The home at 1250 River Reach Drive is a standout even in this lovely neighborhood of customized homes featuring gracious Georgian-style architecture in the gated Riverwind community.
What sets the home apart is a recent renovation that perfected an already good design. It also made the house “like new construction,” said listing agent Cheryl Burge, who is with Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices.
Built in 2004, the home has three bedrooms and once had three baths, but the 2014 redesign added a half bath.
The good idea of the “courtyard” design, in which an entry door opens into an inner courtyard that contains a heated pool, was made better by building a bold superstructure to screen in the area. The pool is not just for dipping, by the way – it is a rectangle large enough so that serious lap swimmers can do flip turns without pausing, getting a real cardiovascular workout.
One of the home’s three bedrooms is a “cabana,” a separate structure adjacent to the courtyard that offers visiting in-laws or a grown-up child substantial privacy, providing them with their own bath and refrigerator. A whole-house intercom system makes calling guest-house visitors to dinner easy, and a music system throughout the house keeps the tribe moving to the same beat.
A big 40-by-11-foot patio was screened in as part of the renovation, using the same bold metal framing, upgrading it to a “lanai,” which overlooks a lovely pond, making it the perfect space for coffee or cocktails.
The master bedroom lets out onto the lanai and pool area, with watery refractions soothing one into sleep or awakening, the new flooring – large, whitish porcelain tiles – adding to the impression each day is fresh and pristine.
The master bath, with its rich porcelain finishes, has a walk-in shower with his-and-her shower heads and a double vanity. The male and female clothes horse will be pleased that the redesign expanded all storage areas, including his-and-hers walk-in closets.
The kitchen was also redone, with a large island and countertops surfaced with granite, stainless-steel appliances and a pantry doubled in size, big enough to alphabetize all those spices in a line. The butler’s pantry, good for setting up a cocktail or coffee bar, will help keep too many cooks out of the kitchen. The light marble backsplash, granite counters and porcelain-tile floors contrast nicely with the rich, dark-wooden cabinetry, making this cooking space both luxurious and utilitarian.
A big laundry room connected to the two-car garage makes it easy to strip out of those wet clothes after a day at the beach, keeping sand out of the house.
Riverwind is on Indian River Boulevard, a bit north of 41st Street. “It’s five minutes from everything,” says Burge, who feels the location is one of its strongest selling points. “The beach is three and a half miles, Miracle Mile is three miles and the Vero Beach Country Club is five minutes.”
Riverwind was built by Regatta Building & Development, a 30-year-old local company with projects throughout Florida, Pennsylvania, Texas and Mississippi, their houses including 10-year warranties. The 150-lot development is completely built out, making the homeowners’ association a stable entity.
The clubhouse was designed by K.C. Barkley, and has a catering kitchen, heated pool, fitness room, game room and clay-surfaced tennis court.
Quarterly homeowners’ fees are $1,200 and include use of the common facilities and all lawn care, including mowing, trimming, irrigation, mulching and spraying.
“This [home] is designed for lock and leave,” Burge said.
All homes in Riverwind are storm-ready with stucco on concrete block construction, clay-cement tile roofs, heavy walls and ceilings, and impact-resistant glass.
