Design and building of a 5,400 sq ft luxury house in Vero Beach, Florida — a lakefront plot overlooking the golf course, with a west-facing garden that captures the spectacular Floridian sunsets.
- Size
- 5,400 sq ft
- Type
- New build
- Garage
- 4 cars
- Layout
- Single storey
The brief
Design a house full of light, with high ceilings, generous windows and French doors opening onto the garden, patio, pool and views — while letting the breeze keep the house cool. The plan was loosely divided into two: the owners' living area (family room, kitchen and master bedroom) and the guests' area (formal reception, dining and guest bedrooms). A car-enthusiast client wanted a four-car garage, and the single-storey layout had to follow community guidelines.
The design
The light, breezy objective could only be achieved by opening every room to at least two sides. So we organised the whole house in a U-shape around a courtyard landscaped with a reflecting pool and tropical planting. Kitchen and family rooms open onto a large loggia and the pool; the formal reception and dining rooms open onto the courtyard for elegant entertaining in the cooler evening air.
The master bedroom enjoys lake and golf-course views with his-and-hers dressing rooms and bathrooms; the four guest bedrooms each have privacy, en-suites and a separate breakfast area. A street-corner plot allowed two entrances — one formal for guests, one for the owners' daily use near the garages and kitchen. Landscaping was integral: we relocated half a dozen centenarian green oaks by crane to make the house feel as though it had always been there.
The finished project
An ambitious build undertaken in the middle of the late-2000s real-estate crisis — and so spectacular that, to this day, it is held up as an example of creativity in the community. High-specification materials throughout, light and breezy, it offers the flexibility of a holiday home the couple can enjoy much of the time while welcoming children and grandchildren in comfort.
Gallery