INTERIOR LAYOUT –

Fall in love with this estate all over again, when you cross the swimming pool courtyard and experience the third dwelling, an impressive 2 – story house. We call this ‘the master house’ because it houses the spacious master bedroom suite with spa bath, and a deluxe den.  It also provides two more uniquely decorated guest bedrooms suites, one downstairs and one on the 2^nd floor.  Before we tour the inside, take notice of how a decidedly defining roof-line gives this house a familiar colonial appearance. But don’t draw conclusions – there’s nothing traditional about the creative renovation and delightful décor of the interior. The designer pushed the envelope in this house, with artistic detail at every turn, and the end result is in inimitable.

Entrance: Renovated to maximize the indoor-outdoor Key West lifestyle, there are several exterior entrances, making it easy to maximize privacy needs. If the den is shared with the household, the favored entrance is from French doors connecting to the covered porch joining the pool courtyard. If you prefer to enter ‘the master house’ from the street side, there is a beautiful leaded glass front door leading to the entrance gate. If the den is kept exclusive for the master suite, the master bedroom has a set of French doors leading to the side porch away from the pool. There is also a door that leads from the master spa bath to the covered porch joining the pool courtyard.

1^st Floor – Den – Master Suite – Guest Suite

Den

The first thing you notice when you walk in the den is the bright white cathedral ceilings tucked right up to the roof line, and large triangulated truss windows at either end of the spacious room. Bamboo paddle ceiling fans, and recessed designer lighting show it all off in perfect contrast to varnished hardwood floors.

The den encompasses the entire middle of ‘the master house,’ connecting and separating the master suite from the other two bedrooms in the house. With a superb view of the swimming pool courtyard, the den is the place to plop down and completely relax, pick up a book, or check on the golf game on the 55” 3D flat screen TV. Decorated with comfy sand-tone sectional sofa, water hyacinth occasional furniture, and tropical artwork, French doors meld with the side porch, opposite the pool, and the unexpected exhilarating bamboo waterfall. Trickling sounds from the waterfall provide perfect ‘background sounds’ for the bright painting of a coy pond placed above the den sofa.

Bedroom Four – The Master Suite

The renovation of bedroom four, the master bedroom, carried the same white soaring ceiling with truss windows, as the den it is connected to, with the added architectural feature of two large transom windows. Connecting with the left side of the den, as you face the house from the pool, makes it possible to reserve den for the master bedroom, creating one huge exclusive master suite. In this case, the front entrance, on the street side, will be used to access the other two bedrooms in ‘the master house.’

White wood coastal furnishings paired with pale yellow walls and soft Caribbean blue accents, keep you in the island state of mind. A white king size 4 – poster bed, and cotton duck sofa assure plenty of room to stretch out in comfort and style.  The master en-suite bathroom has all the designer fixtures you have come to expect in this estate, with an additional feature of a Jacuzzi tub. Set behind frameless shower doors, the spa room features wood and clear glass linen towers, and gleaming mosaic lavender colored tiles.  Multiple shower heads, including a ceiling rain-head offer a luxurious spa experience.

Bedroom Five

On the opposite end of the den from the master suite, is bedroom five with en-suite bathroom.  Before we enjoy the interior design, note the location of this suite toward the front of the house.  At this end, it is accessible via a door to the stairway entrance hall.  Consider how this layout provides a semi-private 1st floor entrance to bedroom five, eliminating the need to walk through the den.  This is a wonderful option if the den is kept private for the master suite.

In striking contrast to the white and pastel paint in the master suite, original heart pine wood on the walls and ceiling of bedroom five and en-suite bathroom, were stripped of paint and sealed to show the golden grain, then trimmed with bright white crown molding. Notice the round porthole window placed close to the ceiling and the round shape repeated in the bamboo framed mirror on the opposite wall.  Providing two twin beds, our photo shows the bedroom decorated in an alluring animal print and bamboo safari theme.

The en-suite bathroom for bedroom five carries the same bamboo and animal print theme, this time paired with earth tone tumbled granite tile. Golden wood in sharp contrast with bright white modern bath fixtures, this suite takes on its own beautiful twist. This bathroom provides a bath-tub with in-tub shower.

2^nd Floor – 1 Bedroom with En-Suite Bathroom

Back inside the main house near the front entrance door, is one of most intriguing arts-and-crafts switch-back stairways we’ve seen in a Key West historic home.  Before we take it up to the 2^nd floor, to the sixth bedroom suite, take a moment to admire the distinctive design of the staircase.

Set against more expansive runs of original golden heart pine wood walls, you’ll expect the traditional curved railing at the bottom of the wooden stairs with risers painted a soft white. But then, like an unexpected treasure trove, focus on the elaborately white carved newel post, and see that is topped with a golden glass ball newel cap. Next look at the metal ‘bejeweled’ spindles that run the length of the stairs, like pieces of found treasure on display. It gets even more exciting at the top of the stairs where an orange crystal ball is set as the newel cap, a precursor of the exotic sixth bedroom done in Indian décor.

The stair landing is staged for a pause, with a comfortable cane and woven leather chair making it comfortable to sit and admire the stairway. Two sash windows provide peeks below – one at the ‘family house’ across the pool, and the other down on Elizabeth Street.

Finally, we arrive at bedroom six where a little bit of colorful India is elegantly celebrated. Dressed pretty in orange and red, a cotton Indian bedspread, matching tapestry rug and bedside lamp, there is even a little sitting Buddha with treasure boxes set on a teak table. White mosquito netting over the queen size bed completes the look. The adjoining luxury bathroom, painted soft yellow with white tiles, features the most modern fixtures including a frameless glass shower, wall mount commode, and vessel sink.  Feature tiles in the shower are painted with yellow and orange daffodils – the symbol for good fortune and new beginnings.

The last feature on the 2^nd floor of ‘the master house,’ is a spiral stair case leading to a roof hatch that opens to a ‘widows walk’ look-out.  Depending on the weather and time of year, this feature may be closed for the use of guests. It will be made available at the discretion of the property owner.

The resort-style swimming pool courtyard in the center of the property is the focal point of the grounds.  By Key West standards, the swimming pool is large, and the concrete deck surrounding it will easily accommodate everyone in your group.  Lush mature tropical landscaping and barrier gardens surround the property and create nearly complete privacy from the street.  Wrap around porches and decks provide many places to sit and ponder.  There’s even a porch swing at the ‘family house’ to while away the hours.

Combining design elements that impart that elusive je ne sais quoi of architectural history, three historic dwellings are joined to become one luxury Key West vacation rental estate, just steps away from the Historic Seaport boardwalk. Artistic touches, with notable attention to detail wherever you look, make every space beautifully appealing.

Bedding Summary:

• The ‘Family House’ – 2^nd Floor: Bedroom 1 – Queen size bed; Bedroom 2 – 2 Twin size beds (can be joined to make a King size bed).
• Private Guest Cottage – Bedroom 3 – 1 Queen size bed
• The ‘Master House’ – 1^st Floor: Master – Bedroom 4 – King size bed; Bedroom 5 – 2 Twin size beds; 2^nd Floor – Bedroom 6 – 1 Queen size bed.

Parking: Off-street parking is available on two gated driveways next to each house. If you bring cars, once you’re settled in, enjoy walking or biking everywhere.  You won’t really need a car in most instances, and you’ll avoid the expense and hassle of parking around the tiny island.