1217 Newton Street - Key West

Traditional front door leads to non-traditional guest quarters with loft bedroom

Sir Isaac Newton's first law of motion states that an object remains at rest unless acted upon by an unbalanced force. The house at 1217 Newton Street in the Meadows Area of Key West is the perfect example of a house at rest, unaffected by the unbalanced world outside the picket fence. All inside is serene, sophisticated, and stylish.The listing Realtor describes this truly one-of-a-kind home this way:

"Elegant and sophisticated historic home located in the highly desirable Meadows neighborhood of Old Town Key West. Exquisite renovation with open floor plan, great room, beautiful kitchen with custom Dade County pine cabinets, built in breakfast area, high ceilings and view of the lush tropical yard. Covered outside living room and inviting pool and spa afford the best of Key West outdoor living. Great sunset views and panoramic views of Key West from third floor sky-deck make for a great location to watch the sunrise or enjoy a famous Key West sunset. Large master bedroom with sitting area en-suite, generous storage and closets and high ceilings make this home glamorous yet comfortable. Truly a Key West Historic Tropical Oasis."

Living room with built-ins everywhere

Covered outdoor living room overlooks the pool and spa

Miniature "cottage" behind the pool secretly houses pool equipment

The main entrance to this home is located mid-way along the west side wall. A high privacy fence separates this home from the place next door. A covered porch protects you from sun or rain at the main entry. As soon as you open the main door you know you are at someplace "special" because most houses in most places don't look like this. The first thing I noticed when I entered was the dark toned walls offset by windows and doors that permit lots of diffuse light to illuminate this cozy space. Cozy, yes, but not small. The rooms have very high ceilings which give the living area a most spacious aura. My eyes were drawn to the French doors that lead to the rear covered living area and the pool and spa beyond. A separate built in seating area is nestled under palms at the rear. This place is just too wonderful for words. Seriously.


A spiral staircase leads to the second level. There is a second office located on the landing. Once inside the master suite I was amazed again. The bedroom area has a large built in TV hidden behind paneled doors when not in use. Underneath you will find a fireplace. How warm is that? Doors on either side of the TV/fireplace wall lead to the separate treetop sitting area that is surrounded on three sides by windows that look out to lush palm foliage. It's like a cabin in the sky. A separate TV with fireplace below invite you to lounge in luxury.

Second floor landing leads to master suite or third floor rooftop deck

The master bedroom with TV hidden above fireplace below

Tree top master suite living area with separate fireplace for sophisticated lounging

The spiral staircase finally leads to the top tier which is the third floor sundeck which has a mini outdoor kitchen, an opulent shower, and a deck for dining or sunning or whatever you choose. No prying eyes can see up here. What I did notice, however, was that everything up here (which a lot of people would deem throw away space) was treated just the opposite. Everything is precise and of highest quality. CLICK HERE to view a slide show of photos I took of this amazing home.

Rooftop deck

There are built-ins everywhere. Function is often disguised as art or architecture. It works. There are several small rooms which are designed to create the illusion of much larger spaces. One example is the guest bedroom located just off the living area. Two "bunk" beds are built into the space with a ship ladder providing access to the upper bunk: what a clever use of space. A second example is the first floor off located just off the formal entry. The office turned a small space into an area with a lot of utility.

Because 1217 Newton Street has the separate front guest quarters, this place could work for an absentee owner who might want to rent the main residence as a vacation rental and still keep a nifty getaway retreat for him or her self. You can only do one rental in a situation like that, but it would be permissible.

As wonderful as this home is, it won't work for everyone. The spiral staircase would be a problem for a family with really young kids or old folks who have difficulty with stairs. Otherwise, 1217 Newton Street might just help you put your unbalanced world in order. The house has 1424 sq ft of living space (indoors) divided between the primary residence and the guest suite. CLICK HERE to view the Key West mls datasheet on this remarkable property. It is offered at $895,000.

If you would like to see this great property or any other house in Key West, please contact me, Gary Thomas, 305-766-2642 or send me an email at kw1101v@aol.com. I am a buyer's agent and a full time Realtor at Preferred Properties Coastal Realty, Inc. in Key West. This home is really worth looking at!