Category Archives: Homes We Love

1309 Grinnell Street, Key West, FL—OFF THE MARKET

We are always thrilled to see a wreck of a home turned into a masterpiece. When 1309 Grinnell Street sold last summer, it was definitely in need of some major TLC. After a total renovation (from a new metal roof and impact resistant doors and windows; to new high efficiency air conditioning and electrical wiring), the 3 bedroom/3 ½ bath, Casa Marina home shines like a new penny.

The five things that top our clients’ wish lists are: a ground floor master suite, off street parking, X Flood Zone certification, a pool, and covered outdoor space. This exemplary renovation has answered the call. The beautiful first floor master bedroom features new oak hardwood flooring, custom made barn doors that conceal a wall mounted television, and a superior walk in closet. With imported Spanish tiles and a pass through shower, the master bath is not to be missed. There is highly desirable, off street parking for more than one car. The property sits high and dry in the X Zone. Hidden from the street, the sparkling free-form pool is surprisingly located in the front of the house. Overlooking the pool, the large front porch and deck will welcome you home.

Gorgeous impact resistant sliding doors allow outdoor living to comfortably flow inside. Straight out of Coastal Living, the stylish living room opens to the large and inviting chef’s kitchen. We love the wonderful built-ins, Kenmore Pro Series appliances, and the convenient laundry room with a half bath. Just off the dining area, a sun-dappled deck allows for carefree outdoor entertaining.

A welcoming family area awaits at the top of the stairs. The terrific, second master suite boasts a vaulted ceiling and a spacious walk in closet. A sunny upstairs guest bedroom connects to a third bathroom with designer marble flooring and a cast iron tub.

The transformation of 1309 Grinnell Street is no less than extraordinary. Call us to schedule your private showing today.

—Keith & Dean

611 Grinnell Street #1, Key West, FL—OFF THE MARKET

It is no wonder that the most desirable area to live in Key West is its historic Old Town neighborhood. Amid picturesque Victorian era streets and a lifestyle lived visiting on front porches or strolling to dinner at favorite neighborhood eateries, Old Town is the authentic version of classic small town America that the New Urbanism movement has been recreating across the country for decades. There is simply no place as beguilingly beautiful as this veritable corner of paradise.

Just down the block from 5 Brothers Grocery & Sandwich Shop—arguably the best place in Key West to enjoy a famous Cuban mix and an authentic Cuban coffee—there is a beautifully renovated, 3 bedroom/2 bath, cottage that just might be the family vacation home of your dreams. The charming yellow cottage, with impeccable curb appeal, is part of an Old Town compound of seven single family residences that share a large, resort style pool. Combining the benefits of single family home ownership with the convenience of a homeowners association taking care of the pool and landscaping, 611 Grinnell Street #1 is the ideal choice for anyone looking for an easy breezy, authentic Key West retreat.

A quintessential white picket fence, verdant landscaping, and a refashioned façade welcomes you home. Contemporary open-plan living abounds in the newly renovated interior. The lovely entry leads to a spacious, bright and airy, great room. A perfect office, two bedrooms, and an updated bathroom round out the front of the home. The stylish dining area and cottage style kitchen continue the wonderful flow. For added privacy, the tranquil master suite is situated at the rear of the home. Creating the best of tropical indoor/outdoor living, four sets of French doors open the home to a sunny private courtyard. Just steps from a private gate, the spectacular shared pool is ready for your carefree enjoyment.

Live the dream! Make this charming island cottage your new vacation home in heart of historic Old Town Key West.

—Keith & Dean

Click here to enjoy a virtual tour of this delightful Old Town cottage.

Click here to visit 5 Brothers Grocery & Sandwich Shop’s website.

Our Top 10 Favorite Features of 711 South Street, Key West, FL—SOLD $3,650,000.

