Being an interior designer is fun, fulfilling, sometimes thrilling, and occasionally discouraging. It’s almost always rewarding. And yet, there have been times I’ve lost sleep over “design dilemmas.” But on this particular day, my job was truly an adventure.
I had to drive well over an hour away to measure a kitchen for a potential new client. I drove away from beaches and high rises, to an off-the-beaten-track two lane road through Florida’s cow country. County Highway 769 passes picturesque scenes of intimidating cows and horses grazing in the vast spaces throughout fields and ranches with old houses. NW Highway 70 had some sharp curves that forced me to go slow. However, the scenery was worth the crawl. Portions of the road revealed winding postcard-perfect paths. Still other portions straightened out, and as they did, so did the wooden fences bordering the pastures. I saw farmhouses and barns, old and new. I saw tractors and tin roofs. I saw some unique entrance gates to the farms. Some of them looked as though they were custom works of art made from stones and bricks and wrought iron.
I turned left to an old quiet dead-end country road. My trusty GPS indicated I still had 0.51 miles to go before I reached my destination. But the lollipop-shaped cul-de-sac prevented me from driving any further. So I put the car in park to take a closer look at my new client’s folder. That’s when I saw a note from Cindy Kohls-Brophy, our wonderful receptionist at Just Counters & Other Stuff. “If you reach a dead-end, then look for a cluster of mailboxes. There’s a road just beyond the mailboxes.” Sure enough, I saw a hidden dirt road about 100-feet from the bunch of mailboxes.
I bounced around in my seat as I traveled down the bumpy dirt road. Occasionally the single lane curved around a huge old tree. It wasn’t long before I noticed there weren’t any more houses… or civilization…for that matter. I continued my trip in the middle of nowhere. I felt my pulse quicken. I didn’t dare allow my thoughts to think “what if…”
Finally I reached my destination!
As soon as I passed through a private gated driveway, I arrived at this breathtaking modern Swiss Family Robinson style house. The house, built high on stilts on this tranquil estate, was remote from city living, in unspoiled wilderness. This could have been paradise—Eden on earth. There were trees bearing fruit, both grapefruit and oranges. There was a little river running through the yard. It was an escape from the otherwise loud and busy real world. The dwelling looked like a treehouse. I had to climb a crazy number of stairs to reach the front door. Actually, it was a screened door. Midway up the flight of stairs I stopped. I saw squirrels, birds, and a dog.
Through the screen door, I heard our potential new client’s voice, “C’mon in!”
The moment I entered I saw Paula. She beamed, “Welcome to our home!” We stood in the sunroom, suspended about 20-25 feet in the air. I looked down at the ubiquitous Spanish-moss-draped trees that created the atmosphere of unspoiled woodlands and an urban jungle. I immediately fell in love. When I was a young girl I remember the story of Peter Pan and I loved how he could fly. He lived in Neverland, a magical place. Peter Pan had a hideout in a tree. THIS home reminded me of a hideout, a hideaway, a refuge. My imagination ran wild. THIS home felt like a charming home fit for a modern Swiss Robinson family. The views had me mesmerized.
“Come, Michele.” Paula glanced out the screened sunroom, then back again, pausing briefly before she continued. “Let me take you on a tour.”
I was fascinated by John and Paula, the homeowners, who were drawn to purchase this unusual and rare find. The 1,824 sq. ft., 2-bedroom, 2-bathroom property takes full advantage of the Peace River sanctuary with 5 rolling acres of off-grid living. They both felt there was so much potential to the house and property that they just had to have it.
Paula stopped short in her tour of the Alpacas habitat to offer them a snack. To my great disappointment my unexpected squeal of delight caused them to distance themselves from us. That’s when the potbellied pig wandered by, followed by roosters and chickens.
From there Paula led me to the “Garden of Eaten.” It was a raised garden delightfully filled with all kinds of veggies. The garden is low maintenance. Paula showed me the guest house that was in the middle of a renovation.
Eventually we made our way back to the existing kitchen in the main house. I asked the homeowner to tell me about herself. She went on to narrate. We discovered our joint passion for writing. At that point we exchanged copies of our autographed books with each other.
Paula loves to bake and cook. She wanted a gourmet kitchen. The existing one lacked storage and personality. She wanted timeless white semi-custom Shaker style cabinets, which would help keep her kitchen bright and airy. She asked for glass doors for her pretty dishes. Paula wanted brushed granite which would give the finish a slightly textured feel. It is not usually rough to the touch but rather is a finish of smooth and silky ridges and veins. Unlike polished or honed, a brushed finish typically has no sheen to it.
Behind every renovation is a hardworking team that’s striving for one thing: executing a successful project. Just Counters offers expert kitchen installation services for the cabinets we sell. Kitchen installation is a specialized field, and only the most experienced and talented installers install our kitchens. Ben Hanson and Tyler Mowatt had the expertise and eye for detail, especially on this particular installation. Both of the guys are hardworking and knowledgeable. Since this was no job for any faint-hearted cabinet installer, Ben and Tyler were just the right fit. Imagine if you will, these two experts making numerous trips up the 20-25 feet wooden stairs with seventeen cabinets, a tall pantry, and numerous tools.
I returned one warm afternoon, months after the beautiful kitchen was completed, to check on the progress of their home. John and Paula are perfectionists by nature, and they take a lot of pride in every project they encounter. Wonderful things happen when talented people join together in a creative process. There wasn’t an inch of this property that hadn’t been significantly updated in the past year and half. Besides the new custom kitchen, they renovated the bathrooms, the beautiful guest house, added new flooring, professionally landscape and added brick walkways, added a new water treatment system, and added a hot tub and swimming pool with decking, built a custom outdoor bar/kitchen/entertaining space with granite countertops, and so much more.
I ensure you; one cannot fully grasp and appreciate how far this gourmet kitchen has come unless you’ve seen how it looked previously. Let’s take a trip down memory lane, shall we? A pantry is like having a mini grocery store at home. Right? But who wants all their groceries out in the open like a grocery store? This kitchen is now a chef’s dream come true that comes equipped with plenty of cabinet storage, an effective work triangle, large countertop surfaces, and a layout that encourages entertaining. Speaking of countertops …isn’t the dramatic brown fantasy satin brushed countertop freaking awesome? Bronze hardware gives this kitchen a softer, gentler touch.
Have you ever dreamed of having a secret place tucked away from the hustle and bustle of life? If it’s your American dream to own wide-open spaces, quiet living and counting the stars at night away from the city lights, there’s no better place than this. Then I have great news for you! This place happens to be for sale. There’s no question, this home and site are magical. This enchanting beauty can be yours for only $379,900.
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