The nature dock at golden hour, surrounded by water lilies

Deer Point Lake · Bay County · Northwest Florida

Casa Flora

A Waterfront Sanctuary · Youngstown, Florida

The Story

Five years.
One vision.

Casa Flora is what happens when an artist rebuilds a lakehouse from the studs out — not for the market, but for the life she wanted to live in it. A complete renovation, finished in 2023, set across just over two acres combined with the adjacent parcel, with some 450+ feet of private frontage on Deer Point Lake, a 5,000-acre freshwater sanctuary in Northwest Florida.

Every color, every sightline, every garden bed was chosen with intention, part of a single design strategy carried consistently across the property — part mid-century design, part storybook garden, softened by nature at every turn. It was designed as a healing place. It became one.

3 Bed2.5 Bath2,344 Sq Ft2.1± Acres Combined±450+ Ft Waterfront3 Private DocksStudio, Garage & Barn

Built to Last

Renovated in 2023. Built to last.

Every major system was replaced during the renovation — not patched, replaced — the kind of work that matters as much to an inspector as it does to the eye, years later. Every claim below is backed by permits, inspection reports, and photographs on file.

New roof — two systems, shingle & membrane, both permitted and inspected satisfactory
All-new electrical — 200-amp Square D main panel & 100-amp Eaton sub panel
All-new plumbing — fully re-piped
New septic system, permitted & approved (Bay County)
New gas lines & Navien tankless gas water heater
Simonton perfeXion windows
HVAC system, replaced 2021
Culligan whole-house water filtration & softener (well water)
James Hardie stucco-look cement board siding
Closed-cell spray foam insulation throughout
New luxury vinyl plank flooring throughout
All-new appliances

The house before renovation, July 2022 — Before — July 2022

The house after the complete renovation — After — the finished home

Built to Withstand

Verified, not just described

A wind mitigation inspection documented reinforced roof-to-wall hurricane clips and a sealed roof deck (secondary water resistance) — hurricane-resistant construction confirmed by photograph, not just claimed. The property sits in FEMA Flood Zone AE, with a base flood elevation of 8.0 feet. The home's finished floor elevation is 10.4 feet — 2.4 feet above the base flood elevation.

Designed & Built By

Structural engineering by MK Weber Engineering, a licensed Panama City structural engineering firm. Construction by Bayou Builders of Bay County — founded by the Weber brothers, keeping engineering and construction under one closely coordinated team. Master builder Ryan Weber led the craftsmanship on signature elements including the entry posts and fireplace build.

The main dock with lounge chairs, a visiting egret, and a rainbow over the lake

Chapter I

The Water

Deer Point Lake holds five thousand acres of fresh water, cypress islands, and quiet. Casa Flora sits at the confluence of Deer Point Lake and Bear Creek, in a cove that stays uniquely protected and calm even as the wider lake carries on. Paddle out the back and you can reach the spring-fed run of Econfina Creek without ever loading a trailer.

The main dock at dusk with lounge chairs, kayak, and a visiting egret — The main dock at dusk — egret included

The nature dock reaching into the lily cove — The nature dock, into the lily cove

The fishing-hole dock at golden hour — The fishing-hole dock, evening light

Lily pads and two chairs on the nature dock under a storm-lit sky — Storm light over the lily cove

The Three Lights

Sunrise over the water. Sunset over the water.
And then the moon.

A rare dual-exposure lot: the sun comes up over the lake, goes down over the lake, and the moon rises over the same water an hour later. Most waterfront gets one of these. Casa Flora gets all three.

Sunrise rays over the lily cove — Sunrise

Sunset through the azaleas over the lake — Sunset

The moon rising over the cove — Moonrise

First Light

The mornings here ask to be watched

Coffee on the dock is a ritual at Casa Flora. No two sunrises repeat themselves.

