This New House Presents

Rustic Luxury in WaterColor

By Grand Bay Construction | Photography by John Bessler

Upon entering the Griffith residence in WaterColor, Florida, you’ll immediately recognize that the home is truly unlike any other. From the airy entryway to the spiral staircase, glass elevator, U-shaped bar, and unforgettable decks and walkways taking advantage of the surrounding woodland views, a sense of privacy and tranquil luxury permeates each space, indoors and out.

“We were building on one of the last remaining lots of Phase III on Vermilion Way,” says Chris Burch, the founder and president of Grand Bay Construction, who recently featured the six-bedroom, seven-and-a-half-bath home on their new YouTube video series, This New House, produced by The Idea Boutique. “It’s a beautiful home with a lot of outdoor space.”

It was designed by Chris Stoyles, principal architect of Archiscapes. Originally from England and now based in Freeport, Florida, with twenty years of experience designing homes along the Gulf Coast, Stoyles worked closely with the homeowner, Steve Griffith, on inspiration and designs for the nearly six thousand-square-foot house. The pair then teamed up with interior designer Jo Ann McVicker of JoAnn Regina Home and Grand Bay Construction, who was involved every step of the way to ensure a smooth and efficient building experience.

“It’s really a blend of all these ideas coming together,” says Burch. Grand Bay Construction and Archiscapes have created many custom homes throughout the Scenic Highway 30-A area of Northwest Florida, including the contemporary stunner named Above and Beyond, located in Seagrove Beach just steps from the Gulf.

For the Griffith residence, the creative process was all about unique details, which Burch calls really cool. For example, “When you walk in, there’s a two-story entry covered in pecky cypress with an incredible custom light fixture designed by Jo Ann,” he says. “There’s a lot of amazing accent lighting all over the house.”

This was also the first house in which Grand Bay Construction utilized backlit countertops, which are made of Cristallo quartzite and allow a golden-hued glow to bathe the kitchen area in soft light, perfect for intimate gatherings.

“One of the most challenging things about this home was the glass elevator,” recalls Burch. “We had originally been working with an Italian manufacturer to create it, but during the pandemic, they had an eighteen-month lead time, so we had to go in another direction. We figured it out by sourcing our own steel and glass manufacturers and working with an elevator company we’ve partnered with on other projects. They had never done anything like this one, so that was the biggest challenge in this house, but it came out beautifully.”

The outdoor living space, outdoor heaters, spa, fire bowls and outdoor fireplaces, and all the folding door systems bring the outdoor living spaces together with the rest of the house, which is a fundamental part of the WaterColor lifestyle. Whether sitting on the upper-level tower deck or in the main living space, there’s a feeling of being tucked away in a private retreat among the native pines and nearby coastal dune lake.

“I love using these bi-fold Euro-Wall doors in homes here because they fold to almost completely disappear,” says Stoyles. “Sliding doors stack, and you can still see them, but these actually practically disappear when folded, opening up to connect the inside and outside. The flow is perfect.”

On the lower level, a pinball machine, other arcade games, ping pong, and a huge U-shaped bar make the home ideal for spending quality time with family and friends. The bunk room upstairs is unique, with sloping ceilings covered in a colorful floral motif and pops of bright green, offsetting the natural wood bunks. “This house is really set up to host a lot of people and provide great entertainment,” Burch says. “It’s just a really, really wonderful house.”

He continues, “There are times when I feel like I play such a small role in creating these homes. But I’ve surrounded myself with really good people and a strong team. Matt Ellington did the initial planning, Trent Hill was the superintendent on the majority of this house, and our chief building officer, Rusty Rogers, oversaw the operations. We’re heavily involved in every step of working with architects and interior designers to bring projects to the finish line, and the relationships we’ve built with those partners, our contractors, and our vendors make all the difference.”

In addition to the amazing connections he’s made since founding Grand Bay Construction—now celebrating twenty years in business—Burch says seeing the final vision come to fruition makes all the hard work pay off.

“You come to these houses hundreds of times throughout the build, but when you finally get to the end and walk through once it’s all completed, it’s a great thing to see. It just feels good.”

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To see more GBC projects, visit GrandBayConstruction.com and follow @grandbayconstruction on Instagram. View more episodes of This New House on their website, social media, and YouTube channel.