How a Corner-Lot Colonial Became Abacoa's Most Talked-About Renovation

Lucía Torres · 2026-09-28

You know Abacoa's got a certain kind of street. Sidewalks on both sides, live oaks that've had a good twenty-five years to fill in, front porches close enough to the walk that neighbors don't just wave—they say hello. New Haven Boulevard is one of the best of them. And 213 sits on a corner where the light comes from two directions, and the yard wraps around you instead of just ending. Now, the house itself is a classic two-story colonial. White siding, black shutters, a columned entry. Plenty of homes here wear that look well, you know? But what sets this one apart... it's what happened *after* the original build. The current owners didn't just renovate. They took the place down to its bones and rebuilt the interior with a level of material and craft that you just don't see every day. The listing agent calls it rare for the community. It's not a refresh. It's a full reimagining, and you can feel it the moment you step inside. Offered at $1,499,000, this is a three-bedroom, two-and-a-half-bath home with 2,258 square feet of living space. ### The Heart of the Home: A Kitchen That Sells Itself Let's be honest, the kitchen is the room that'll sell this home. It's stunning. Custom solid white oak cabinetry runs floor to ceiling. You've got open shelving and a built-in bar niche breaking things up, so it feels curated, not just installed. The counters and the full-height backsplash? They're this dramatically veined Italian marble. The kind of slab that becomes the art in the room. A long island with seating for three anchors everything. Luxury appliances are tucked neatly into the millwork. And here's a brilliant touch—the range sits under a window instead of a bulky hood cabinet. That keeps the whole room feeling open and connected to the garden outside. It's thoughtful. ### The Palette: Restraint That Speaks Volumes The moment you walk in, you're on engineered oak floors that run through the whole main level. They're warm, matte, and feel more European than your typical Florida finish. Then Italian marble takes over in the wet areas. Those two materials—oak and marble—they're the whole palette for the house. And the restraint is the point. Nothing here shouts. Everything whispers quality. The details hold to that same quiet standard: - Waterworks plumbing fixtures in unlacquered brass - Solid wood interior doors throughout - Upgraded baseboards and casings—the kind of millwork most renos skip because nobody photographs it, but everybody *feels* the difference - Designer lighting that's custom and consistent, from the dining room right up to the bedrooms ### The Game-Changer: An Enclosed Breezeway The most significant change to the floor plan is at the back. The original outdoor breezeway between the main house and the garage? Gone. It's been fully enclosed with new impact-glass doors, adding about 220 square feet of finished space. The result is this bright, glass-wrapped sitting room. It looks straight out to the veranda on one side and the garden on the other. It can be a den, a second living room, a quiet office... whatever you need. And it makes moving from indoors to out feel seamless. It's genius, really. In a neighborhood of beautiful homes, this one stands apart. It took a familiar corner-lot colonial and reimagined it from the inside out, with a focus on material, light, and craft that turns a house into a home. It's a lesson in how thoughtful renovation can elevate a classic, not erase it.