viva la kiva
DESCRIPTION
The family has flown in from all over the country, and each is excited to leave the hustle and bustle of everyday life behind. Family gatherings are few and far between, but there is always Viva la Kiva to look forward to every year, just as tradition from generations past.TRANSCRIPT
Private, Natural, Breathtaking, Timeless
Viva La Kiva at Kiva Dunes
The family has flown in from all over the country, and each is excited to leave the
hustle and bustle of everyday life behind. Family gatherings are few and far between,
but there is always Viva la Kiva to look forward to every year, just as tradition from
generations past.
Owners Sally and Frank Gafford say they built the house for family get-togethers. It is
meant to be a serene and relaxing place where fun comes from the water, beach and
sun mixed in with a big dose of peace and quiet. Viva la Kiva is exactly that. Private,
natural, breathtaking and timeless are just a few words that come to mind upon
arriving to this oasis. This is a home to pass on for generations to come.
The journey starts as soon as you turn into the tree covered archway of the private
driveway. It projects a tunnel-like feel as you anticipate what awaits you beyond
the dunes of trees and suddenly, it opens to reveal the giant fortress that melts your
worries while you escape from that stressful world.
The structure of the home is perfect for multiple families who want to still have privacy
in between meals and outings. There are three floors with a total of six private
bedrooms, six-and-a-half bathrooms, lounging areas on each floor and many nooks
to read your favorite book.
ESCAPE FROM STRESS
A PLACE FOR FAMILY TRADITIONS
“THE STAIRWAY IS INTENDED TO BE A UNIFYING ELEMENT...THE OPEN RISERS ALLOW LIGHT TO PENETRATE BELOW, CREATING AN INVITING EXPERIENCE.”
Upon entering, there is a beautifully constructed stairway that wraps around the elevator
to give the home a modern touch. “The stairway is intended to be a unifying element of
the three living levels. The open risers allow light to penetrate below, creating an inviting
experience,” said Gregory Jones, the architect of Viva la Kiva. In the middle of the first
level, you will find a flawless sun room filled with windows and a view of the beach that
will make you want to sip on mimosas while lounging in this peaceful cranny. There
are also many colorful paintings by local artist Bill Harrison that accentuate the natural
beauty of Fort Morgan. To the left of the sun room, is a kid’s suite with multiple beds,
couches and bathroom, as well as access to the ground level patio.
The first floor is also where you will find a double car garage with an ample amount of
storage space for all of your beach gear and a boundless laundry room stacked with
cabinets and pantry for stowing necessary items for your stay.
Each floor has a patio that overlooks the Gulf of
Mexico, Mobile Bay and the award winning golf
course. Talk about a daydreamer’s heaven.
The second level has a large living area in
the middle of the floor as meeting grounds for
the four bedrooms that fall adjacent to one
another. Three of the bedrooms are king sized
with private bathrooms and the fourth is another
child’s bunk area filled with four beds. There is a bar with a television, sink and mini
fridge to accommodate late night snacking for the guests of that level.
The third floor is where you will find the master suite, kitchen, dining room, half bath
and fireplace. Here is where the most intimate moments of your relaxation are to be
spent. Family dinners, games and laughter will be found while watching the most
incredible sunset, each and every night. From sunrise to sunset, Viva la Kiva will
leave you mesmerized and speechless.
A DAYDREAMER’S HEAVEN
INTIMATE RELAXATION
Instead of an alarm clock, you wake to the songs of seagulls and the gentle thrum of
waves crashing against the longest private beach on the Gulf of Mexico. You open
your own private door to the patio from your bedroom and are immediately in a
trance as you take in the panoramic view of white sand dunes, green sea grass and
blue water that stretches for miles.
The smell of sizzling bacon lures the rest of the family and friends out of the house’s
six bedrooms scattered throughout the three stories, and soon the third-floor kitchen is
abuzz with sqeals of excited laughter as they all plan out their activities for the day.
A few of them are already downstairs in the sunroom, sipping coffee and going over
the map of Kiva Dunes golf course, rated the top course in Alabama by Golf Week
magazine. Designed by U.S. Open champion Jerry Pate, the course gives golfers a
chance to take a break from their lives and lose themselves to the serene surroundings.
Hopefully losing themselves and not too many balls in the native scrub oaks.
“Good architecture is timeless,” says course developer Jim Edgemon. “If you think
about the great links courses in America—Shinnecock, National Golf Links, Kiawah
Island—unless you know the history of those courses, you can’t put a date on when
they were built. I think we’ve come pretty close to that same sort of thing here.”
PANORAMIC VIEWS
Three generations of ladies decide to spend a few hours soaking up the warm sun on
the pristine shore. They laugh as they tell stories from the past and take turns reapplying
sunscreen after they dipped in the cool, refreshing Gulf.
The teenagers are taking turns watching the smaller kids splash in the pool and play
a game of ‘Fish Out of Water.’ They have three pools to choose from on the grounds
of Kiva Dunes and endless roads to bike through once they take a lunch break from
shouting “No fish!”
The guys who aren’t too interested in their golf stance will fish from the beach or walk
across to the bay in hopes of catching flounder, blue crabs and some speckled trout.
In the afternoon, some of the family visits Fort Morgan to learn of the historic past.
Others bike or walk through the Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge which consists
more than 6,700 acres of wildlife habitat lying directly on the peninsula. Spotting
ospreys and snapping pictures or hoping to find a nest of sea turtles around the trail will
become a seasonal tradition.
But nothing can beat the intimate atmosphere of sunset at Kiva. The family will join
together and enjoy a seafood feast fit for royalty thanks to the plentiful catch that day.
Fresh Gulf seafood in your own backyard, a bonfire to relax near while taking in the
beauty of the coast and surrounded by your loved ones. Where else can you have a day
like today? There is no place like home; there is no place like Viva la Kiva.
NO PLACE L IKE VIVA LA KIVA
• Approximately. 4,500 sq. ft. Heated/Cooled• 8,000 sq. ft. including deck spaces• 6 bedrooms/6.5 baths• Nearly 2 acre, secluded, Gulf Front lot• Built by Larry Lawrence Custom Homes• Room to add guest house and gulf side pool• 24 feet above sea level• Private boardwalk directly to the beach
Interested in the property?
Send all inquiries to:
Tim McCrory866.540.7100
7276 Kiva Way$1,980,000
WHAT GUESTS HAD TO SAY
Trusted advisors. Gulf Shores Real Estate:EdgemonPropertyGroup.com
866.540.7100