On a recent, warm and sunny, Sunday afternoon, we enjoyed hosting an open house at the exquisite tropical estate at 711 South Street in Key West’s beautiful Casa Marina neighborhood. Undoubtedly, many of the dozens of people in attendance turned out to see what you get for 4.8 million dollars (Now Reduced to $3,950,000.!). Amid glowing descriptions of “Totally amazing!”, “Four Seasons like!”, and “The most beautiful home I’ve ever seen!” we not surprisingly heard from many individuals that the property was worth every penny. We could not agree more. 711 South Street is simply our favorite home being offered for sale on the island.

Enjoy this list of our top ten favorite features of this four bedroom/six bath estate and you will see why this magnificent, one-of-a-kind, corner of paradise is not to be missed. Call us today to schedule your private tour.

—Keith & Dean

Our Top 10 Favorite Features of 711 South Street, Key West, FL

10. The Spectacular Resort Style Living
Reflective of the world’s best luxury island resorts, no detail has been overlooked in creating an environment of casual elegance and tranquility for this spacious estate. With 3,274 square feet of air conditioned space and a 15,252 square foot double lot, there is plenty of room for you and your guests to gather together, or to escape to a private corner of paradise.

9. The Beautiful Guest Suites
We love the two beautifully decorated guest bedrooms (each with an elegant en suite bath) that open to a large and inviting covered porch overlooking a secluded tropical garden.

8. The Lush Tropical Gardens
Meticulously cared for, the verdant gardens create an unforgettable tropical oasis.

7. The Gorgeous Master Suite
Opening to the grand veranda overlooking the pool, the gorgeous master suite is simply a masterpiece. Multiple closets, built-in dressers, owner’s laundry, travertine tiles, and easy access to the outdoor shower add to its appeal.

6. The Custom Tiger Maple Kitchen Cabinets
From the top of the line appliances to the glorious granite countertops, the open-plan chef’s kitchen offers so much to adore. The custom tiger maple cabinets are a thing to behold—beautiful.

5. The Impressive Front Porch
With abundant room for outdoor dining, relaxing, and entering, the impressive front porch sets a welcoming tone that rings throughout the home.

4. The Inviting Guest Quarters
Tucked away above the estate’s detached two car garage, guests will never want to leave their splendid, private haven.

3. The Gallery-like Entry Hall
An art collector’s dream, the gracious entry hall not only serves as a welcoming gallery space, it frames a spectacular vista of the living room, veranda, pool and gardens beyond.

2. The Dramatic Resort Style Pool
With its graceful, sweeping gesture, the estate’s resort style pool has captured our hearts. It will almost certainly capture yours.

★1. The Exquisite Alexander Baer Interiors
Acclaimed interior designer Alexander Baer worked with the owners of 711 South Street to create the home’s exquisite interiors. A welcoming air of easy island elegance is found in every room. You can kick off your flip-flops and put your feet up on the coffee table. With the extraordinary estate being sold turnkey with all of the impeccable designer furnishings (artwork, sculptures, and personal items excluded; with a list of exclusions to be provided by the seller), settling into 711 South Street will be a breeze.

Click here to visit Jenkins Baer Associates’ website.

Click here to enjoy a virtual tour of this beautiful Key West estate.

Click here to read more about 711 South Street, Key West, FL.

The Top 10 Things We Love About 1405 Olivia Street, Key West, FL—SOLD $1,315,000.

As Realtors©, we get to spend a good deal of time in the homes we have listed for sale. While promoting the strong selling points of a property to potential buyers during showings and open houses, we often find ourselves liking a home more and more—sometimes, we even fall in love. The beautiful, Classical Revival home at 1405 Olivia Street, in Key West’s historic Meadows neighborhood, is one such home. It has captured our hearts.

We have compiled a list of our favorite things about this wonderful family home. Enjoy!

—Keith & Dean

The Top 10 Things We Love About 1405 Olivia Street, Key West, FL

10. The Breezy Upstairs Front Porch
We dream of stretching out on the hammock and reading a great book, enjoying a tall glass of iced tea, and catching the tropical breezes on the stately, second story porch.

