John* first developed a passion for living on the water a few years ago, while accompanying a friend on fishing trips along the Intracoastal.

“It was so peaceful being on the water; I just loved it. I wanted to live in one of those amazing waterfront homes that we would pass by on our trips,” he says. “I wanted a place where I could have a boat and fish right from home.” So, when one of those big, beautiful homes on the water came up for sale, John jumped at the opportunity to realize his dream.

He was immediately taken with the setting of the Queen’s Harbor home on Bella Riva. The home, custom built in 2007, is on a prime lot at the tip of a peninsula that offers privacy, dazzling views of pristine marsh areas and the Intracoastal, and easy access for boating.  

“I could immediately see that it was such a Zen type of place,” John says. “It was just beautiful.” 

A Home That Impresses

“When I first walked through those amazing front doors, my first thought was ‘This is impressive,’” John notes. And, the two-story home, designed by prominent Jacksonville architect Kevin Gray, is undeniably striking. Its huge, two-story windows flood the interior with natural light and astonishing water views, and it is filled with luxury features, superior materials, and exquisite handiwork. From its arched front doors of custom wrought iron from Mexico, to its extraordinary Italian stone floors, and the graceful, curved staircase crafted from a solid stone slab highlighted with stone mosaic risers, it commands superlatives. Neptune Beach’s Belmarmi, Inc., which specializes in exotic stone and European tradition design, furnished the marble, stone, and tiles, while the custom, delicately detailed wrought iron stair railings were forged by local ironworks craftsmen.

The home features $250,000 of custom wood built-ins. It has four unique fireplaces — three wood burning and one gas — including an intricate, marble fireplace in the great room that was hand crafted in Mexico and is tall enough to make a bold statement even against the room’s soaring ceilings.

The home has a second-level walkway overlooking the great room, accentuated by columns, arches and iron railings. The walkway connects a water-view sitting area and a guest room on one side of the house with more bedrooms and a media/game room on the other. Overlooks and Juliette balconies add interest along some of the huge expanses of walls.

While the architectural and design features are stunning, John was equally taken with the quality of the home’s construction, such as its 4 x 8 framing and ¾ inch pipes to ensure a powerful water flow. He also loved its two oversized garages, which together easily accommodate five cars. “They give plenty of room to park, even for a teenage driver,” he notes, laughing. The garages also exude luxury, finished with tiling, custom built-ins, a sink, real wood doors, and refrigerators; one has heat and air conditioning with a sitting area to watch TV or play games. A studio apartment with a private entrance sits above one garage, and includes a kitchenette and laundry.

Creating a More Modern Vibe

The remarkable home was decorated in a more traditional style than John preferred. But his wife had a vision of how it could become “Old World Modern” with a contemporary flair. Working with local designer Jennifer Sandler, the couple had the walls painted a light neutral and window coverings removed to maximize light and vistas. By changing out the furniture, the formal dining area became part of the living area, creating a large, open, and light-filled great room that stretches to the back of the house and those amazing views; it works perfectly for the couple’s entertaining style.

Adding contemporary decorative pieces, furniture, artwork, and fixtures has given the house a more airy and accessible character while still highlighting its unique attributes. “It is a surprisingly adaptable home,” says John.

The couple’s updates also included upgrading the home’s connectivity. It was hardwired through every room into a central server in the office, and that remains in place. But John added five routers to ensure excellent wi-fi service both inside and out.

Enjoying the Great Outdoors

John fulfilled his dream of boating and fishing from his home. He bought a 10-foot trolling motor boat and set off to discover the little creeks and inlets that surround the point where his home sits.

“I go out just around sunrise and launch the boat from the edge of the water in front of the house. It’s so peaceful to see all that nature, such a variety of birds and fish; there’s so much life is going on back there.”

Because the house is not directly on the busy Intracoastal waterway, its waterfront is quiet – John says they can see but don’t hear the Intracoastal boats – and the water is smooth. It’s great for paddle boarding and jet skiing, and is a good fishing spot; John has caught fish right off the 24-foot dock.

John adopted a feng shui approach for turning his lush, fenced yard, which includes mature trees and a stone walkway circling the waterfront, into a retreat for quiet contemplation. He added teak furnishings and placed hydroponic growing towers near the mosaic-lined pool, growing different varieties of lettuces in addition to herbs and spices.

“It is amazing how fast things grow on the towers,” he notes.” And, it looks so cool to see the pool area surrounded by all these lettuces. It really is a Zen retreat.”

The house faces east, so sunrises over the water are spectacular, and John often went to the second-floor lanai, just over the main-floor master bedroom, to watch them.

A Perfect House for Entertaining

John says he and his wife have entertained groups of 40-80, but the house never feels too tight. And, he admits that he loves to give guests tours of his extraordinary home.

“When people come in for the first time, they say, “Wow! This is a beautiful house!’  There are so many destination spots in this house, like the billiards/ping pong game room, the media room, the wine cellar,  the pool, and the dock for boating— people are amazed.”

John and his wife enjoy cooking, and love the home’s huge, chef-style kitchen. It features two large islands, one topped with granite and the other with a solid slab of hardwood, and extra-deep granite sinks. The gourmet appliances include a Wolfe gas range, and two extra-large, Sub-zero refrigerators, each with two freezer drawers. The storage space, which includes a butler’s pantry and a large walk-in pantry, is so vast that John says they couple has been able to fill only half of it. This is a kitchen that makes cooking easy and fun.

John notes that one of his favorite dinner parties was when about 10 friends of his teen-age son came to make pizza. They spread out across the two kitchen islands to assemble the pizzas, then took them to the outside pizza oven to bake and enjoy at the dining area beside the pool. Four misters that run along the entire lanai and outdoor kitchen area (as well as the master bedroom lanai), offer a refreshing spritz on hot days, while power screens protect the lanai from rain and insects.

John also fondly recalls a dinner party where he and his wife served red fish that he had caught that day from his dock, and salads made from the lettuces and herbs he’d grown on the grow towers.

“It was wonderful. This house is such a perfect home for entertaining and for kids and friends,” he says.

The Amenities of Queen’s Harbor

The exclusive Queen’s Harbor community, located about five miles from both the beach and the Mayo Clinic, offers a broad array of resort-style amenities, from a golf course, fitness center, and tennis courts to a marina, a pool, and a clubhouse.

John, who is a golfer, says the Queen’s Harbor course is “in amazing shape,” and he loves that an additional fee is not required to play on it.

“Your HOA fees cover all the amenities like golf and the fitness center, which many other gated communities charge extra for,” he notes. “Queen’s Harbor also has a lot of classes and clubs, especially clubs having to do with boating and the water.”

Passing the Dream Forward

As his sons become adults, and the home no longer suits the family’s needs, John looks ahead to a new family enjoying his incredible home on the water.

“This house and this community have been wonderful,” John notes. “It has been a perfect place to realize my dream for waterfront living.”

* The homeowner’s’ name has been changed to protect his privacy.

For more information, reach out to the listing agent, Brittany Brooks, co-founder & broker/owner of Momentum Realty at 904-903-1558 or momentumbkr@gmail.com.