The Anna Maria Island Sun Newspaper


Vol. 16 No. 20 - March 16, 2016

FEATURE

Island living featured in Tour of Homes

Anna Maria Island Sun News Story

PhotoS submitted by Jack Elka Photography

Jennifer and Shawn Kaleta
102 48th Street, Holmes Beach

 

ANNA MARIA – Learn about Island living in the 23rd annual Tour of Homes sponsored by The Center of Anna Maria Island on Saturday, March 19, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The tour includes the homes of Jenifer and Shawn Kaleta, 104 48th Street; Lisa and Mike Brakefield, 615 Ivanhoe Lane; Diane and Kurt Snouffer, 534 70th Street; and Dave and Kerri Welch, 513 83rd Street, all in Holmes Beach, and Erik Abrahamson, 810 South Bay Blvd., Anna Maria.

Tickets for the tour are available for $20 at various Island locations, and a free shuttle to the homes will be stationed at CrossPointe Fellowship, 8605 Gulf Drive, at the border of Holmes Beach and Anna Maria.

Restrooms will be available at the Holmes Beach city field at 5801 Marina Drive and at CrossPointe Fellowship.

The Tropical Treasures Boutique will be located at the Welch home. Visitors will find unique tropical items, bid on silent auction items made by local artists and buy raffle tickets for this year’s Tour quilt, “Flip Flops, Fish and More.”

The quilt drawing and bid awards will be at 3 p.m. Quilt tickets are available at The Center, 407 Magnolia Ave., Anna Maria, for $1 each or six for $5 until the day of the tour.

Tour sponsors include Anna Maria Island Sun, Beach to Bay Construction, Duncan Real Estate, Green Real Estate, Bradenton Herald and The Islander.

For more information call Sandee Pruett at 941-518-7717.

Jennifer and Shawn Kaleta
102 48th Street, Holmes Beach

Tucked away in the heart of Holmes Beach sits a 1930s beach bungalow on the Gulf of Mexico. The contractor stayed true to the older cottage style and design. That is until you walk through the front door. The Gulf invites you in and welcomes you to take a walk through this totally updated home.

A great room consisting of the kitchen and living room all face the beach. The home has three bedrooms and two full baths, all decorated with a coastal feel. All of the walls are constructed with wood from the existing home.

On the opposite side of the house an archway of oolite stone leads to the back yard beach. A large pool has been added to one side of the property just off the back patio. This is a great play yard for both children and adults.

Beach bars in the form of tiki huts are the perfect place to relax with a cool drink. The larger bar easily seats 12, and the two side huts seat four. The large iron orb is full of wood for an outdoor fire warming area for cool nights on the beach.

The fencing from the backyard to the Gulf is cleverly created with approximately 25 brightly colored Adirondack chairs. Go ahead and take a walk down the stone path to look at the house from the beach. All those chairs lined up along the beach will bring a smile to your face. They are an invitation to sit awhile, take in the sounds of the water, soak in the sun and be grateful.

Lisa and Mike Brakefield
615 Ivanhoe Lane, Holmes Beach

The open floor plan is just what the Brakefields were looking for in this Key Royale home. The marlin over the front door greets you as you enter. This was Mike’s catch in 1986.

As you enter the kitchen, the focal point is definitely the eating area. The countertop consists of reclaimed barn wood from Mike’s family farm in South Carolina. Your focus is then drawn to the wall with the blue door leading to nowhere. The blue door was found in a hay heap on the barn floor. Lisa and Mike did nothing more to the door except clean it, hang it and add a glass doorknob. A nostalgic look awaits you in this casual sitting area.

A stroll through this beautifully appointed three bedroom home leads to the funky, eclectic outdoor kitchen, patio and shower area. The owners wanted to use indigenous, outdoor stone and chose oolite or coral stone. Throughout the years, they have collected sea shells, glass and treasures from their varied Florida vacations. The contractor mixed these findings into the coral to personalize their outdoor space.

The walking path will lead you to a grotto-like outdoor shower. Blue glass bricks are added to the coral mix, and depending on the sunlight, the shower takes on the lights of a prism. Lisa says no one likes to shower indoors, and you will see why.

