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Custom home in Indian Trails in wonderfully welcoming

  • Stephanie LaBaff

    • Flavio and Elisabeth Sa Carvalho built their home at 710 Canoe Trail in Indian Trails three years ago with the expectation of it being their “forever” home. With that in mind, the couple took their Arthur Rutenberg plan to a whole new level with upgrades and expansions.

    Today, the couple’s decision to leave Vero Beach is bittersweet. “This was our 22nd move. We thought it was our last one. But we’ve made friends for life here,” shares Flavio. “It sometimes takes us a half an hour to walk the half a mile to the beach because we stop and chat with so many people.”

    But the addition of two beautiful granddaughters to their family has motivated the couple to move closer to the little ones. “We love living here, but grandchildren always win out,” said Elisabeth.

    When the couple decided to leave the traffic and congestion of South Florida, they made the trip up to Vero Beach. When they couldn’t find quite what they wanted, their Realtor Debbie Bell, an associate broker with Berkshire Hathaway Home Services Florida Realty, suggested they build and introduced the couple to Indian Trails.

    “The lot was perfect,” says Flavio, explaining that they had been searching for something close to the beach. “I was raised a quarter of a mile from the beach in Rio. You know, where ‘The Girl From Ipanema’ was from. She was a friend of mine, by the way.”

    Having spent his career traveling the world, Flavio shares that he and Elisabeth were looking for a place where they could enjoy peace and quiet, and Indian Trails with its lush tropical landscaping and majestic canopy of oaks was the perfect place, so they decided to create their custom-built home.

    A feeling of serenity washes over as you enter the home. Larger than normal rooms and high ceilings create a sense of homey spaciousness that flows out into the park-like backyard. With the pocket sliders tucked away, the sound of trickling water accompanies the chatter of birds roosting in the mangroves.

    Stepping through the double, frosted front doors, you feel an immediate sense of welcome. The great room flows out onto the covered lanai through a wall of pocket, sliding-glass doors, providing the couple’s favorite feature – the view of the conservation area along the edge of the property with the vibrant red blooms of the Royal Poinciana tree against the wall of mangroves

    “We’re going to miss having coffee and watching the beautiful birds. It’s so peaceful,” says Elisabeth.

    Flavio agrees, noting that turtles, osprey, otter and blue herons visit.

    The master suite and a den are situated in the southern wing of the house, ensuring complete privacy for the owners. The master bathroom is elegantly appointed with a seamless glass shower with dual shower heads, a jetted spa tub, double sinks, water closet with bidet and marble countertops. The den has a closet and can double as a guestroom when lots of visitors are in town.

    Guests have the run of the western wing of the house with two bedrooms with en-suite baths, a pool bath with access to the lanai, a laundry room, kitchen and the garage. A generator is on standby to run the western wing of the house. That way, the kitchen and laundry room always have power.

    The multipurpose room at the rear of the house overlooks the preserve area through a trio of windows under a beamed, vaulted ceiling. The Sa Carvalhos extended the room so that it could be used as a second family room. It’s spacious enough to include a seating area and card table in addition to Flavio’s workspace.

    The kitchen and casual dining area are centrally located with convenience in mind. This cook’s kitchen is as serviceable as it is elegant. The depression glass-fronted cabinets, in-cabinet lighting, a farm sink, gas stove, warming drawer, convection oven, coffee bar, pantry and wine cooler ensure you can prepare for any size gathering.

    Disappearing sliders in the dining area can be thrown open to create a seamless indoor-outdoor dining hall. The quartz island begs to be covered with food where guests can belly up to the bar, take a seat in the dining area or enjoy dinner al fresco.

    A second covered seating area on the lanai and the summer kitchen provides an environment conducive to summertime fun – no worries about dripping popsicles on the rough-hewn, exterior travertine tile.

    The backyard, with its heated pool and spa, is a serene, park-like setting with green space all the way down to the creek-like tributary that runs along the preserve with the Jungle Trail and Indian River Lagoon beyond – a veritable haven for wildlife.

    In addition to all the amenities, Bell says, “the Sa Carvalhos did such a nice job making this home their own. It’s so open and relaxing. They gave it a lot of thought.”

    “Indian Trails is a jewel in hiding in Vero Beach. The people who live here love it,” says Flavio.

    Indian Trails is an 80-acre, ocean-to-river, gate-guarded community with boat docks, an oceanside clubhouse, neighborhood clubhouse, tennis courts with a tennis pro, playground, community pool and exercise room. The seclusion of the neighborhood belies its proximity to nearby shopping, dining and environmental treasures.

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