712 John Street A Custom-built Home, on a Hill Overlooking the Ocean, is Both Sunny and Secure
The house itself offers seven bedrooms, six baths, a home theater with reclining chairs, and an indoor and outdoor first floor that leads to a sunny salt-water pool and fireplace under designer cabana settings. This prominent corner lot home also offers ocean views from all floors yet remains free of wind due to its construction and grounds arrangement.
“Many weekends we would all walk back to the house, grabbing some groceries for an evening barbecue,” shares homeowner Nancy Batter of returning home after a perfect day at the beach with family and friends.
“The kids would hit the outdoor shower, then dive through the waterfall that flows from the cabana roof into the pool, while the adults relaxed in the cabana or spa. We have a big dining table outside where we eat and everyone can easily flow in and out of the house, whether grabbing food from the kitchen or squeezing limes for margaritas in the living room bar. The kids would often end up watching a movie in the family room and the adults would stay by the outdoor fireplace and gaze at the stars.”
Throughout the house are specialty wood beam ceilings, floors and trim that blend well with the partially wood-stylized furniture in each room. A short walk to the beach and downtown, this home is fully enclosed by security gates to provide for a reserved presence.
According to realtors John Altamura of The Altamura Real Estate Group and Kathy Kernochan of Shorewood Realtors, “This is casual, yet elegant beach living infused with the contemporary/modern design. It’s definitely a timeless look that a lot of buyers are gravitating towards. It exudes a great deal of sophistication with high-end finishes and a wide-open floor plan. Completely sheltered from both 8th Street and John Street, the home incorporates the ‘indoor/outdoor’ aspect seamlessly. This is clearly seen in the thick foliage surrounding the home, which creates a natural, green fence for a private oasis feel.”
While working with Jon Starr, of Jon Starr Design Group, Batter and her husband were thrilled with his distinctive design and materials, and how facilely Jon Starr collaborated with them in creating the indoor/outdoor lifestyle they had enjoyed during their Hawaiian vacations.
“The lines between indoor and outdoor space blur, and you feel equally at home in both spaces,” Batter explains. “The way our house is laid out, all the rooms on the main floor open onto the backyard, pool and cabana area, which gives us that easy indoor/outdoor flow. I love that you can see what’s going on from every room whether inside or outside, especially when trying to keep an eye on the kids. The layout of the house also really shelters our pool and outdoor entertaining area from the wind.”
In addition, interior angles and inset shelves, fireplaces and windows all have beautiful wood trims that synchronize with their furniture. Going the full distance, custom features include: Dynamic Architectural Windows and Doors from Canada; mahogany doors, windows and cabinetry; and vertical grain Douglas Fir wood ceilings and cabinetry in the pool table room. Outdoors, the cabana is also mahogany, yet with Jarrah wood floors. Custom furniture is from Nancy Russert of Les Beaux Interiors.
One can see and feel the care that has been taken to create every detail of this home, with elegant woods corresponding the beauty of nature.
Whether gazing outside at the ocean or viewing the 500-gallon salt-water aquarium inside, the home presents a peaceful, natural environment. Nonetheless, one of Batter’s favorite areas is outside.
“I love the pathway under the big coral tree that leads to my daughter’s garden area, the grassy area out front where the kids run and play, or the lush tropical backyard with tall Brazilian fern trees gracing the sky,” she says. “We had Wolf’s vision from Wolf’s Botanical to create coastal modern magic!”
The outdoor haven and the entire pool area receive more sun throughout the day, keeping it warm and accessible all year round. Sunsets over the ocean are best viewed from the front of the house and are especially enchanting from the two family rooms.
This spectacular home has it all: the comfort of a classy, independent retreat near the action of downtown Manhattan.
John Altamura | Altamura Real Estate Group
Kathy Kernochan | Shorewood Realtors
List price $13,500,000
For More Information, Visit 712john.com
Written by Nicole Borgenicht | Photography courtesy of the Altamura Real Estate Group
