You can pick your house, but you can’t pick your neighbors — the people already living on the street. Brooke and Patrick Denson learned that long ago and, feeling a true sense of community and friendship, decided to stay in Miromar Lakes Beach & Golf Club when designing and building their new home.
The Densons have lived in Miromar for 11 years, settling a year ago under their third roof — a custom home. They originally moved in 2007 from Arizona to Southwest Florida when Pat established the successful Estero Bay Chevrolet. The family with four children sought serenity and security upon moving into a new, unknown town, and discovered a whole lot more.
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The guest bedroom at Patrick and Brooke Denson's house at Beach and Golf Club Miromar Lakes, Fort Myers. The guest bedroom has more of a water blue theme compared to the rest of the house.
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The dining room at Patrick and Brooke Denson's house at Beach and Golf Club Miromar Lakes, Fort Myers, overlooks the pool and the lake at a distance.
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The open kitchen at Patrick and Brooke Denson's house at Beach and Golf Club Miromar Lakes, Fort Myers. The kitchen is Brooke's favorite part of the house, she said, since she enjoys cooking and hosting people.
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The lounge area at Patrick and Brooke Denson's house at Beach and Golf Club Miromar Lakes, Fort Myers.
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The lounge area overlooking the vast open kitchen at Patrick and Brooke Denson's house at Beach and Golf Club Miromar Lakes, Fort Myers.
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A view of the whole living room at Patrick and Brooke Denson's house at Beach and Golf Club Miromar Lakes, Fort Myers.
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Patrick and Brooke Denson's dog, Ginger, lounges in the living room.
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An over the ground wine cellar at Patrick and Brooke Denson's house at Beach and Golf Club Miromar Lakes, Fort Myers, is definitely a highlight of the house.
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The master bedroom at Patrick and Brooke Denson's house at Beach and Golf Club Miromar Lakes, Fort Myers, is definitely a highlight of the house. Brooke decorated their bedroom in an amethyst purple color because she wanted the bedroom to have a calming effect.
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Lounging chairs by the at Patrick and Brooke Denson's house at Beach and Golf Club Miromar Lakes, Fort Myers.
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The master bathroom at Patrick and Brooke Denson's house at Beach and Golf Club Miromar Lakes, Fort Myers.
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Master bathroom at Patrick and Brooke Denson's house at Beach and Golf Club Miromar Lakes, Fort Myers.
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Patrick and Brooke Denson's daughter's bedroom has a gold and white minimalistic look to it.
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Patrick and Brooke Denson's son's bedroom has a more dark grey combined with blues and white look.
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From the left, Tyson and Ginger, Patrick and Brooke Denson's dogs lounge in their dog room.
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Back porch at Patrick and Brooke Denson's house at Beach and Golf Club Miromar Lakes, Fort Myers.
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Back porch at Patrick and Brooke Denson's house overlooking their pool at Beach and Golf Club Miromar Lakes, Fort Myers.
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Back porch at Patrick and Brooke Denson's house overlooking their pool at Beach and Golf Club Miromar Lakes, Fort Myers.
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Patrick and Brooke Denson moved into their house at Beach and Golf Club Miromar Lakes in December 2017. Brooke said that the best part about the house was the amount of natural light that pours in and illuminates the house.
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Patrick and Brooke Denson moved into their house at Beach and Golf Club Miromar Lakes in December 2017. Brooke said that the best part about the house was the amount of natural light that pours in and illuminates the house.
“We’ve met some of our closest friends, best friends, at Miromar,” says Brooke, a real estate agent. “It’s an inviting community where people always have open doors and welcome you into their home. It’s a safe neighborhood, and a very socia lcommunity.”
A key allure was the 700-acre freshwater lake. In Arizona, Pat and Brooke water-skied four days a week, awaking at 4 a.m. to get in a half hour of water time before cleaning up and getting to the office. Miromar Lake has provided plenty of ski time for the family, as well as wakeboarding, fishing, sunset cruises and lazy days along the shore. It was a safe destination for their four children — now 16 through 26 — to ride their bikes to for weekend adventures.
“The amenities are amazing. Sometimes, you forget what’s outside Miromar. When you leave, it’s like, ‘Back to reality.’ They make it like it’s a vacation,”enthuses Brooke, 43.
