Noted Vero Beach architect Harry Howle says the house at 201 Sandpiper Point in John’s Island was inspired by French Provencal architecture as it was adapted to island living in France’s picturesque Caribbean territories.
Designed by Howle and built by Croom Construction in 2009, the 5-bedroom, 6-bath, 5,630-square-foot house was listed by John’s Island Real Estate broker Bob Gibb for $4,750,000.
The home features steep barrel-tile roof planes with the broken pitch common to Caribbean dwellings, twin chimneys, carved rafter ends, dormers and shutters that combine to give the house a charming cottage-like effect despite its substantial size.
“I think the effort there was to provide something a little more unique to John’s Island,” says Howle. “John’s Island started with the theme of Georgian architecture, and that has been a very strong vernacular for them, but they have relaxed it a little bit over the years to make room for a more casual island style. This is a house that evokes what you might find in the French West Indies.”
Set in the midst of lush tropical landscaping on a deep-water cove that flows into John’s Island Sound, the home draws a visitor in with a sense that life lived here would be elegant and civilized but also a bit of an adventure.
The basic structure is H-shaped, with a central two-story section flanked by one-story wings. A second-floor bonus suite above the garage adds additional architectural interest.
Entry into the home is via magnificent arched mahogany and glass doors that allow a visitor to look through the formal living room, which has glass doors on the back wall, to see the pool area and lagoon beyond while still in the front courtyard.
The doors open into a classic rectangular foyer with a powder room on the right and chandelier above. Straight ahead is the 25.5-foot by 26.5-foot living room with high, coffered ceiling, fireplace and sliding mahogany doors that lead out onto the pool patio.
“All of these mahogany doors have sliding pocket screens so that you can open the house up and let the breeze blow through in nice weather,” says John’s Island Real Estate agent Kristen Yoshitani.
The pool area is one of the most appealing features of this beautiful home. Long and relatively narrow, it is placed perpendicular to the house. Towering palm trees placed in formal masonry planters flanking the pool give the space a resort-like feel that also evokes the famous avenues of Versailles.
“The lengthwise pool accentuates the long view up the lagoon you have from this spot,” Yoshitani says. “The water is quite deep out there and manatees like to come in here and browse around.”
The house has a dock where a good-size boat can moor and the cove connects to the Intracoastal Waterway, allowing access to all the recreational amenities of the Indian River Lagoon and to deep sea fishing in the Atlantic Ocean via the Sebastian Inlet.
Back inside, a rich palette of fine materials and inspired design features make the home a pleasure to tour. Floors are clad in glowing hardwood and luxurious carpets, and vaulted reverse hip or coffered ceilings grace most rooms. Custom woodwork, crafty built-ins, formal staircases and balconies all enrich the experience of the house.
The master bedroom suite occupies the entire wing that is to the left as a visitor emerges from the front foyer. It includes a spacious bedroom with gliding mahogany doors that open onto private patio overlooking the pool, a master bath with wonderful tile work and every desirable feature, an oversize walk-in closet, a big, bright laundry room, and a formal office with hardwood floor, dark wood built-ins and wainscoting, and a private powder room.
Going right from the foyer, a visitor passes through a wide arch into a great chef’s kitchen which features a gas cooktop with pot filler, deep farm sink, marble counters and a stunning vaulted ceiling supported by timber trusses.
The kitchen opens into the formal dining room on one side and into a 9-foot by 18-foot breakfast area with gliding doors leading out onto the patio.
Beyond the dining room is a first-floor mother-in-law suite with vestibule, full bath, walk-in closet and bedroom with private patio. Adjacent to the mother-in-law suite is the entrance to the home’s 3-car garage and a handsome staircase that leads up to another guest suite above the garage.
The upstairs en-suite bedroom has a sloped ceiling, deep dormer recesses and other features that re-evoke the cottage sensation.
A second staircase that ascends for the living room leads to the main second floor where there are two more en-suite bedrooms, including a storybook children’s room with two beautifully crafted white built-in bunk beds complete with ladders that any small child would love. There are built-in drawers beneath the bottom bunks and a built-in desk for reading or study.
Both bedrooms have glass doors that open onto balconies with treetop and pool views.
“There is a lock at the top of the door in the bunk room so kids won’t wander out if they are not supposed to,” says Yoshitani.
