A recently completed Jill Shevlin Design project, a new construction home on the river in Vero Beach, Florida.

I can not tell a lie, it's a great experience to open a magazine and see my design work staring back at me on the glossy pages. I recently received a copy of the  Vero Beach Magazine and it was that same familiar thrill to find the Riomar riverfront project I worked on from concept to installation included in the issue. 

I had the great pleasure of working with the homeowners to design and build their new custom home.   A residence with amazing water views of the Indian River lagoon in the highly sought-after gated community of Riomar II on the barrier island of Vero Beach in Indian River County.

Our initial client meeting was almost if not more than a year prior to starting construction on the new house. If you can imagine even before breaking ground on the new family home. Together we modified and worked on the perfect floor plan, layout, and details to create the couple's dream home for their family. This would be a home designed with family and entertaining in mind. Blue, the couple's favorite color  was the number one design request for the color scheme throughout.

New construction

New construction home builds provide a great opportunity to map out all the details on your wish list.

Then have them all come true.

It's a long and sometimes stressful process that can be made so much easier and cost-effective by enlisting the help of an interior designer such as myself.  I - absolutely - love every bit of the process!

Most new homes are built on vacant lots. In this instance an older existing home was purchased because of the highly desirable location. The old home came with a little bit of local history. Dated and long overdue for a renovation the existing home originally was the long-time residence of one of the Vero Beach family-owned real estate firm's founders. What stood out about the site was the incredible location and water views. The property was an ideal build opportunity for anyone willing to go the distance.

The now new home that took shape is a traditional West Indies style that is very popular in the area. With just about 6500 square feet of living space, the scale of the house is comfortable and quite livable. A Living Room and Dining room combined into a Great Room. A kitchen and generously sized Family room, a custom paneled office, three guest bedrooms with baths, and the Master Suite. The powder room is tucked nicely below the elegant staircase that is complimented with impeccably detailed custom millwork which is one of the home's many impressive features.

Upon entering the first thing that captures your attention aside from the amazing view, is the warm dark wood floors throughout. Not a choice most are making these days, but a refreshing and striking change. A simplified version of a herringbone pattern design is inset into the wood floor planks in the entry foyer breaking up the straight lines and creating a simple and elegant detail.

The Living Room

The main living area is a great room that combines the Living and Dining rooms as one. Simple, and elegant the white walls of the room set off the dark flooring which is topped with a natural fiber rug. A Chesterfield-style sofa that has been in the family for years was reupholstered in a brilliant blue velvet sitting stately beside a baby grand piano. Custom upholstery is a great way to get a high end result for your home interiors.  The room is detailed with a coffered ceiling and three sets of French doors, that are framed with soft linen sheer draperies on simple iron drapery rods. Beyond the great room is a covered porch and then the pool and hot tub.

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The Dining Room has a dark mahogany table and chairs that are complemented by two vivid and brightly colored paintings the homeowners found at a local art show, Under the Oaks. The artwork is bold and contemporary with pops of color and wild artistic brush strokes by Cat Tesla.  And, yes I asked her, she is part of a family that is descendants of Nikola Tesla.

The  Kitchen

Quite traditional in style and decor, which is a shift from the often-seen contemporary homes in the South Florida area. A generously sized kitchen is an absolute dream come true for the family. Outfitted with high-end sub-zero and Wolf appliances, custom white shaker-style cabinetry with not one, but two islands. One is a prep island home to a sink, drawer refrigerators, and ample storage. Another island was custom-designed and fabricated to accommodate seating eight. The working side perimeter of the kitchen has a main sink with two dishwashers looking out a generously sized window. Floating decorative shelves on each side of the window provide an opportunity to display favorite objects and collections.

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On the opposite side of the kitchen is a wall with side-by-side built-in Thermador refrigerators and a wine cooler in the center. The show stoppers of the kitchen are the custom zinc hood that resides above the 60" gas cooktop and the generously proportioned fourteen-light chandelier that hangs above the seating island bringing all the pieces together in perfect harmony.

The countertops are crisp white quartz on the perimeter of the kitchen and bold blue quartz on the working island. The seating island is a rich dark wood table-inspired island designed to be more than a basic cabinet and in the style of furniture.   A raised counter height table. The blue and gray backsplash is a Spanish-inspired pattern laser printed on marble tiles.

The Family Room extends beyond the Kitchen and in addition to lounge seating for television watching there is a dining table with custom bench seating. The room is crisp and clean in white - performance fabrics - with pops of blue, orange, and red accents in pillows and accessories.

The Family Room

Beyond the French doors of the Family Room is a covered Lanai that offers plenty of outdoor. Motorized drop-down screens are hidden in the soffits for those evenings when pests might come out. The outdoor space has a cozy seating group, a TV, fireplace as well as a custom bar and BBQ area with counter stool seating.

There are two individual entrances to the Dining Room and both of the spaces were utilized. One side is home to a beautiful Butler's Pantry and walk-in storage pantry and the other is a Bar with rich cherry cabinets.Each has a honed black granite top and a full backsplash.

Butlers Pantry

The Master Suite

The His and Hers master bath is as luxurious and indulgent as you could wish with a smart water closet with an integrated bidet; shaker-style soft white vanity for her with an ocean-colored marble countertop and polished nickel fixtures and a white marble floor. A simple yet elegant soaking tub is center stage in her bath and the piece de resistance – is a decorative mosaic-tiled steam shower that sits between and divides his and her baths.

Her closet is a true She-Shed with custom closets, a coffee station, a desk, a TV, an extra roomy chair, and a half-plus ottoman. With a horizontal stripe wall covering in shades of blue and soft sheer draperies, the room offers the lady of the house a true escape from all the men, including Winston the family's cute as-can-be bernadoodle.

His bath is a gentleman's dream come true with cabinetry in a rich cherry finish, topped with honed gray-blue granite. The leather inset panels inserted into the cabinetry finished to the ceiling offer a striking addition to the bath. His closet entrance is off the bath and has a custom-built design to accommodate every request.

The Master Suite is a serene respite in shades of blue, the homeowner's favorite color, with a fresh sea life-inspired print fabric. Blackout draperies and motorized Roman blinds were chosen to ward off the west-facing evening setting sun.

A gentleman's office and a guest suite are situated along the corridor toward the Master Suite. The office is custom-built and paneled completely in cherry wood with a textured raffia wall covering the ceiling,  leather hardware pulls and open shelves holding a sports memorabilia collection and books. The office looks out over the pool with an incredible river view.

His Office

Guest Suite

The main guest suite is located across from the office and is a lovely bedroom with an en suite bath. A wave-style headboard and sea life theme embroidered fabric are the main pattern in the room.

The grand staircase can be found at the back entrance behind the kitchen leads to the second floor. Halfway up the staircase, there is a hidden bonus room that turned out to be the perfect place to accommodate kids' gaming and workout equipment. The door to the bonus room is hidden and integrated into the millwork. Two bedrooms, one for each of the couple's children are on the second floor. Between the bedroom is a sitting room called the river room.

The Second Floor

The end result is a gracious home that is every bit the dream the clients envisioned at the beginning realized.

Ready to start you own custom version of home?  Choose Luxury With Jill Shevlin Design

Jill Shevlin has been innovating luxury-home designs for the homeowners of Vero Beach for over 20 years. With her finger on the pulse of modern trends in interior design, Jill’s unique eye is highly regarded by thousands of Vero Beach residents. Ready to maximize your space and create a stunning beachside home?

Contact the team today.