When Tom and Mary L’Esperance were looking for a house, water, people and proximity to restaurants were crucial factors says Mary.
“I’m a water girl,” Mary says, sharing that she spent much of her life living on the water in the Keys and Chesapeake Bay. So, when she was leaving the Keys, she was drawn to Vero’s barrier island.
When the couple purchased the home at 681 Lake Dr. in Riomar Bay, Mary says she wanted the feeling of the house to be one of comfort. “I don’t want anyone to come in here and feel like they can’t kick up and enjoy themselves.”
Admitting that she loves a project, Mary was thrilled to take on the challenge of updating their new home without losing any of the charm of the existing footprint.
“I like that this has separate spaces. The whole house really works and quietly reveals itself,” says Mary of the floorplan. The couple’s remodel included kitchen, bathrooms, an enclosed sunroom, a resurfaced pool, a new pool deck, impact windows and doors, air conditioners and a water heater and a dock replacement with a new lift.
Set back from the street behind mature growth, the brick-paved circle drive accommodates plenty of parking, especially with the parking pad on the east side of the house with access to the three-car garage.
Stepping into the waterfront home, you immediately feel the sense of welcome the couple wanted to create.
“The family room, the back porch, the whole kitchen area is stunning. They used the best finishes. They did everything right. It’s unassuming,” says ONE Sotheby’s broker associate Cindy O’Dare, who with her partner Richard Boga has the three-bedroom, three-and-half-bath, 4,200-square-foot home listed for $4,450,000.
From the foyer, you can head directly into the formal dining room to the left of the entry.
Adjacent to the kitchen, it’s convenient when you want to entertain formally. Also on this side of the house are the garage, laundry room, powder room and the family room, which has a spectacular wet bar.
“It really is the perfect Riomar house for a family or for a couple. The one-story living is wonderful,” says O’Dare.
The kitchen was designed to handle a crowd with a large counter to lay out appetizers and an island with a prep sink. Thermador appliances, pop-up outlets and a leather-finish granite countertop are just a few of the upgrades that make working in the kitchen a pleasure.
As you stand in the kitchen looking out across the river to the 17th Street bridge you can see why the house is called Bridgeview as you enjoy the scenic perspective of the soaring expanse that connects the barrier island to the mainland.
This home was made for entertaining, says O’Dare. “You can have drinks upstairs and play pool or have a big party in the family room. The kitchen lends itself to all parts of the house, and the way they did the back porch with all those sliders, that’s where everybody lives.”
In the formal living room at the center of the house, the coral stone fireplace is a real showstopper. Mary knew she was home when she walked in and saw it. The tables she’d brought with her from the Keys matched perfectly. “It was meant to be,” she says.
Overhead, the loft with a wet bar and sunset balcony offers flex space for entertaining, an office, a game room, a studio or a fourth bedroom.
Two guest bedrooms and a shared bath are accessed via a short hallway off the front of the living room. The primary suite, located near the back, gives the owners additional privacy.
From the seating area in the suite, you can view the pool and Indian River Lagoon through large, plantation-shuttered windows.
The extensive bathroom remodel created dual sanctuaries with double sinks, water closets, showers and walk-in closets, so there’s plenty of room to get ready without getting in one another’s way.
The enclosed sunroom at the back of the house is where the couple spends most of their time. They enjoy the panoramic views of the Indian River Lagoon, enjoying the sight of bottlenose dolphin and passing manatees. The waters are loaded with drum, tarpon and trout.
Whether it’s boaters out for a sunset cruise, fishermen cast netting, or dolphins chasing a school of bait fish, there’s always something to watch.
“It has the prettiest long view from its natural elevation in Vero Beach,” says O’Dare.”
Outside, you can lounge by the pool or head down to the dock with its 10,000-pound manual and remote control boat lift and two Jet Ski lifts. The new Trex dock is large enough to use as a dance floor, says Mary, sharing that they’ve eaten on the expansive sitting area almost as often as in other areas of the house.
“I don’t think there’s a better dock in Riomar on the market right now,” adds O’Dare.
Riomar Bay is a gated, riverfront community conveniently located between the bridges with easy access to beachside and mainland locations. It’s just a short walk, bike or golf cart ride to Quail Valley River Club, Riomar Country Club, Riomar Beach access, the city marina, Riverside Park, Riverside Theatre, Vero Beach Museum of Art, Vero Beach Dog Park, and all the great shopping and dining on Ocean Drive.
Photos provided