9. The Classical Revival Architecture
As a shining example of traditional Key West architecture, 1405 Olivia Street is one of the 2,485 buildings that are protected in the Key West Historic District. We adore the clean lines of this 1909, three bay, Classical Revival gem.

8. The Bright and Airy Master Bedroom
With a vaulted ceiling and four casement windows, the spacious, treehouse-like, master bedroom is bright and airy. A second story addition to the house, the private master suite is separated from the other bedrooms by a sunny entry hall, large walk in closet, and an en suite bathroom.

7. The Dade County Pine Walls
The tremendously hard work that went into refinishing and restoring the home’s original Dade County Pine walls, is not lost on us. We love the beautiful pickled and stained finishes that so add to the brightness of the interior.

6. The Versatile Family Room
Currently used as a family room, the original parlor has also served a dining room. We love that the inviting space could easily be converted into a fourth bedroom with the addition of French doors.

5. The Open Plan Living
We love the home’s contemporary, open plan living design. Award winning renovations beautifully maintain the home’s historic character while offering the best of modern living.

4. The Updated Kitchen
With plenty of elbow room, the smartly designed kitchen impresses us with stainless steel appliances, granite counter tops, cherry cabinets, and a gas stove.

3. The Sparkling Pool
What is not to love about the pool?

2. The Friendly Front Porch
We would love to sit on the charming front porch and watch the world strolling by. The terrazzo floor covers what was once the home’s cistern. We are always enamored with the island’s blue painted porch ceilings.

★1. The Covered Outdoor Space
Covered outdoor space always seems to be near the top of our buyers’ lists of what they are looking for in their Key West dream home. 1405 Olivia Street’s commodious, covered outdoor space is perfectly fashioned for indoor/outdoor living and entertaining at its best. We love it!

Click here to enjoy a virtual tour of this Classical Revival gem.

Click here to read more about 1405 Olivia Street, Key West, FL 33040.

915 Cornish Lane, Key West, FL—SOLD $1,125,000.

Every once in a while, a home comes on the market that totally knocks our socks—or should we say underwear—off. Celebrity fashion designer Andrew Christian ‘s sleek and stylish, Key West vacation home is one such masterpiece. The stunning, 2 bedroom/1.5 bath, contemporary cottage has been lovingly and meticulously renovated. No detail was overlooked.

Fans of our blog, Our Key West, know that we are enamored with the tucked away cottages of Key West’s hidden lanes. Nestled at the end of a quaint and quiet lane off Grinnell Street (between Fleming and Southard Streets), 915 Cornish Lane offers privacy and seclusion in the heart of Old Town.

Entering the front gate, you are captured by the rich Ipe hardwood decking gracing the cloistered front porch. High ceilings, walnut floors, and views of the pool greet you as you move into the home. The bright and sunny living/dining room is beautifully appointed with designer furnishings and modern built-ins.

The light-filled kitchen is a chef’s dream. Along with Viking and Subzero appliances, Custom cabinets and Caesarstone counters grace the modern, streamlined kitchen. The convenient pass through window makes outdoor entertaining a breeze.

The in vogue master bedroom opens to the outdoor showers and the exquisitely designed master bath. Mirroring the kitchen, the bathroom’s wood cabinets and Caesarstone countertops are bathed in light from beautiful gable windows. The shining guestroom sports a custom designed closet to die for.

Perfect for intimate entertaining, the home’s tropical outdoor living space is a sea of tranquility. The sparkling pool is heated for your enjoyment. The garden living room is the perfect spot to relax and enjoy the best of island living—paradise in your own backyard.

We wish we were writing a check for this extraordinary Key West cottage.

—Dean & Keith

Click here to visit Andrew Christian’s website.

Click here to enjoy a virtual tour of this spectacular contemporary cottage.