3-car garage, (“a living room for cars,” said Ray Cawley) which features new epoxy floors, Formica countertops and custom cabinets. There is also a double golf cart garage.
The house, which is being offered for $1,299,000, is equipped with impact-resistant windows and doors and a 10,000-gallon propane tank generator for emergency power. The pool is surrounded by a high hedge for maximum privacy.
The Cawleys, who have been married for 42 years, owned a house on the beach for many years. They love the laid back community at the Indian River Club.
“It is a real neighborhood,” said Ray Cawley. “When someone needs something, the community rallies to help. People bring food when someone is sick.”
“We love the variety of people in the neighborhood,” said Judy Cawley. “There are families, working people and retirees.”
The Cawleys will maintain ties to Vero Beach in some way, but right now, they both have wanderlust, and are ready to fly off and see the world.