When Reid and Susan Johnson set out to build their dream home 26 years ago, they weren’t just looking for a Florida residence – they were looking for a lifestyle.
Their journey to Vero Beach is a tale of serendipity that began in a North Carolina restaurant called Magnolias. While the couple sat at a table debating whether to continue their retirement search further south, a pair of strangers at the next table couldn’t help but overhear.
The woman told the Johnsons that they had found the perfect place. “She scribbled Vero Beach and Orchid Island on a cocktail napkin,” recalls Susan, urging the Johnsons to hurry before everything was sold out.
They arrived the next day just as a flurry of buyers was rushing into the real estate office with deposit checks in hand, says Susan. Luckily, they managed to secure one of the remaining lots – 922 Orchid Point Way in Orchid Island Golf & Beach Club. The name on that cocktail napkin became more than just a recommendation; it became a reality, and the strangers became dear friends.
“Designed by renowned architect Andrew Kirschner, this beautiful courtyard-style pool home overlooks the community’s championship golf course, with serene water views, a private casita, fireplace and spacious rooms – an exceptional blend of architecture, comfort and setting,” says Dale Sorensen Real Estate Broker-Owner, Matilde Sorensen.
The result of the collaboration between the Johnsons, Kirschner and Jones & Jones Premier Builders is a study in flow, where the indoors and outdoors are joined by a seamless, fluid transition.
“When we got the design of the house, we had just traveled to Italy,” Susan recalls. “We loved that feeling of a home centered around a private courtyard. It’s a very intimate way to live.”
Nine sets of French doors open into the West Indies-style courtyard with its gas-heated pool and spa, a summer kitchen and a private one-bedroom cabana. The cabana, complete with a kitchenette and full bath, offers guests a luxurious retreat with direct pool access, while the bath doubles perfectly as a pool bath.
Inside the main house, the refined design is evident in every archway and vaulted ceiling. The living room features a striking wood-beamed ceiling, wet bar and a double-sided gas fireplace that provides a visual bridge to the formal dining room.
In the south wing, the island kitchen is a bright, French-inspired culinary space with white wood cabinetry, a Sub-Zero refrigerator, Thermador double ovens and a gas cooktop. A prep sink, butler’s pantry with wine cooler and skylights ensure the space is as functional as it is beautiful.
“We didn’t want a great big room of everything. One room flows into the next. You can see one from the other, but they maintain their own character,” says Susan.
One of the Johnsons’ favorite features is the sunroom. Preferring a climate-controlled environment over a traditional screened porch, the owners designed the room with French doors and large windows that overlook the third green of the golf course.
“The view is spectacular. You have the undulation of the hills, the water from the pond and a backdrop of Australian pines,” says Susan.
“We don’t see any neighbors – just the occasional golfer – or an eagle pausing to eat lunch in the sand trap,” adds Reid.
The laundry room, powder room, guest suite and access to the two-car garage are conveniently located near the kitchen.
For Reid, “the best room in the house” is the library in the north wing. It features Brazilian cherry flooring, a wood-finished ceiling, and extensive millwork. The room is anchored by a massive built-in desk and framed by large windows.
Also on this side of the house, the primary suite features its own access to the back patio and a luxurious bath with a Jacuzzi tub, dual vanities, a walk-in shower and two walk-in closets with built-in dressers.The home is built for peace of mind with a new tile roof, impact glass, a Tesla charger in the two-car garage, a tankless gas water heater and a FloLogic leak detection system.
“The community is absolutely fabulous,” says Susan. “We’ve loved the friends we’ve made here and the active social life – from the beach club parties to the bocce courts. We’re actually keeping our social membership because we love the dining and the people so much.”
Orchid Island Golf & Beach Club is a private ocean-to-river, Audubon-sanctioned golf community located just north of Vero Beach, with easy access to Melbourne, Sebastian and Vero’s famous island village. The community is ideally situated between two environmental havens: Pelican Island National Wildlife Refuge and the Environmental Learning Center. It’s just minutes from shopping and restaurants on Ocean Drive, live professional theater at Riverside Theatre and the Vero Beach Museum of Art.
Mandatory membership grants access to the 18-hole championship golf course, the beach clubhouse, golf clubhouse, tennis/fitness center and sports complex. The beach club offers private beach access, dining, a resort-style swimming pool and cabanas. The tennis center has eight Har-Tru courts, and the sports complex includes pickleball courts, a playground, a basketball court, bocce lanes and a croquet lawn.
Vital Statistics
922 Orchid Point Way
Neighborhood: Orchid Island Golf & Beach Club
Lot size: 100 feet by 180 feet
Year built: 2001
Construction: Concrete block
Architecture: British Colonial West Indies
Home size: 4,389 square feet
Bedrooms: 3 • Bathrooms: 3 full baths and 1 half-bath
Pool: Gas-heated swimming pool and spa
View: Golf course and lake views
Additional features: Guard-gated community; fine finishes; library; double-sided gas fireplace; wet bar; ice machine; wine cooler; built-ins; crown molding; gourmet kitchen; high-end appliances; butler’s pantry; sun room; jetted tub; impact resistant glass; guest cabana; summer kitchen; courtyard; covered lanai; new tile roof; two-car garage with Tesla charger; and detached golf cart garage.
Listing agency: Dale Sorensen Real Estate
Listing agent: Matilde Sorensen, 772-532-0010
Listing price: $4,250,000
Photos provided
