When they were looking for a place to build a home, Katt and Dick Krug were captivated by the beauty of Indian River Club, one of the first golf communities designated an Audubon Wildlife Sanctuary, a rare combination of preserved and cultivated nature. They chose a prime lot to build on, and then selected the impeccable husband-and-wife team of Fred and Maria DiRocco to design and construct their 3-bedroom, 4-bath, 3,270-square-foot house, completed in 2005.
The home, at 842 Carolina Circle SW, has a view of the lake and the 10th, 18th and 15th fairways. The lot was one among four adjacent lots owned by the DiRoccos, carefully chosen because of the view.
The DiRoccos, who died within a year of each other in 2015 and 2016, knew and loved Indian River Club. They designed and built 32 of the 245 homes in the gated golf community, living in three of them. “You never saw one without the other,” Katt said.
The lot at 842 Carolina Circle was raised to enhance the view, and the couples consulted intensely on every aspect of the home.
A DiRocco home is beautifully proportioned, following the classical Roman architect Vitruvius’ maxim that parts of a building should correspond with each other and with the whole, like movements within a symphony, resulting in a sense of harmony.
The home’s overall theme is a modern take on classical architecture. Arches, columns and entablatures outside are repeated in the interior, down to the smallest detail in the fine built-in cabinetry.
The house has a deep hip roof, best for withstanding high winds and allowing for 10-foot ceilings inside.
The two-car plus golf-cart garage appears as a hip-roofed wing set at a 90-degree angle from the main house, the side entrance hiding the garage doors from the street view.
The entrance is recessed but set off as a small tower, with its own hip roof. An archway with a keystone and two columns frames the entrance, a motif repeated inside. Large carriage lamps with pineapple-shaped globes crowned with wrought-iron leaves announce hospitality can be found within.
The double front door with large glass panels has a lunette window above, repeating the shape and proportion of the entrance archway.
The large ceramic tile throughout the open common rooms is a warm off-white and looks like marble, a modern materials’ interpretation of a classic with the same gleam, but easier to maintain.
To the right of the door is the dining room, the entryway open, bracketed by columns. A dramatic setting awaits the diner, who should be attired in formal wear. A double tray ceiling is set off by concealed lighting, contrasting paint and molding. The chandelier has frosted-glass globes and brushed-nickel arms, a fresh update of alabaster and bronze finishes.
The study to the left of the door also displays architectural sophistication. Columns grace the entryway to an anteroom with a marble bench and bowl pendant lamp above that would please a present-day Jefferson.
The study’s built-in cabinetry has reeded pilasters that recall the engaged columns at the entrance. The cubby holes, narrow map drawers, reeded glass door fronts, marble desk surfaces, and wood wainscoting and floors complete the barrister’s splendor.
There is a large closet that houses the printer.
Next door is a full bath with a walk-in shower with similar finishes in cabinetry and counter found in the study.
The living room has a columned entryway with architrave above. A deep tray ceiling emphasizes the upper reaches, giving a feeling of expansion. The French doors at the end of the room overlook the screened lanai, lake and golf course beyond.
The lanai is paved with rich travertine tile.
The kitchen has an enormous, wide-angle eating bar, 14 feet on one side and 4 feet on the other, with lovely raised-panel cladding beneath and granite counters above. The cabinetry is also raised-wood panel – cherry with a medium finish – that matches the cabinetry in the adjoining family room. The top-notch Sub-Zero refrigerator is clad in the same wooden panels.
The two guest bedrooms each have their own bathroom with walk-in showers as well as walk-in closets.
The master bedroom is distinguished by a tray ceiling and expansive view of the golf course. His-and-her walk-in closets have lovely maple built-in cabinetry. The master bath also has a tray ceiling.
The cherry cabinetry below and above the two vanities have tower storage on either side of the mirrors that look like square columns with capitals, which carry the classical-architecture theme.
The large corner tub has a marble front, separating the two vanities, a lovely symmetrical layout.
The walk-in shower, with similar marble tile and a frameless-glass front, has jets running the length of the body.
There are two heat pumps and two water heaters, one servicing the master suite, the other the two guest bedrooms in the split floor plan, ensuring privacy and temperature control among inhabitants.
The house is freshly painted and immaculate, the Krugs living much of the time elsewhere, leaving the lightest trace. Various furnishings are negotiable, including a golf cart.
The Krugs are moving to Tampa, the family center migrating west in recent years. The next owners are sure to be delighted with this modern classic.
Vital Statistics
- Address: 842 Carolina Circle SW
- Neighborhood: Indian River Club
- Year built: 2005 • Lot size: 93 feet by 152 feet, .33 acres
- Home size: 3,270 square feet
- Construction: Concrete block with stucco
- Bedrooms: 3 • Bathrooms: 4
- Additional features: Lake views, golf-course views, 10-foot ceilings, tray ceilings, beautiful carriage and interior lamps and chandelier, plantation shutters, two-car plus golf-cart garage with terrazzo floor, screened lanai with travertine tile, exquisite built-in cabinetry, granite counters, huge breakfast bar, granite counters and wooden cabinetry in bathrooms, two water heaters and heat pumps in split floor plan
- Listing agency: Berkshire Hathaway Home Services
- Listing agent: Beth Livers, 772-559-6958
- Listing price: $674,000
