As you pull up the circular driveway to the house at 1475 Gracewood Lane, an old oak tree set amongst the lush landscaping catches your eye for its aesthetic quality as well its functional one. A sturdy branch supports a turquoise baby swing. The story begins to unfold nicely, and a dream-like sensation instantly sets in as you realize the tree and swing offer a hint of what the house embodies for the current owners.
This house is a place to build memories and enjoy family and friends while listening to the waves crashing on the shore in the near distance.
“It has an amazing front yard and when we first saw the house, we saw the beautiful oak tree and circular driveway and could envision having a baby swing out there, and later in the years, replacing it with a tire swing,” said Jessica McGillicuddy, who moved into the house with her husband, Steven, in 2013. The McGillicuddys enjoy the comfort and luxury of their 3,586-square-foot home, as well as the beauty and personal history of it.
“We had our first child here, so there are many fond memories,” Jessica said of the 5-bedrooom, 5-full/1-half bath house on a lovely, quiet, seaside street in the gated Gracewood community. The home with pool and bonus room is located on the east side of A1A not far from South Beach.
“I feel relaxed in my house,” she added. “It is a beautiful house to look at and we love having people over. We are proud of it. It’s big and wide open… But it is also cozy.”
After buying their gracious house, which was built in 1998, the McGillicuddys remodeled it to suit their growing family. Some updates include a 505-square foot addition, a new roof and new impact-resistant garage door, refaced kitchen cabinets, new appliances and a whole- house generator.
While 1475 Gracewood Lane is their ideal Vero Beach home, the couple has decided to move to South Florida where they are from, to be closer to family. The property was listed by Norris & Company Broker Associate Debbie Bell for $1,599,000.
The stunning home features plantation shutters, crown molding, coffered ceiling in the living room, master suite built-ins and California closets.
“There are nicely defined rooms with plenty of natural light,” said Bell. “There’s a lot of architectural detail with arched doorways and columns, wainscoting and chair rail. The owners are meticulous so there’s also a lot of attention to detail.”
Another great asset to the house is that it sits on a large lot and has a backyard with a southern exposure. Homes in Gracewood are located on the south side of the street, facing a lush greenbelt.
“It’s not just a big house,” said Bell. “There are a lot of big houses on the barrier island with no land. Here, you have a beautiful house and a lot of land. It has a large yard and outside living area, and a deeded beach access.”
The beautiful fenced-in yard provides a lovely setting for children and dogs to run around in. And the summer kitchen is indeed an outdoor oasis. It features a built-in BBQ and Kegerator beer keg cooler. There is a gas fireplace and plenty of places for lounging on a sheltered patio.
The outdoor area is one of the couple’s favorite parts about the house. “It’s amazing for entertaining,” said Jessica. “Even if it’s just me and my husband, he’ll turn on the fireplace, enjoy a glass of wine, watch the TV – he’s a sports fan – and we can still hear the waves.”
Walking into the house through the front door, you set foot in a grand foyer that leads to the 23-foot by 17-foot great room with large built-in, coffered ceilings and 3 French doors overlooking the pool and yard. Transom windows provide beautiful natural light.
“The living room overlooking the pool is absolutely peaceful,” said Jessica. “When the moon is full, the whole yard is lit.”
The formal dining room with framed windows, tray ceiling, columns, plantation shutters, crown molding and chair rail is spacious and ideal for entertaining.
The 16-foot by 14-foot luxurious master bedroom features a tray ceiling, crown molding, plantation shutters, framed windows, wood floors and French doors. His-and-her walk-in California closets and his-and-her bathrooms with shared shower provide ample space and comfort. “It is every girl’s dream to not have to share a bathroom with their husband,” said Jessica.
Two 13-foot by 10-foot guest or children’s bedrooms with wood floors share a Jack-and-Jill bathroom. There also is a 17-foot by 11-foot bedroom, and an 11 by 11 foot bedroom that can double as an office.
A 26-foot by 11-foot bonus room can be configured as an exercise room, play room or TV/lounge room.
The spacious kitchen is nicely suited for cooking and affords plenty of space for a catering company to do their work efficiently with a solid door between the kitchen and dining room, allowing guests to be undisturbed while dining. There is also an eat-in kitchen with bowed windows providing more natural light. The kitchen features white cabinets, granite counters, two sinks with new faucets, refaced cabinets, a wine cooler, Sub-Zero refrigerator, gas cooktop and subway tile backsplash.
And a fabulous laundry room cannot be underestimated. The house contains an extra large laundry room with farm sink, washer, two dryers and plenty of cabinets and counters.
Pre-remodeling, Jessica envisioned her ideal laundry room. She saw herself “someday, pulling into the garage with the kids, and walking by the laundry room where they drop their stuff off before heading up to the play room. I wanted a clean and fresh area for this,” she said.
