This one is a surfer’s dream; a treasure hunter’s dream; a beachcomber’s dream – a place where you can observe gorgeous Florida sunrises, sea turtle hatchlings, and space launches from Cape Canaveral from your very own stretch of beach.
From the charming, well-maintained beach retreat at 12546 N. A1A in the friendly, toes-in-the-sand Ambersand Beach community, it’s but a short walk across the lawn and along a sandy path to the blue Atlantic.
You can relax, unwind and immerse yourself in the simple natural wonders of the tropical seaside whenever you wish. Offering endless blue skies, sparkling azure sea and surf lapping along an inviting stretch of soft sandy shore, this tidy, light-filled home is the perfect beach getaway, whether you are a year-round resident or snowbird.
Owners Tuck and Cathy Ferrell purchased their wonderful beach house from an aeronautical engineer who built the house for his family when he went to work at Grumman’s facility in Melbourne. The family had only lived in the home for two years when he was called to another location, and – in the right place at the right time – the Ferrells acquired the property.
“It’s a very efficient home, built to the highest commercial hurricane standards,” says Tuck.
“And it has one of the best views on the north beach.”
He elaborates: There is high-tech foam insulation; pre-stressed concrete sub-flooring – like that used in bridge construction – with tile on top; and turtle glass windows. This special glass was created to protect turtle hatchlings from following artificial lights inland instead of the moonlight reflected on the sea when they crawl out of the nest.
An outside stairway on the south side leads to the main/second level, which features a broad, shaded balcony spanning the length of the home. From this wonderful front-row-center spot you have marvelous ocean views to the east and north.
The home is immediately south of Treasure Shores Park, which ensures a permanently unobstructed beach/ocean view to the north.
With plenty of room for alfresco dining or simply lazing about, this broad tiled second-level deck will always be a favorite hangout –morning, noon or night, solo or with family and friends.
Sunrise with a mug of steaming coffee is always a fine way to start the day, and sipping your bev of choice as the day fades and the sea and sky darken brings relaxation as little else does.
Inside, the home is surprisingly spacious. The millwork is white, and the windows and slider doors are clean, wide rectangles that frame rather than obscure the gorgeous ocean view. The shades of tan/brown in the textured floor tile echo the sandy beach just over the dune.
Opening from the small entrance alcove, the expansive heart of the home houses the living room, family room and dining room spaces and is open to the kitchen. High above the double glass sliders that open to the balcony, where the pale, pickled cypress cathedral ceiling reaches its apex, is a wide, turtle glass, eyebrow window, adding natural illumination and further enhancing the phenomenal views.
A bay/alcove to the north is just the spot for a cozy seating area or informal dining nook, and the spacious room itself can easily accommodate a variety of sofa and comfy chair configurations. Extending from the peak of the ceiling is a large, rattan fan.
The open kitchen features mottled black granite countertops and blonde cabinetry. Beneath a wide, clear window, the kitchen sink offers a great view to the north.
The roomy owner’s suite is configured so your bed can directly face the ocean. You literally have only to open your eyes to greet the rising sun. Blinds provide light control.
The owner’s bath offers a tub/shower and warm wood vanity with glowing white top and built-in sink.
The other two bedrooms share a full bath with shower.
A pleasant surprise awaits on the first level – from the east end of the large, well-lighted carport with its 3-double door wall of enclosed storage space, pass through glass French doors and you’ll discover a spacious flex room with half-bath.
A bright, airy space, it sports a cheerful, barn-red concrete floor and is currently in use as a studio for owner Cathy Ferrell, a renowned sculpture artist who grew up in Florida and has long been inspired by the birds, fish and other marine creatures that live in and around Ambersand Beach. Use your imagination here: You might envision an exercise or yoga room; kids’ hangout space; or perhaps outdoor party central/staging area. Or, maybe you, too, are an artist. Perfect in any iteration.
This delightful room is filled with natural light, pouring through two windows on the south side, and two sets of clear glass sliders which open to a broad, gracefully curved paver patio and a long, wide swath of lawn completely surrounded by palms and high tropical growth, extending to the dune line vegetation and the almost magical little path out to the shore. This pleasant “back yard” also sports a fire pit, always a favorite gathering place for after-dark parties.
From Ambersand Beach it is a short, pleasant drive south on A1A to Vero Beach’s charming seaside village, offering a plethora of up-scale boutiques, shops, galleries, restaurants, pubs and resorts, as well as Riverside Park, home of Riverside Theatre (Equity), the Vero Beach Museum of Art, the city tennis center, a boat launch, walking trails, outdoor festivals throughout the year, and a dog park.
