Residents of Davis Islands love the community’s small town atmosphere despite its proximity to the big city. Dotted with an eclectic mix of architecture, the neighborhood also boasts a bevy of inviting restaurants, cafes and shops, all residing along a family-friendly sidewalk setting. This is one of the many reasons Chris Mercer, David Lowrey and Jonathan Sands of Stress Free Construction enjoy helping families establish their lives on Davis Islands.
Mercer is a total convert from New York to Davis Islands. Not only does he adore the atmosphere and community lifestyle of this special niche near downtown Tampa, he lives in the area in a 1950s ranch with his wife, Mary, and their two sons, Liam, 8, and Isaac, 6. The Mercers completely enjoy the accessibility of their home to the surrounding water with a private yacht club and public marina, the central location of the small downtown business area, and even the small Peter O. Knight airport with a nearby dog park. And Mercer is quick to point out his favorite aspect of Davis Islands—not much traffic!
A good foundation
Since he lives here himself, Mercer aspires to build a legacy of quality homes on Davis Islands. “We build each home as though we will live there ourselves,” he points out. “No short-cuts.” The company builds 15 houses each year, with three to five on Davis Islands. They produce spec houses as well as custom-designed residences. One such home is a 3,700 square-foot (6,100 square-foot total under roof), two-story waterfront residence located on Baltic Avenue.
Mercer and Sands designed the Baltic house, as well as another similar home on Geneva Place. The modern/Key West look fits perfectly with the neighborhood architecture. A signature feature of their homes is a first floor garage with extensive ADS (Advanced Drainage Systems) piping for drainage, double the diameter required. The 50×18-foot garage easily accommodates two cars, while a 28×16-foot workshop offers plenty of extra space. Because of the occasional storms and flooding from the bay, the first floor of the residence itself is eight to 10 feet off the ground, an extra three feet higher than required protecting the interior and furniture from damage. Below grade—15 to 30 feet into the ground—Stress Free installs Helical Steel Piling foundations, guaranteed to last up to 100 years.
The two-story living area consists of an open-concept design that includes the great room, dining area and kitchen. Four bedrooms, a den/office, and a media room round out the spaces.
A very important feature is an interior elevator accessible from every level. Nearby is a sleek, modern cable stainless steel stairway with hardwood risers.
Patios located off the split-level living room, den and master bedroom offer beautiful views of the back yard, which includes a dock on an open canal leading to Old Hillsborough and eventually Tampa Bay.
Advantageous views inside and outside
Even the great room takes advantage of its view by incorporating a 14-foot accordion NanaWall folding glass wall at the end of the space. The glass panels can be turned 90-degrees and fold up against each other—virtually disappearing and allowing an uninterrupted flow from the inside to the outside.
Other elegant details throughout the home include the hand scraped hickory wood floors bordered by custom wainscoting. The kitchen countertops and island are topped with Torque Cambria quartz, which replicates the look of marble. The quartz was carried down both sides of the dark stained island in a waterfall effect and complements the white perimeter cabinetry and subway tile backsplash, which was laid in a herringbone pattern for visual interest.
The inviting master suite boasts an oversized walk-in closet offering a center storage island and plenty of shoe racks. The focal point of the adjoining bathroom is a sleek, modern Kohler soaking tub, centered in the space. Two separate vanities, topped with the same Cambria quartz seen in the kitchen, are recessed into the entry wall, opposite a wall of glass, which encloses the water closet and the Kohler DTV Bluetooth shower system. The digital shower system allows the user to control the water temperature and the spray patterns of the six showerheads from an iPad.
A nod to nature
Being kind to the environment was also a top priority to the team at Stress Free Construction. They placed a 15kw Enphase solar energy storage system on the roof, which is not visable from the ground. With normal usage, the system can power the home, leading to a zero-energy residence. Impact windows help to fortify the structure, protecting against high winds and minimizing the need for overuse of air conditioning.
Stress Free Construction has been building homes on Davis Islands since 2015. “We have been building homes since 2006,” says Mercer, “We love to design and build custom homes because we get to work directly with the homeowners and create the unique atmosphere each family wants.”
Not to mention, they could be neighbors. “I plan to live here on Davis Islands for the rest of my life; my wife and I love it,” says Mercer. “I must build quality homes, because I’ll be seeing my clients frequently—shopping, getting gas, boating—so I’ll want them to give me a smile.”
Resources: Builder: Stress Free Construction, LLC; Residential designer: Steve Henry Design, Inc.; Lighting designer: Sue Lillich Designs; Lighting: Monte Carlo Fans, Possini, Sonneman, Minka Lavery, Kichler, Progress Lighting, Modern Forms; Lighting suppliers: Lumens.com, Lightingdirect.com; Painting: Sherwin-Williams, Express Painting of Tampa Bay LLC; Furniture and accessories: The Stage is Set; Flooring, kitchen backsplash and shower tile: Floor Designs LLC; Windows: Jeld-Wen; Andersen, Home Depot; Doors: Tibbetts Lumber Company LLC; Sliding glass door: NanaWall Systems Inc.; Cabinetry: Krejci’s Custom Cabinets LLC; Countertops: Cambria Torquay, Remo Tech; Plumbing fixtures: Ferguson Enterprises; Appliances: Asko dishwasher; Wolf cooktop and oven; Sub-Zero refrigerator and wine fridge, Ferguson Enterprises; Bathroom glass: AIS Shower Doors, Inc.; Outdoor kitchen: Lynx Sedona, Ferguson Enterprises; Elevator: Vertechs Elevators Florida, Inc.; Hardscapes: DGP&S Construction, Inc.; Fence: Tampa Fence, Inc.; Solar power system: SEM Power LLC; Dock and boat lift: Tampa Dock and Seawall, Inc.