At the end of an intimate, single-street neighborhood, the two-story oceanfront home at 2270 Silver Sands Court in Silver Sands was a place of healing for the owner who moved to Vero Beach to take advantage of the ocean air and sunshine.
She says she knew that this house was the perfect place for her to recover from a serious lung problem but had to get her sidekick’s – a German shorthaired pointer – seal of approval before buying the four-bedroom home.
It was love at first sight. “He ran in the house, up the stairs and then outside. That dog was so happy to be back on the beach. That’s when I knew for sure that this was the house,” recalls the owner.
And for the past 10 years, it’s been just what the doctor ordered. “I needed a break and to unwind and recover my health. It was the perfect place to do it,” she adds, noting the serenity of the small neighborhood, as well as its privacy and the benefits of living on the ocean.
As you pull into the driveway at the end of the cul-de-sac, you feel as if the lush vegetation is drawing you into a tropical haven. With coral stone surrounding the front entry, you can already sense the beachy elegance that awaits inside.
Fine details imbue the home with a sense of classic design, from the crown molding and wood and stone flooring to the custom built-ins and mosaic backsplash.
The gallery foyer opens directly into the formal living room with spectacular views of the ocean.
To the right is a first-floor owner’s suite, allowing the homeowner to age in place or provide a sanctuary for visiting guests who can’t navigate the stairs.
Heading down the hallway to the left of the front entrance and at the front of the house, you’ll find a fitness room with an infrared sauna, cork floors and mirrored wall; a laundry room; a powder room; two guest bedrooms with private entries and a Jack and Jill bathroom; and access to the air-conditioned two-car garage.
At the rear of this wing, the dining room is situated between the living room and gourmet kitchen with a walk-in pantry, wine cooler, and a breakfast nook with built-in benches, allowing for fluid movement from room to room and out onto the lanai when entertaining.
A family room with a wood-burning fireplace boasting a coral-stone face sits on the north side of the kitchen. A pass-thru opens things up so that you can enjoy the company of guests while they sit by the fire or head out to the patio through French doors.
The upper-level owner’s living space is reached via stairs near the center of the house. A wall of built-ins runs along the landing between the owner’s suite and office. Both rooms enjoy ocean views from private balconies.
Unique design features include a wood-burning fireplace in the office to keep you warm as you work or enjoy a brandy before heading to bed, and a substantial jetted tub in the bathroom just off the owner’s suite with views of the ocean. The owner’s private domain also includes a shower, dual sinks, water closet and walk-in closet.
The owner created a spectacular oasis when she bought the house, making the most of the private, oceanfront locale. A screen enclosure keeps bugs at bay while you’re floating in the saltwater pool, sitting in the hot tub or taking in the ocean breezes from one of the covered seating areas.
To the already impressive lounge terrace, the owner added a pavilion with a bar, refrigerator, ice maker and a double-sided EcoSmart gas fireplace and, just outside the screen enclosure, a summer kitchen near the private dune crossover to the beach.
The backyard is fenced, and there’s ample green space for dogs and children to play. With privacy walls on both sides of the property and sea oaks that block views of the backyard from passersby on the beach, the sense of seclusion is complete.
One of the owner’s favorite parts of living in this secluded area is having a front-row seat for turtle season. She went to great lengths to ensure lights wouldn’t interfere with the turtles that nest on the beach. “Every single year, there are always multiple turtle nests with hatchings,” she says.
“Vero is such a rare, special place. I just don’t know where in Florida you can go and feel like you have the entire beach to yourself,” adds the owner, who says she’s moving to be closer to family and friends. “This is a great house for a family; and now that I’ve healed, a part of me feels guilty because I felt like I wasn’t using the house to its best potential.”
Silver Sands is a small, gated neighborhood just a short drive away from Vero’s Ocean Drive for shopping and dining, or to Riverside Theatre and the Vero Beach Museum of Art for cultural outings. For families with children, Saint Edward’s School is nearby.