The Densons, likewise, are very social and threw their support into the Southwest Florida Wine & Food Fest after attending the sit-down dinner, tasting and auctions six years ago. They have served as trustees for four years, and this is Brooke’s second year as co-chair of the ever-growing event. In January, the couple welcomed 70 other wine festival planners and supporters into their home for a kick-off party. The size rivaled that of a private holiday gathering shortly after they moved into the 4,700-square-foot home in December 2017.
“I like nothing more than having a lot of people I know very well to come over and enjoy the house,” says Pat, 56. “Everyone involved in the wine festival, I welcome with open arms. I know all of these folks.”
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An over the ground wine cellar at Patrick and Brooke Denson's house at Beach and Golf Club Miromar Lakes, Fort Myers, is definitely a highlight of the house.
The Southwest Florida Wine & Food Fest raises money for the nonprofit SWFL Children’s Charities Inc., which has had a main focus on financially supporting the Golisano Children’s Hospital and healthcare-related scholarships. Since the children’s hospital opened, the nonprofit has shifted its impetus to funding specific programs, including pediatric mental health and behavioral treatment services.
“It falls on the prevention side. It does have long-term ramifications. Everybody probably has someone they know very well that…if we had better mental health capabilities in Lee and Collier counties, we could have made a bigger difference in their life,” Pat says. “I see people who have been involved for years in the wine festival and the difference they’ve made, not only philanthropists but entrepreneurs, and I’m proud to be part of that.”
Adds Brooke: “When it’s all said and done, and you know the amount of money that is raised is going to mental-behavioral health and our beneficiaries. That’s what makes it worth the time and energy. I get passionate knowing what the end goal is. The fact that we can give back to the community, it’s kind of our duty. We’re honored to be able to help SWFL Children’s Charities grow each year.”
Step Inside: Wine room, Outdoor Oasis
The Densons bought their property and worked on design ideas with Alberto Abad, principal designer and owner of New Architectura in Bonita Springs, for about two years before construction by the builder, Gulfshore Homes, commenced. They partnered with Freestyle Design on the interiors. So clearly, a lot of thought went into the big picture and small details.
The first architectural element a visitor may notice is the modern, airy, roof-to-ground glass entryway.
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Brooke and Patrick Denson
“I wanted openness. I wanted as much natural light as I could get,” explains Brooke, adding that she also wanted to encourage neighbors to drop by without a formal invitation. “We wanted it to be inviting, and the entry says, ‘Come in.’ I tell people to come by and knock on my door. I’m old-fashioned that way; that’s the way we used to do it when we were younger.”
For the record: Dogs are certainly welcome. A recent dinner gathering included 15 humans and 9 dogs, including their two Bichons. “I’m a huge dog lover,” she emphasizes.
While Brooke has visited a lot of properties in five years as a local real estate agent, she and Pat had specific ideas of their own.
“It was important not to have wasted space or rooms we weren’t going to use,” Brooke says.
In addition to natural light conveyed through high ceilings and an open plan for entertaining, there were two significant points of agreement: the temperature-controlled wine room and an outdoor shower inspired by one of their regular trips to wine country in Napa Valley.
The wine room, which Brooke designed, is stocked with some 300 bottles gathered during the couple’s frequent forays to California. The custom cabinetmaker surprised them with a rolling library-style ladder to reach high shelves, where the pricier vintages are located, as a house-warming gift. They’ve learned a lot about the intricacies of oenophilia during their annual wine country forays, and order deliveries from their favorite winery tastings.
“We’re not necessarily collectors, per se, but like having a place to keep nice bottles,” Pat says. (Some end up in a refrigerated credenza in the master bedroom.)
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Back porch at Patrick and Brooke Denson's house at Beach and Golf Club Miromar Lakes, Fort Myers.
The outdoor shower, a step outside a plantation door in the master bathroom, was inspired by their stay at Calistoga Ranch in Napa Valley. It is surrounded by teak wood and river rock, open to the sky with a gurgling fountain behind it. It is one of Brooke’s favorite places in the home, followed by the kitchen and wine room. (Though the home office and washer and dryer tucked into their master closet is proof of her ability to multi-task and cut down on wasted space.)
The kitchen and master bath, featuring a luxurious steam room, are also two favorites for Pat. The outdoor shower “was not negotiable,” he adds, clearly a fan. He also likes the pool but adds that the three-car garage, which has bays that are 6 feet deeper than standard ones, has proven to be an unexpected nicety.
“This was a labor of love and everything we wanted it to be,” says Pat. “It’s a statement of our personality, so everything went into it.”