Ocean Reef Club Residence in Key Largo

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Surrounded by lush, Floridian landscape within a golf course community in Key Largo, the Ocean Reef Club^® Residence embodies a British West Indies style while honoring its natural environment. A challenging plot of land on which to situate the entire design, biology and wetlands experts were consulted before purchasing to ensure the land was viable for a new home. Specifically, the new owners had to ensure their property was not a natural habitat for the Stock Island Tree Snail, an endangered species found in the Florida Keys. After ample research and surveying, the final buildable land area was a smaller than anticipated, oddly shaped plot nestled between the 8th hole and a wetlands reservoir among dense, Floridian vegetation.

The resulting design accommodates the homeowners’ family as a vacation home through the thoughtful organization of an open floor plan and the integration of indoor and outdoor for entertaining. In consideration of the Florida environment, the whole residence was constructed of concrete with hurricane-resistant doors and windows throughout. The thick walls and reinforced windows keep cool air inside the home and Florida heat outside.

Visitors are welcomed into the home through a covered entry outdoor vestibule with a custom Spanish-style front door, handmade by a Pennsylvania door craftsman. The continuous sightline from the front entrance to the back porch gives the interior an open and airy feel. Adjacent to the foyer and central dining room lies the great room, complete with a double-height wood ceiling, wet bar, and views of the backyard pool, covered porches and terraces. Overlooking the great room below, a sundrenched stairwell spirals up to the second-floor bedrooms and features a British West Indies-inspired railing, consistent with the exterior balconies. A series of French doors lead outside, where the lanai provides a shaded poolside terrace for al fresco dining and entertaining.

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