Casa Tropicale

A 1956 Florida Beach Bungalow Created for Il Dolce Far Niente

A 12-minute walk or three-minute bike ride from Vero Beach’s best sands, this mid-century modern bungalow was gut renovated and transformed with Italian flair, transformed into an easy-living, spacious beach retreat with its gleaming original terrazzo floors intact, high-end finishes and generous room additions throughout.

Outdoors, sun loungers surround the bean-shaped, new pool, heated in winter, and a leafy tropical garden dresses up walls of classic breeze blocks that add to the home’s mid-century modern allure.

Layout

Common areas showcase the terrazzo floors, the home’s great mid-century modern bones, and furnishings in a mix of period furnishings and contemporary Danish design. The funky, bright kitchen opens to the dining room and lounge area, and while its look is decidedly throwback, it’s appliances are firmly 21st century and designer, by Miele, Bosch, and Samsung.

Two king suites—the Sunrise Suite in the main house and the Garden Suite in a new, detached addition—come with en-suite baths with showers. The Garden Suite has a kitchenette, too, and the bedroom for the kiddos is a fun, triple-bunk space with a pair of twins and one double bed, with a dedicated bathroom.

Additional features

A Casa Tropicale guide to the area is provided. There are eco toiletries and cleaning products. The house is free of toxic plug-ins and cleaners, with no synthetic fragrances or carpets, and no inspirational pillows! The driveway has three parking spaces.

Around

Set smack dab in the heart of Vero Beach, Florida’s Central Beach neighborhood, the house is walking distance from everything—three blocks to the Atlantic, past restaurants, shops and cafes and one block towards the river to comedy and music shows at the Riverside Theater or the international exhibitions at the Vero Beach Museum of Art. Riverside Park and the Indian River area nearby offers walking and jogging trails, plus pickleball courts (rackets provided at the house), and playscapes. And a 12-minute walk or three-minute bike ride lands you at the heart of the town of Vero Beach, with its groceries, farm stands, boutiques and box stores, plus a lively farmers market on Saturdays with live music.

Atlantic-facing Vero Beach is known for its 26 miles of uncrowded beaches, combining a touch of glam and plenty of space for a low-key, natural life. The eco-chic city offers more green and unspoiled coastline than many of its Florida neighbors, with a relaxed vibe and a mural-decorated downtown area alive with galleries and independent shops. The creative enclave of Vero Beach Oceanside (walkable) is home to the town’s museums, theatres, galleries and seafood restaurants and cafes overlooking the waves. Four different beaches (Jaycee, Sexton Plaza, Humiston Park and South Beach Park) cover the expanse of Central Florida coastline here, and the area is one of the country’s top nesting grounds for sea turtles. Four parallel reefs along the coast here are home to hundreds of species of marine life, plus a 19th-century shipwreck, making the area a favorite spot of snorkelers and divers, and the town has a handful of outfitters and guide services.

Location

Vero Beach, Florida, USA. Nearest airports: Vero Beach (10 minutes), Orlando or West Palm Beach (1.5 hours), Miami (2.5 hours)

Best time to visit

Year round