Dawn breaking over the dock chairs — Dawn from the main dock

Sunrise from the dock with the heron sculpture — Sunburst over the cove

Golden morning over the water — Gold on the water

The living room opens through French doors to the lake, with the dining table and kitchen beyond

Chapter II

The Home

Mid-century lines, Florida light, and the lake in view from nearly every room. The living space opens through a twelve-foot glass slider onto the waterfront lawn, and outside, a covered back porch framed by hand-carved mid-century posts flows onto a thirty-five-foot open-air patio — so the boundary between inside and outside stays pleasantly unclear.

Front elevation with native stone and mint craftsman door — Native stone, craftsman door, evening light

The front entry with hand-carved mid-century posts — The entry — hand-carved posts

Custom built-in entertainment wall with arched niches, wood-inlay fireplace surround — Custom built-ins — arched niches & wood-inlay fireplace surround

The dining table set for entertaining, opening into the living room — Set for entertaining, open to the living room

Farmhouse sink beneath the garden window, zellige-style tile — Zellige-style tile, champagne gold & garden light

Full view of the kitchen, island, and open living flow — The chef's kitchen

Cook Here

A kitchen built by someone who cooks

Samsung glass-front appliances, a gas range with pot filler, and a zellige-style backsplash anchor the room. White Rhino marble counters, farmhouse sink, floating shelves, glass-front cabinets, and a barn-door pantry finish it. It opens straight to the dining room and the water beyond — the cook never misses the view.

Rest Here

The primary suite sleeps under the forest

A deep green ceiling turns the primary suite into a canopy — and its own slider opens straight onto the waterfront lawn. Two worlds in one room: forest overhead, lake at the door.

Primary suite with forest green ceiling and slider to the waterfront — Primary suite — forest canopy ceiling, door to the water

Freestanding soaker tub with expansive lake-view windows and capiz chandelier — The soaking tub — expansive lake view, capiz chandelier

Bathe Here

Soaking tub with a view

A freestanding soaker set against expansive lake-view windows, the lake just beyond, a capiz shell chandelier overhead. The owner calls it her place to escape. One soak explains why.

Double vanity with round oak mirrors and a glass-enclosed walk-in pebble-floor shower — Primary bath — double vanity & glass-enclosed walk-in pebble shower

Sunset study with full wall of custom built-ins — Third Bedroom / Sunset Study — full-wall built-ins

Dine Outside

The back patio runs thirty-five feet

The covered back porch — framed by hand-carved mid-century posts — flows onto a ±35′ × 12′ open-air patio: long tables under umbrellas, a lounge that catches the evening light, and the lawn rolling down to the water. Morning coffee here; dinner parties that drift toward the fire pit.

Round dining table and lounge seating on the patio, lake and lawn beyond — The back patio & covered porch

Dining table under umbrella with the lake framed by cypress — Dining under the cypress

Inside Casa Flora

Complete down-to-the-studs renovation, finished 2023
Wall of windows + 12-ft sliding glass door facing the lake
Luxury vinyl plank flooring throughout
Chef's kitchen — Samsung glass-front appliances, gas range, pot filler, zellige-style backsplash
White Rhino marble counters & farmhouse sink
Floating shelves, glass-front cabinets, barn-door pantry
Built-in entertainment wall with arched niches
Electric fireplace with custom wood-inlay surround
Freestanding soaker tub with lake-view windows
Capiz shell chandelier & glass-enclosed walk-in pebble-floor shower
Primary suite with direct slider to the waterfront
Second Bedroom / Lei Flower Guest Suite
Third Bedroom / Sunset Study — full-wall custom built-ins
Custom mudroom / laundry with built-in cabinetry
Primary closet with custom built-ins
Hand-carved mid-century posts, front porch & back patio
Covered back porch (±15′ × 10′)
Open-air entertaining patio (±35′ × 12′)
Custom walk-in pantry
Coffee & wine bar with wine fridge
Built-in workstation / desk off the island

Every color throughout was pulled from Sherwin-Williams' designer palette — a full color guide is available as a companion document.

