Morning Glories

Morning Glories is a top-tier vacation destination on Captiva Island. The location on Gore Lane (in the Captiva Village area) is quiet and close to the beach, yet convenient to shops and restaurants. Guests may wish to never leave this amazing house, though!

Big, beautiful, and the epitome of luxury, Morning Glories has a smart floor plan and plenty of room – even with (14 guests it feels spacious. There are even two separate garages and driveways.

Enjoy Captiva’s famous weather with the private pool and spa tub, slide-away glass walls, shaded porches, furnished sundeck with perfect southern exposure, indoor/outdoor dining, lush tropical landscaping, and more.

This lovely, heated pool is all yours at Morning Glories. The pool is large (30 feet long, 15 feet wide at the shallow end) and fed by a sweet-sounding waterfall of warm water from the in-ground spa tub. It’s very private with a dense surrounding thicket of tropical palms. Add to the water amusement with big inflatables, pool noodles, and a basket of toys for the little ones. Bask on the sun patio upon luxury chaise lounges. But don’t forget about the great Captiva beach, which is a really easy walk along a charming path just across Wiles Drive.

Florida sunshine can be intense, but you can always retreat into one of the shaded porches for a cool drink, a snack, or a meal. The shaded outdoor dining table seats eight, and the game room and pool kitchen are just steps away. The entire pool area and all slide-away glass walls (including main level south porches) are within the giant screen enclosure, preventing “too much nature” in this tropical climate.

Kids of all ages are very welcome at Morning Glories. Of course, the big kids will love the games (pool table, ping-pong, foosball) and the swimming. But the house is also stocked for younger vacationers to have a delightful time on Captiva: games, and kid books.

New arrivals will enjoy a lengthy exploration of the interior of Morning Glories. But everywhere you look, you will find smart design, tasteful décor, comfortable furnishings, and plenty of space to spread out.

The “common” areas in the center of the main level are anything BUT common, of course. The living room and dining room are configured in a grand, open “great room” design, with cathedral ceilings and huge south-facing expanses of glass windows and doors to let in plenty of natural light and Florida sunshine. Deluxe ceiling fans with wide oval woven bamboo blades, plus lots of recessed and area lighting, make these spaces practical for all hours and all different weather. Grand open staircases lead up to the upper-level bedrooms, plus a cozy sitting area on the east side. Another cozy sitting area is just inside the main entrance.

Naturally, Morning Glories takes great advantage of Captiva’s glorious environment with plenty of indoor-outdoor transitions. The large shaded lanai at the entrance is furnished as a lovely sitting area where several can enjoy quiet fresh air and breezes. And each of the five main bedrooms has a separate door leading directly to porches or the upper-level sundeck.

Both the living and dining great rooms expand to the outdoors, with additional covered seating and dining (within the screened pool enclosure). Just slide the three-panel gliding doors back into their disappearing pockets to merge the great rooms with these lovely semi-outdoor spaces. From the outdoor section of the living room, a child gate guards the steps down to the pool and spa level.

Dine-in splendor in the great room! The main dining table seats six, and the outdoor teak wood dining table (on the covered lanai overlooking the pool) seats eight more. There is also a breakfast bar at the enormous granite-top kitchen island; this seats four on generous traditional stools.

The kitchen is a masterpiece and a chef’s delight. You’ll enjoy creative time here even though great restaurants are only a short walk. Custom cabinets and the whole gamut of top professional appliances surround an enormous granite-top island in the center. There are two sinks and two dishwashers. The layout is workflow-smart: two cooks could work in this kitchen without being in each others’ way.

Stainless steel kitchen appliances include a six-burner Thermador professional gas range top with continuous iron double grates and high-performance Star Burners, Thermador Masterpiece Series convection multi-mode oven, Thermador microwave oven, a large (26 cubic foot) side-by-side refrigerator/freezer, two (matching) Bosch dishwashers, two-bowl main sink, additional sink on the granite island, and a full complement of high-end portable and counter-top appliances such as a Breville espresso maker. Near the kitchen, and convenient to most bedrooms, is a full-size Whirlpool Duet front-load washer/dryer set (above right).

But wait: there’s more! Downstairs (on the pool level) you’ll find another complete (and very convenient) kitchen and a separate, spacious laundry room.

