Boca Grande is one of the few places that still feels like 'old Florida'. This is what really brought our family to the island. Our mother, who spent a good deal of time on the east coast in the 1920's as a small child was mesmerized by all things Florida. She maintained a life long love affair with the state. She adored the water, trees, birds, clouds, weather, fishing, architecture, you name it. As Florida was undergoing what she considered to be very unfortunate changes as it continued to grow, she would hit the roads in her car and strike out in search of the Florida that she knew as a child. When she first came to Gasparilla island in the 1970's it felt familiar to her, still 'real', not over developed and contrived the way so much of the state had become. Boca Grande was the place to be. She staked her claim. We are all so thankful to her for finding this magical place.

When you enter the front door of Whitewash Alley it will feel as though you are meeting up with a dear old friend. The house was originally built in 1911. When we undertook a major  renovation on the property in 2008, we took great care to honor the feel and aesthetics of the exterior of the house. From the street you see a large screened front porch attached to what appears to be a modest early 20th century cottage. Upon entering the home for the first time, the typical reaction is one of great surprise. 

Contemporary architectural design has been dovetailed beautifully with the 'old bones' of the house. There is a huge open living room and dining room with great, tall ceilings and a beautiful kitchen with cherry cabinets and vast granite counter tops. The floors in the common area are handmade Mexican Saltillo with the characteristic warm terracotta 'glow'. The kitchen is very well appointed with just about anything you could possibly need. Our chef-brother has seen to that. 

The feel throughout the house is that of laid back comfort with elements of whimsy, elegance, but above all comfort! It is furnished mostly with antiques and vintage pieces that were collected locally or brought down from Virginia. We have been told by friends who have lived in Boca for decades that it is one of the most 'livable' homes on the island. You can truly feel the heart and soul in 'Whitewash Alley'.

A very special aspect of Whitewash Alley is that it is a handicap-friendly home. There is a ramp at the side entrance to the house, 36' doors into the home, master bedroom, and master bath and a generous sized walk-in shower in the master suite, with plenty of grab bars to assist. There is a lift/recliner chair in the living room as well.