A stone path beneath arching crape myrtles, the lake glowing at its end

Chapter III

The Grounds

Acres of gardens made by hand: a butterfly meditation garden with a painted mural, an herb garden, vegetable and flower beds, a wildflower pollinator garden, and a mature azalea collection that turns the spring loose. A garden center with its own potting station and outdoor shower keeps the work close at hand, and four separate spots invite you to sit still — a bench beneath the honeysuckle, a hammock at Cypress Point, a second swing arbor with its own small fire pit, and a sunken, built-in fire pit lounge overlooking the lake, made for stargazing and watching the moon rise. Stone paths thread it all together and keep pulling you back toward the water. It reads like a storybook cottage garden — equal parts wild and tended.

Pink roses beneath a blooming crape myrtle at the studio door — Roses under the crape myrtle

Magenta crinum lilies along the garden path — Crinum lilies on the path

Azaleas blooming as the sun sets over the lake — Azaleas at sunset — the spring show

The butterfly meditation garden — pergola, meditation statue, and the lake beyond — The butterfly meditation garden — stones, statue & the lake beyond

The hammock pergola at golden hour beside the cypress — Cypress Point — the hammock at golden hour

The sunken, built-in fire pit lounge overlooking the lake, lit at dusk — Sunken & built-in — the fire pit lounge, made for stargazing and moonrise

A Homestead of Its Own

Storybook on the surface, self-sufficient underneath

Two apple trees, two peach, blueberry bushes, and elderberry already border the gardens. With well and septic in place and no HOA to restrict it, Casa Flora could easily grow into a fully self-contained homestead: room for chickens, goats, and expanded beds, including an already-designed garden co-op area with built-in structures that could double as a coop.

Gather Here

A place that already knows how to hold a celebration

Casa Flora hosted its first waterfront wedding in 2023, with the swing arbor — draped in flowering vine — as the ceremony arch. The grounds were composed for gathering: intimate weddings, retreats, long dinners that end at the fire pit. For the right steward, the venue story is only beginning.

Beyond a private residence, Casa Flora carries real investment range. The grounds are equally suited to small retreats, from wellness weekends to creative workshops. The adjacent lot adds a second lever: income potential through vacation rental development, in a corridor already popular for its proximity to Econfina Creek and the springs system. And the property's own access to both the lake and spring-fed paddling routes opens the door to recreational ventures — guided kayak trips, nature tours, or similar outdoor-based business — for the right owner.

The 2023 waterfront wedding — aisle, benches, and floral arch at the lake — The 2023 waterfront wedding

Inside the artist's studio — easel, driftwood table, and the lake through the doors — Inside the studio — the lake through every door

Chapter IV — The Studio

Four hundred square feet of possibility

A detached, light-filled studio beside its own butterfly meditation garden — built for making art, and ready to become whatever its next owner needs: a yoga and sound-healing room, a writer's retreat, a treatment room, a home office that doesn't feel like one.

Beyond it: the barn, the man cave, and a covered garage — working space for every kind of maker.

The studio from the gardens, beneath the crape myrtle — The studio, from the gardens

The man cave and covered garage, styled for lake life with kayak and paddleboard — The man cave — a covered carport and enclosed garage, ready for lake life

The barn, part of the main compound — The barn — with a stock tank soak and lounge area tucked behind it

Chapter V — The Wildlife

The neighbors are herons, otters, and eagles

The cove is a working ecosystem. Great blue heron, great egret, osprey, bald eagle, anhinga, cormorant, and black-bellied whistling ducks move through daily; river otters and the occasional alligator patrol the lilies. The gardens hum — butterflies, dragonflies, bees.

Every wildlife photograph in this book was taken from the property.

