The magnificent West Indies-inspired house at 207 Coconut Creek Court in Palm Island Plantation took Amy and Patrick Honey’s breath away the moment they saw it.
They simply had to have it.
“We fell in love with Palm Island at first sight and bought our home in one hour,” said Mrs. Honey, seated in her casually-elegant Wedgwood blue 16-foot by 16-foot library, an Andre Lucero painting of a sun rising at the beach illuminated over the mantel behind her. Lucero is known for celebrating the way the light falls on a scene, a fleeting aspect of nature. This painting resonated with the Honeys, bringing to mind a lovely local sunrise over the Atlantic Ocean.
“That’s what it looks like from Palm Island at the beach in the morning,” Mrs. Honey said.
The year they bought the handsome 3-bedroom, 3-full/1-half bath 2-story house was 2010. Five years later they are preparing to move only because they are feeling the tug of fulfilling a dream of building a riverfront home on long-held property; if it weren’t for that, there would be no reason to budge from the gracious, beautifully-appointed and decorated home where they love to relax and entertain. The 3,770-square-foot house is listed by Kay Brown and Jeanne Harris of Premier Estate Properties for $1,350,000.
Capturing the ease and essence of island-style living, with fine woodwork, crown molding, varying ceiling designs and more, the house built by Westmark Construction impresses at every turn, starting out front with the noteworthy marine blue shutters and trickling fountain.
“[It] was designed for a discerning buyer looking for the ease of carriage house living with the features of an estate or river home,” observed Mrs. Honey. Built as a spec home in 2007, it is a far cut above the average spec home, she added.
Extensive upgraded millwork, cabinetry, noche marble and Ipe wood floors, plus solid wood impact French doors distinguish this house situated on a quiet, neighborly street close to the entrance of Palm Island Plantation.
The home is surrounded by lush landscaping and sub-tropical natural beauty, viewable from almost every room in the house. The back patio leading to a lap pool and covered lanai with summer kitchen is inviting and comfortable with its seemingly constant stream of breezes. The home borders a lovely 16.5-acre preserve owned by Indian River County. No one can develop beyond 207 Coconut Creek Court’s backyard.
“The sunsets are magnificent,” said Mrs. Honey. “And the tranquility of our back garden/pool area is unparalleled.”
Inside, the house exudes elegance tinged with casualness, ideal for barrier island living. Antiques and comfortable, upholstered furniture bespeaks Palm Beach sophistication mixed with a hint of the less formal Vero Beach style.
Playing off those intense pinks in Lucero’s sunset in the painting hanging in the library is the 14-foot by 12-foot dining room the hall, which is painted coral. Raffia covers the dining room ceiling, providing extra coziness and sophistication. This room also features a Lucero painting with swirls of blue, slate and purple bringing to life nature’s elements and relating back across the hallway to the Wedgwood blue library.
The Honeys elected to take the house to another level with the help of award-winning interior designer Leah Muller and custom cabinetmaker Phillip Warren. The Honeys added the handsome bookcases in the library, additional molding on the on the vaulted and tray ceiling and arched entries to the dining and great rooms. They also added a special HVAC filter, a 30-K generator and a whole house water filtration system.
Entering the house, one steps foot into a grand foyer where the aesthetic experience begins with the noche marble floors. “We walked in and the floor caught our attention,” Mrs. Honey recalled of the couple’s first visit to the house. “We love Italy and it reminded us of a beautiful old villa converted into a hotel in Florence where we stayed on vacation. We thought, ‘This is really meant to be.'”
To one side is the library/den/office with a fireplace, handsome built-ins, which provides a great spot to read or for cocktails or dessert and coffee at a dinner party.
Across the hallway is the dining room with more of those fine finishes and details. In route to the kitchen is a wet bar, and arriving in the 20-foot by 15-foot family room and adjacent kitchen, one is struck by the expansive window affording a view of the western sky, with the patio and pool in the foreground. The inverted hip ceiling with tongue and groove woodwork provides greater airiness to the room and an interesting interior feature.
The 23-foot by 18-foot great room can be configured as a single large cohesive space or else can be two separate social areas. Three sets of French doors lead to the patio and garden. The decorative ceiling is yet another splendid display of fine workmanship.
The first-floor master bedroom with bay window and sitting area is spacious and comfortable, with easy access to all other areas of the house. There’s a large master bathroom and walk-in closet.
Also downstairs is a powder room, large laundry room and access to the 2-car garage.
Upstairs is a 15-foot by 16-foot office with wonderful eastern views and access to a balcony, and two generously-sized bedrooms with private bathrooms.
“There will be a discerning buyer who wants the ease of carriage home living but with all of the upgrades with river or estate homes,” said Mrs. Honey, who grew up in Vero Beach, the daughter of a developer. Explaining her understanding of homes and their desirability, she said, “I have real estate in my blood.”
“It’s hard to find a community like this that has the best of both worlds – the ocean and the river,” she said of Palm Island Plantation.
The Honey’s home enjoys great privacy but, at the same time, there’s plenty of access to social and recreational activity in Palm Island Plantation where there is a fitness center, 2 pools and an elegant oceanfront beach club with cabanas and outdoor entertaining areas. There’s also a deep-water marina with private boat slips on the river.
“You almost don’t have to leave!” said Mrs. Honey. “When one moves to Palm Island, they can become as involved as they wish with various community social events, book and bridge clubs and other special interest groups. But if one prefers a more private lifestyle, that option is also available.”
Premier Estate Properties Broker Associate Kay Brown said 207 Coconut Creek Court is one of the most beautifully designed and appointed homes that she’s ever seen. “The detail and the quality of the home is incredible,” she said. “It shows like something out of Architectural Digest. Every single thing in the home is so well done.”
The homes in Palm Island Plantation are highly desirable for empty nesters and families alike, added Premier Estate Agent Jeanine Harris. “[The HOA] takes care of your lawn and swimming pool for you. There’s an attractive lock-and-leave feature for a seasonal person as well,” that takes the worry out of leaving one’s home for extended periods of time.
Admiring the 16.5-acre county-owned preserve beyond her backyard fence, Mrs. Honey mused: “Nothing will ever be built behind us. It’s an oasis of tranquility. We treasure that.”