Morning Glories pool level. Imagine this fabulous family area: spacious, bright, full of games and entertainment, and wide open to the lovely pool deck. Merge indoors with outdoors by sliding away from the large glass walls, ahhh! And it’s still protected from “too much nature” by the screened pool enclosure.

The beautifully-equipped entertainment center features a 52-inch HDTV with HD service and a Blu-ray Disc player. The game room has top-quality active games: a foosball table, a Brunswick pool table (which converts to ping-pong), and plenty of space for multiple games at once. Outdoor stairs to the main and upper levels are in the pool area or use the covered stairs up to the main level front entrance.

The lovely kitchen works just right with the outdoor gas grill for fun, easy meals at the poolside dining table (seats eight). And it’s also convenient for serving snacks and drinks in the game room or around the pool (no glass near the pool, obviously). Kitchen appliances include a stainless-steel refrigerator and dishwasher, both Whirlpool Gold.

A separate laundry room sports Whirlpool Duet front-loading washer and dryer, plus a utility sink, folding surfaces, and ample cabinet space. The seventh bedroom is also on this level, along with a luxurious full bathroom.

Morning Glories has seven bedrooms and seven bathrooms, five of which are configured as suites (private bathroom en-suite). There are two suites we consider primary bedrooms because they have king beds, but all of the bedrooms are very nice and each has its own character and standout features. The numbering system on this page is purely arbitrary. Except for the pool level bedroom, all bedrooms share these features: high ceilings (in some cases vaulted), adjustable ceiling fans, recessed lighting, wall switches on each side of the bed for the bedside lamps, deluxe glass doors on showers, and premium vanities with marble or granite tops. All five suites have private exits onto covered porches or onto the upper-level sundeck. Except for the children’s room, each bedroom has a flatscreen TV with satellite service.

The first primary suite is located off the dining room in the southeast corner of the main level.

This suite is furnished with a king bed and a full chest of drawers and has a large walk-in closet. The deluxe en-suite bathroom features an arched alcove with jet tub and tile surround, plus a separate large walk-in tiled shower with two shower heads and a bench. The medium vanity has his and hers basins.

This primary suite has a private entrance onto the dining porch within the screened pool enclosure.

The second primary suite is located off the living room in the southwest corner of the main level.

It is furnished with a king bed and a medium chest of drawers and has a full-size closet. The en-suite bathroom has a large vanity with his and hers basins, and the roomy walk-in tile shower has a glass door.

This suite has a private entrance onto the covered porch overlooking the pool (within the screened enclosure).

The third suite is in the east wing of the main level (northeast, near the kitchen). French doors open onto a very private, stone balcony overlooking the landscaped north grounds, and covered by a roof supported by columns and arches. Viva Captiva!

The suite has a vaulted ceiling and a full closet. It is furnished with a queen bed and a double chest of drawers topped by an arched mirror echoing the headboard. The en-suite bathroom has a walk-in tiled shower with a glass door and a compact vanity with a matching mirror and wall sconces.

The fourth suite is upstairs on the southwest side. French doors open onto the upper-level sundeck, which enjoys southern exposure for the best sunshine. The bedroom has a vaulted ceiling and is furnished with a queen bed, a large chest of drawers, and a writing desk.

The en-suite bathroom has an oversize shower with sliding glass doors, and a wide vanity with a single basin.

The fifth suite is upstairs on the southeast side. French doors open onto the upper-level sundeck, with luxurious chaise lounges for soaking up the sun in comfort.

The bedroom has a vaulted ceiling and is furnished with a queen bed and compact chests.

The en-suite bathroom has an oversize shower with sliding glass doors, and a standard vanity with a single basin.

The children’s bedroom is in the northwest corner of the main level, near the main entrance. The ceiling is vaulted and there is a large closet as well as a full chest of drawers. Besides a crib, there is a day bed with a trundle bed below which converts it into two twin beds.

The children’s bedroom has a direct entrance into the shared, main-level guest bathroom, where a tub/shower combination is ideal for kids.

The pool level has a nice bedroom with a king-size bed and a larger HDTV (shares the Direct TV receiver with the pool level entertainment center). The pool-level guest bathroom has an oversize shower with sliding glass doors, and a wide marble vanity top with two basins. Together with the pool-level kitchen and laundry room, this makes a perfect accommodation for friends, extended family, or other guests. And what a fabulous setup for teens who enjoy a bit more independence, or who find the Morning Glories game room irresistible!