A heron silhouetted on the old cypress at sunrise — First light on the old cypress

Great blue heron on the shoreline — Great blue heron

Great egret lifting off over the lilies — Great egret

Black-bellied whistling ducks among the lily pads — Black-bellied whistling ducks

A pair of bald eagles on the dead cypress — Bald eagles over the cove

An anhinga drying its wings in the cypress — Anhinga, wings to the morning

A waterbird silhouetted atop the old cypress at sunrise — Sunrise sentinel on the old cypress

Dragonfly at the water's edge — The pollinator gardens at work

A morning's crappie catch from the dock — One morning's catch, off the dock

Fish Here

Largemouth & crappie, steps from the door

The private fishing-hole dock earns its name. Largemouth bass and crappie come out of this cove and the open lake beyond it — no boat ramp lines, no trailer, no drive. Coffee in one hand, rod in the other.

Chapter VI

Beyond the Dock

Launch a boat or kayak from the dock and the property stops feeling like a boundary. Econfina Creek and Bear Creek are both within paddling distance, threading through some of Northwest Florida's clearest spring-fed water — Williford Spring and Pitt Spring among them — and Osprey Point, a stand of ancient cypress that turns gold at sunset and feels like nowhere else.

Crystal-clear water at Pitt Spring, framed by palms and cypress — Pitt Spring — gin-clear, spring-fed

The turquoise pool at Williford Spring — Williford Spring

Osprey Point

A short paddle, a different world

Ancient cypress rise straight out of the water at Osprey Point, a short paddle from the dock. It's home to some of Florida's most beautiful bird species — including the osprey that nest there — making it as rewarding for wildlife watching as it is for sunset. Come for the light and the whole sky burns through the trees, doubled in the mirror-still water below.

Cypress trees silhouetted against a deep orange sunset at Osprey Point — Osprey Point, at sunset

Cypress trees and their reflection on the mirror-still water at Osprey Point — Osprey Point, mirrored

The Land Next Door

Room to grow

An adjacent ±0.6-acre, canal-side parcel is offered separately — bordering the same cove as the nature dock — the natural site for a guest cottage, a rental, or the expansion of the venue story. A 1,500-gallon septic tank is already installed on the lot; it is not currently permitted, and permitting will be the buyer's responsibility. Permitted electrical service is already on site — inspected, with sub-panel capacity for future construction; utility reconnection required. An artesian well is also on site — condition and function to be inspected and verified by the buyer. Buyers should verify all requirements with Bay County.

The Offering

Casa Flora

The Main CompoundHome · Studio · Detached Garage · Barn · Three Docks · ±1.5 Acres

$995,000

The Adjacent LotSeparate parcel · Canal-side · ±0.6 Acres · Permitted electrical service (reconnection req'd) · Septic & well on site — verify & permit required

$145,000

The Full BundleCompound + Lot together · 2.1± Acres Combined

$1,125,000

Shown by appointment only, to qualified buyers. Cash or 1031 exchange preferred. The adjacent lot's septic tank is installed but not currently permitted; permitting is the buyer's responsibility — verify requirements with Bay County. All information deemed reliable but not guaranteed; buyers to verify all facts.

Pitt, Sylvan, Williford & Blue Hole Springs 10 mi

Econfina Creek by kayak

Sugar-sand Gulf beaches ±20 mi

ECP International Airport 15 mi

Panama City ±25 min

Scenic Highway 30A ±1 hr

Casa Flora

Deer Point Lake · Youngstown, Florida

Designed, renovated & photographed by the owner.

Private showings by appointment — 48 hours' notice preferred

Casa Flora

Five years.One vision.

Renovated in 2023. Built to last.

Verified, not just described

The Water

Sunrise over the water. Sunset over the water.And then the moon.

The mornings here ask to be watched

The Home

A kitchen built by someone who cooks

The primary suite sleeps under the forest

Soaking tub with a view

The back patio runs thirty-five feet

Inside Casa Flora

The Grounds

Storybook on the surface, self-sufficient underneath

A place that already knows how to hold a celebration

Four hundred square feet of possibility

The neighbors are herons, otters, and eagles

Largemouth & crappie, steps from the door

Beyond the Dock

A short paddle, a different world

Room to grow

Casa Flora

Five years.
One vision.

Sunrise over the water. Sunset over the water.
And then the moon.