Whimsical beauty is hidden gem

Luxury Home Features Historic Antiques with Modern Day Comforts

A $31 million house doesn’t need a dozen bedrooms, it doesn’t need to look like a formal castle and it doesn’t even need to be along the beach. What it needs is the right mixture of luxury and comfort, unique decor and design and of course the right address. That’s what this $31 million home on Gordon Drive in Port Royal has. Hidden behind gates and greenery, this unique property on Champney Bay, overlooking wide water views and a protected preserve, surprises visitors the moment they amble up the brick driveway and see the koi pond, terraces, and resort like architecture of this French West Indies style home.

“It feels like a resort. It is definitely not predictable,” said Jordan Delaney, global real estate advisor with Premier Sotheby’s International Realty. ”We have seen so many of the Mediterranean and then the costal contemporary. This house is classic and has character. People don't want to see those drywall boxes. This is timeless and classic. There is a level of sophistication, but these people live in their house as well.”

The home, that spans 7,873 square feet under air and 15,309 total square feet,  was originally built in 2006, but for the past two years a major renovation has changed the look and feel of this estate.

“It was pretty, but they really just took it up a level making it this unique,” Delaney explained.

The house is very different from the typical home where you walk into a great room that then leads to a lanai. This house is more whimsical with a series of spacious rooms scattered in different directions, most with waterfront views. The main living area is on the second level. That’s where the owners enclosed an outdoor terrace and made it into a comfortable sitting and television room. Glass NanaWalls fold to give it an outdoor feel. A glass railing protects people from falling down to the lanai, when the doors are open. The nearby den has glass doors that overlook this room giving glimpses of water views. A dining room was converted into a gathering/club room.

“This is my favorite room,” Delaney said. “It is a gathering room, but it is set up differently. It is laid back and relaxing.”

The kitchen has a West Indies look that combines function with comfort. The table has a couch along one side for seating.

“It’s like having dinner on the couch,” said Jennifer Russo, global real estate advisor with Premier Sotheby’s International Realty. “It’s refreshing.”

The guest bedroom suite on this level is quite large and also includes a sitting area. The house has all new real hickory wood floors.

The master suite takes up the entire top floor. The bedroom features curtains that run behind the king sized bed, glass doors that open to a terrace, a white nickleboard peaked ceiling and a large sitting area. Shelving leading into this room features Chinese porcelain from the 1800s, along with dozens of faux white books.

The breakfast bar has a mini dishwasher and refrigerated drawers. The couple can enjoy their coffee or breakfast while sitting on antique chairs beside a table that once belonged to Louis XIV. The master bathroom used to have both an inside and outside shower, but the outdoor shower was recently converted to a steam room. A chandelier over the bathtub gives the room an elegant feeling. Mother of Pearl tiles were added to the ceiling to match the floor tiles.

At ground level, a guest suite has glass doors on two sides that open up to the lanai. The under roof section of lanai has an outdoor kitchen with a grill, warming drawers, burner for a gigantic lobster pot and a refrigerator. There are also a sitting and eating areas, a pool table and  a 100 inch television. Screens or shutters come down at the press of a button. When the area is enclosed, the entire space is air conditioned. One of the most unique features is a king sized day bed on the lanai. The pool and spa are lined with stone giving it the appearance of a calm lagoon. A koi pond meanders around the pool area and also in front of the house. A rare and secluded sandy beach cove overlooks the bay. Just moments from Gordon Pass, the new, private boat dock with lift provides direct access to the Gulf.

A covered walkway leads to the three bedroom guest house. This edifice has a living room, kitchen and three bedrooms. The upstairs suite is enormous with a king sized bed, desk, window benches, an L-shaped couch and glass doors leading to a terrace.

“In all the real estate we have seen the last 15 years, this is the best guest suite ever,” Russo exclaimed.

The estate also has nine air conditioned garages with space for even more cars if lifts are added.

Bethany O’Neil did all the interior designs. She searched for unique items through Sotheby’s auctions, in antique shops and even hotels. She said the Louis XIV table was purchased at a Sotheby’s auction. The nearby chairs are from the 1800s and, while newly upholstered, have the original gilded gold.

“The Dewberry hotel in Charleston really gave me a lot of inspiration,” O’Neil explained. “We mixed up a lot of types of antiques from French to mid-century modern. I like to take an eclectic approach to my projects. I really put a lot of energy into the search and finding a lot of special items.”

O’Neil wanted every room in the house to be special.

“I like to have at least one old thing in every room to give it character,” she described. “I started finding the antiques first and then we jumped into filling in the blanks with some of the newer pieces. I look for the really special pieces.”

One of her favorites is a 100 foot long buffet in the living room.

“The one in the living room is spectacular because of its size,” she explained. “That is 1860’s Italian walnut. The size and scale of it is very hard to find.”

She also likes the antique mirrors, and the Louis the XV dresser in the guest room that dates back to the 1700’s.

“That is what I do best,” she said. “I love working with the older pieces, but we have to adapt to modern day life. Some things need to be newer items.”

One of the newer items she likes best is the couch by the kitchen table.

“That is a newer concept,” she said. “The design industry is just starting to introduce it to get away from the formality of sitting at a dining room table, to encourage the kids to come in and join them while they are cooking. It brings people into the room and gives them comfort. I did have that custom made. When you go to a restaurant they ask if you want a booth or a table and 90 percent said they want a booth for the comfort.”

She also likes the comforting feel of the new club room where she added a stone fireplace and built in bar along with chairs by a round table.

“It is a great place to go and sit down at the end of the day and have cocktails and watch TV and sit by the fire,” O’Neil said. “Because they aren’t really formal people they thought it was fine to eliminate the dining room. I think that is a lot of people’s favorite room in the house. These clients were my ultimate dream. It was like Christmas when we did the reveal. It was very satisfying to see all the smiles.”

The current owners purchased the property in October 2020 and then spent almost two years working on all the renovations. Now they are selling the home fully furnished for $31 million.

“This is so unexpected and hidden,” Delaney said.

“What is awesome about this house is it lives like a really great resort,” O’Neil added. “There are bedrooms at different parts of the house that give a lot of privacy. Instead of a massive mansion, it is very boutique like. It lives large.”

This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: Whimsical beauty is hidden gem