Whittington & Associates, LLC

The Florida Times Union (Nov. 2008)
An Oceanfront Restoration that Retains Ponte Vedra's Past

By R.P. Whittington

When C.L. Staughan and his wife Mary moved to Ponte Vedra Beach in 1970, they knew they were buying into a piece of Ponte Vedra's past – purchasing one of the first homes built in the area in 1940.

So when they decided to make some changes to the home a few years ago, it was agreed they would renovate the home – rather than razing and rebuilding as so many beach residents have done in recent years.

"It was just a very comfortable home," she said. "We raised our kids here, spent many holidays at the beach and had many friends and family visit over the years.

So in 2006, when the couple began what became a $1.5 million renovation of the property, Mary says they wanted to make sure they kept the 1940's ambiance, using many of the home's original materials, and at the same time provide the upgrades that future buyers would want in a waterfront home.

Located on the beach at 319 Ponte Vedra Boulevard, some original, unique characteristics retained at the home include Cypress walls in the foyer, complimented with Cypress beams added in a fully-remodeled kitchen, the original glass door knobs used within the home, and renovation of the original Magnolia flooring throughout the house.

"When the Ponte Vedra Inn & Club was built in the 1920's, they also used wood flooring from Magnolia trees that were actually cut down from the property around here," Mary said. "When we heard the club was doing its own renovation and tearing out that flooring, we were able to retain and repair some of that to use it at our house."

Mary says she had the help of her daughter in redesigning the kitchen area, which now features a vaulted ceiling, a window seat with storage cabinets, recessed lighting, with appliances including a Kitchen Aid side-by-side refrigerator and a Viking Professional Gas range with grill, griddle, pot faucet, and a custom, wood-covered exhaust fan.

Custom wood cabinets are located throughout the kitchen, set off by bamboo shades and neutral Corian countertops.

Bamboo shades and wood wainscoting, along with the Magnolia Flooring, is used in the adjacent dining room, which features a custom-shell chandelier, two-built in corner china cabinets and a wide ocean view that carries over from the dining area to the family room. The spacious family room, which features a fireplace, faces seaside offering dune and ocean views through large picture windows and glass doors.

The predominance of light wood can be seen throughout the home, used as an accent color in several areas including the laundry room, study, and hallways.

"I worked with a designer to select the interior color scheme," Mary said. "Basically, I wanted all of the colors of the ocean view reflected throughout the interior – variations of blues, greens and sand colors.

Of course, with this labor of love, it's difficult for Mary to single out a favorite section of the house that stands out from the others.

"It's all beautiful, but I'm most proud of the work with did with the kitchen," she said. "Also, the view of the ocean from the master bedroom is spectacular."

The result, says Elizabeth Hudgins of Prudential Network Realty, is a home that harkens back to the early days of Ponte Vedra – and captures the essence of home-building in the 1940's that survives today.

"It's just wonderful when one of the earliest homes built in Ponte Vedra can be saved," said Hudgins, who is currently the listing agent for the Spanish-style home. Priced at $5.495 million, it features four bedrooms, four bathrooms, and an oceanfront lanai – along with a second-floor master suite with a steam shower, spa tub and room-sized walk-in closet.

"Even with a nearly-entire renovation of the home, it really retains its original style and integrity of construction, and at the same time fits in aesthetically in the community," Hudgins said. "It's really a breath of fresh air."

Elizabeth Hudgins of Prudential Network Realty can be reached at 904-285-1800 or visit www.beacheshomes.com.

Media Contact: Ron Whittington (904-563-0402)