699 HAWKS TRACE Drive, Jacksonville, FL 32225
Description
Supplements: This nearly 5,700 sf home, custom built in 2000 by GBN Construction from plans designed by its builder-developer owner, TM, in conjunction with internationally known designer Kevin Gray, melds luxury with the extraordinary and the whimsical. Offered with its furnishings and most artwork, the home was inspired by the unique, meticulously crafted interior features that TM procured over two years, ranging from hand-carved wood doors to a 6-foot-round marble slab dining table around which the home's turreted dining area was built. With many of its furnishings and finishings antique or custom crafted pieces from Guadalajara, Mexico, this large, airy home has a Spanish flair with a dash of Italian influence. An Uncommonly Beautiful and Playful Place. From the moment you enter the grand foyer, it's clear this home is designed for those who love luxury, extraordinary craftsmanship, and a bit of whimsy. The foyer opens to a two-story living room with Travertine floors, faux painted and ceramic walls, frescoes with differing themes, an interior balcony, a second-story faux window, hanging star light fixtures, and a 16-foot, manufactured tree created by a studio that designs for Disney. This is not your grandma's living room. "We designed it to feel like an Italian courtyard," TM explains. "When the faux window and stars are lit up at night, it really does feel like you're sitting in a little courtyard." The living room includes a round, step-down dining area within columns and a turret faux painted to match the marble floors. Walls are upholstered with a striking blue and white pattern, and the domed ceiling, which has indirect lighting plus a charming chandelier, echoes the star motif. The entire space is dominated by enormous windows that fill it with natural light and sweeping harbor views. A high-ceilinged family room with sliders to the waterside patio opens to a gourmet kitchen designed to accommodate several cooks simultaneously. The kitchen features a ceiling faux painted with vines, and walls hand-painted with beeswax to simulate tapestry colors. Family and friends often congregate in the outside living/dining area behind the kitchen to enjoy the pool and water views. The main level master bedroom has a pressed tin ceiling and a raised area used by TM's wife as an office. A marbled hallway leads to a large bath with shower and a claw-footed tub. The burgundy and green color palette and period artwork give the suite an intimate, luxurious character, enhanced by dazzling views of the water. It took two years to create this unique, beautiful home, which seems to offer something interesting around every corner, from a glass-topped desk featuring the recreated wing of a bi-plane that TM once owned, to a bathroom mirror framed by a 600-pound marble slab cracked diagonally to embrace it. Perfect for Boaters. The 60-foot dock has the length and depth to take a boat as large as 100 feet, says TM, who once had 60-foot boats docked there. "The amazing thing for boaters is that this 2 1/2-mile-long, fresh water lake has a lock that lowers the boat into the intercoastal. That means the bottom of the boat doesn't corrode as much; there's much less wear and tear. Plus, that whole water system is about 4 feet above high tide, so if a hurricane comes in you should have no issues." A Home for Those Seeking Out-of-the-Ordinary. Like most houses in Queen's Harbor, this one is filled with luxury features, from its 1,500-bottle, separately chilled wine room, to its gourmet kitchen appliances. What makes it extraordinary is the size and prime location of its waterfront lot and the delightfully unusual, finely crafted character of its interiors, all designed to complement its breathtaking harbor views. "This is a house for someone who loves boating and the water, and likes to have fun and appreciate all the unique aspects of the house," TM says. "It's absolutely a house for someone who enjoys entertaining; over the years, we've thrown hundreds of parties for thousands of guests." "This home was a dream project," TM adds. "We had a great time designing it, and a great time living in it."