This home with all of its personal touches is an ideal family and friend retreat.

Diane and Kurt Snouffer
534 70th Street, Holmes Beach

If you are a regular on the home tour you may get a déjà vu moment. Yes, this home was on the tour a few years ago. That said, once you enter you will wonder if you have ever been in this home.

This is a newer home built in 2012, with the present owners taking possession in September 2013. As you enter, you will immediately see the dining room table from England. Looking up from the table are two large oyster shell chandeliers, plus three more in the entryway. Don’t miss the sideboard by Guildmaster, covered in cloth.

The main floor of the home is where the family spends most of its time; leaving the upper floors as guest suites. Bimini Bay can be viewed from all rooms on the main level.

Two upper levels are for the grandkids and family, who visit every weekend. On the third level, you will be impressed with this extra-large guest suite with two queen size beds. This home features two laundry rooms – one on the main level and one in the third-floor guest suite.
A fully equipped poolside kitchen is put to use every weekend, even in inclement weather, since they have electronic, retractable see-through shades.

“Euphoric” is the word Diane uses to describe how she feels when she enters her home. Island time suits them perfectly.

Dave & Kerri Welch
513 83rd Street, Holmes Beach

An attempted motor home tour throughout the U.S. came to a halt with Dave and Kerri’s first stop, Anna Maria Island. They fell in love with the Island and have lived in numerous homes ever since.

In July 2015, they moved into this Island home and Kerri went to work with her artistic skills. Look closely and you will see some of her watercolor paintings tucked away throughout the home.

An oolite stone archway leads you to the front door. Oolite stone is also called coral rock and mined in South Florida.
The minute you step in, take a look on both sides of the entryway. Cut wood of pecky cypress has been notched perfectly into the curving of the walls.

Standing in the living room, look upwards toward the hallway studio and peering down at you is a large elk head that Dave Welch shot 10 years ago. Don’t miss the sliding barn doorway of the studio with mermaid door pulls.

As you enter the dining room, keep an eye out for the large painting by German artist Vladimir Kush called “The Last Supper.” It’s the artist’s rendering of the famous painting in which each of the apostles represent a flower. Can you tell who is who?

The dining room leads to a very private retreat on their outside patio and pool overlooking Bimini Bay. Kerri says that lately she’s seen many white pelicans on the bay.

Color pops in every bedroom of the Welch home. One of the guest suites features a dresser with huge lobster claws painted on the front.

This home attracted the Welchs for numerous reasons. They fell in love with the home itself and its close proximity to amenities on Anna Maria Island. Most of all, the solitude and quietness of the neighborhood make this a perfect place to call home.

Erik Abrahamson
810 South Bay Blvd., Anna Maria

This newly built custom home reveals Old World European charm through its antique furniture and décor combined with large masculine furniture. The result is a tasteful, unique, beautifully appointed home on Tampa Bay.

Upon entering the 10-foot custom wood front entry door, you experience grand and breathtaking views of the Skyway Bridge, Egmont Key and Passage Key.

Some of the features of the house are plank wood floors of aged European oak, custom aluminum hand rails, aged bronze door hardware, polished nickel faucets and an elevator with a unique picture window.

The home has a 25-foot wide chef’s dream kitchen featuring a 13-foot, lighted island; 60 inch, double range, steamer oven; as well as dual refrigerators/freezers and wine coolers.

The downstairs powder bath is eclectically unique. Don't miss noticing the lighted onyx pedestal sink, floor to ceiling mosaic tiles, European antique mirror, crystal chandelier and even taxidermy.

The master suite is large, luxurious and very open. It has vaulted wood ceilings and was designed to enjoy the vast water-views from the master bed, therapeutic tub, triple head shower, and vanity sinks.

The beach-side pool deck features keystone coral and grass. The pool and hot tub have custom mosaic tile. And there is a stone fire pit for warming. Don’t be fooled by the perfect looking grass around the pool.

Erik has turned his home into an elegant beach-side oasis for work and pleasure.


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