April 2006 - 723 Success Avenue

Duke and Chris Chadwell

April’s Home-of-the-Month is a comfortable three bedroom/three bath home just steps away from Lake Morton with a private tropical courtyard between the main house and detached garage and apartment. This 1920’s bungalow belonged to Duke since 1986 and became a part of the Caldwells as they spent much of their courtship renovating the home. When they married in 1995, the home where they fell in love with each other became their shared home. Duke, who works in the citrus industry, and Chris, who works at city hall, also share the home with their two sons, two dogs, Woody and Bailey, and the matriarch cat, Squeaky. An extensive remodel of the back half of the home added a large master bathroom and opened the kitchen to create a great room. They were able to use the home’s existing windows so that from the outside, the space appears to have always been there. The remodel also included adding an upstairs bedroom and bath. But even after all of the remodeling, the home still held secrets to find. Chris recently uncovered a treasure when she removed the front room’s acoustic tile dropped ceiling and discovered an intact textured cove ceiling. Now painted a soft tan, it creates a warm space for welcoming and entertaining guests. A large back porch reminiscent of a Key West retreat is crowded with mermaids and fish and overlooks their newest project, an outdoor kitchen and pizza oven. If you look hard enough you might even spot the “half bath” outhouse. And if you listen hard enough you might just hear Jimmy Buffet singing softly in the background.