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Looking down Allen Way from our driveway to the river

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This unique home is in the Iona area by the Caloosahatchee River.  I think the Iona area is one of the nicest in South Fort Myers.  You're minutes away from Sanibel Island, Fort Myers Beach, and Fort Myers itself.  I enjoy kayaking on the river, and Bunch Beach is a short drive or bike ride away at the other end of John Morris Road.  The bike path system is great and enjoys much use.  The Punta Rassa boat ramp is nearby for launching boats and personal watercraft.

We bought this property in 1990.  The Main House is a classic Florida stilt house with beautiful wooden walls and ceilings.  The ground floor was enclosed and functioned as a garage.  I immediately remodeled the downstairs into an office/workshop/studio and built a darkroom.

The house had two bedrooms and one bathroom, plus a screened porch.  My first project was to build a deck on the back of the house.  It dramatically brightened the Master Bedroom and began expanding our "living space" beyond the confines of the house itself.  I was so pleased with the results that I soon built a deck on the front of the house.  This opened and brightened the kitchen area and gave ready access to a gas grill for barbecuing.

The underside of the decks lent themselves to becoming carports and additional covered workspace.  I built my outdoor shower at this time, which I use year round.  I also began laying pavers to expand the "barefoot zone."  I built a fish pond and incorporated it into the barefoot zone with pavers and decking.  I also planted areca palms on both sides of the property, which today provides a great privacy screen.

In 1994, with a child on the way, we undertook an expansion and remodel of the home.  The "new bathroom" added a second bathroom and much-needed closet space.  We added a deck off the second bedroom, installed central air, replaced all the windows and window treatments, remodeled the kitchen, and laid ceramic tile.  Downstairs, I laid pavers to create our driveway.  I also enclosed the ground level under the new bathroom and created our "laundry room."

In 1996 we built the "Guest Suite" to further expand the living area.  The suite has both common and private entrances and gives us (and our guests) plenty of room.  I expanded the barefoot zone with pavers to take advantage of the shade.  This has become a comfortable place to sit outside and enjoy the gentle breeze which always seems to cool this area.

In 1997 I built both the plunge pond with waterfalls (a.k.a., the "cement pond") and the reflecting pool at the foot of the stairs as permanent water features.  The sight and sound of the water enhances the overall mood of tranquility of our tropical paradise.

In 1998 we replaced the original screened porch with an all-weather enclosure and added similar enclosures off the Master and second bedrooms.

The property also has a 12'x12' Storage Shed with extensions on both sides

Water features:
Fish pond with waterfall
Plunge pond with waterfalls
Reflecting pool
Ideal site (with existing electrical hookup) for a spa 

Landscaping features:
Two specimen Royal Palms in the front yard
Prolific Carambola (Starfruit) tree
Mango
Leechee
Longan
Grapefruit
Areca Palms on sides and back of lot afford great privacy

Front of the property from left front corner	Front of property from near the right front corner
Birds-eye view of the "plunge pool with waterfalls"	Looking back toward the cement pond from the right side of the house, showing the Guest Suite and the Reflecting Pool
The front deck looking south	Birds-eye view of the fish pond
Looking toward living room	Looking toward kitchen
The new bathroom	New bathroom looking out toward decks
A better view of the porch off the master bedroom	Guest suite looking toward rear entrance

Backyard Panorama

Master bedroom panorama

The porch off the master bedroom looking into the new bathroom

Guest Suite Panorama

Front porch panorama