Building a family and building a lifestyle are two completely different things. It requires a strong visual sense and a keen understanding of what's important to your family. It should be designed to make their lives easier and enriched. And of course, there's nothing wrong with it looking sensational.
David Ahrens and Kirk Beckwith's home at The Lake Club is a notable example. Carefully planned and thought out, the hotel has a sophisticated eye guiding its aesthetic choices and includes nearly every amenity an owner could desire, with Charlie, a Labrador, being a key element. I am.
The two met in San Francisco 10 years ago and have been lovers ever since. Three and a half years ago, they moved to Florida and established a new home. The home they built at The Lake Club is the second home they have created together, demonstrating a keen understanding of their common past and current way of life.
They knew the look they wanted. “Our style is a fusion of mid-century and modern,” David explains. “We have clean lines, simple canvases, and some great statement pieces.” The living room's dramatic walls embody that vibe. Created with the help of decorator Linda Hendershot, this design gives your home a chic, sophisticated personality. Ceiling-high dark concrete walls are softened by a subtle interplay of geometric lines. Wooden accents warm the space along with a fireplace, and niches are filled with vases and sculptures the men have collected over the years. There are also benches with pillows.
This model home by Stock Builders has approximately 3,000 square feet of living area.
The rest of the house takes design cues from the drama of the living room, but everything remains calm and peaceful, with the views providing real drama. The house faces south and overlooks the lake, a constant source of inspiration for David and Kirk.
Cooking and hospitality are important to couples. “I love that the kitchen is completely open to the living and dining areas,” says David. “It's where family and friends gather.” The space is well thought out in terms of form and function, with plenty of surface area and a pantry large enough to be known as a “Costco store.” Kirk is the head chef, but the extra-large island looks amazing when David takes part in preparing the meals. “We love co-creating,” he says.
Healthy eating is an important part of a couple's life. They're both tall, lean, and incredibly healthy, and although they're not strictly vegetarian, they do seek out grains, fruits, and vegetables, and food is especially important to David's active lifestyle. He is his champion in Ironman, a highly competitive endurance event where he completes swimming, biking, and running all in one day. He has competed in his 19 Ironman events over the past 20 years. “My last competition was the Ironman Championship in Kona, Hawaii in 2022. That was my swan song and I enjoyed every moment of it.” Although his training is less extreme, David still participates in various races, including a triathlon in Fort Myers last March. “I was surprised that he was able to win in 19th place overall at his age. Not bad for a 53-year-old!”
For such an active couple, the house and the lake club are ideal. We both like cycling and yoga. The clubhouse has a gym and the main pool is perfect for swimming. Their home's outdoor living area is a spacious 1,100 square feet, meaning nature is always a part of their lives. And that includes Charlie. Like many Labs, he is a water dog and has webbed feet that allow him to spend a lot of time in the water. “He knows how to ask us to get in the pool,” Kirk says. “Once we say, ‘OK,’ he jumps right in.”
“Life is good for Charlie,” David added. In fact, this pup is one of the lucky ranchers who head north every spring, trading in a lakefront home in Florida for one in Canada. In late April, David and Kirk packed their SUV for a two-day trip to Buckhorn, Ontario. David, a realtor with Re/Max Platinum, sells properties in both locations. He admits that he is just as competitive when it comes to business as he is about sporting activities. He travels back and forth from time to time as needed to process customers and transactions. “It's seasonal, so it's very effective. We sometimes stop in North Carolina, where Kirk's family is, and it's always great to catch up with them.” Kirk, by the way, is a retired anesthesiologist.
Despite their cosmopolitan lifestyle, The Lake Club remains the center of their lives. The men used special events in the clubhouse to become active in the community. They are especially active in participating in the annual Turkey Trot event held every Thanksgiving. In fact, David serves as one of the race directors. He has three race distances and is The Lake Club's largest single event in terms of number of participants, with over 250 participants last year. The $12,000 he raised was donated to the Manatee Food Bank. This is an activity that the couple feels strongly about. “Every year we tweak something to make it better.”
Extremely high ceilings and plenty of natural light make the master bedroom a comfortable living haven.
We both love the self-contained nature of The Lake Club. “We don't have to leave our community, but we do.”Experiencing everything Sarasota has to offer is a priority, including the art scene, restaurants, shopping, and museums. Frequent international travel is also an important part of their lives. Recent travels include Thailand, Cambodia, Europe, and the Galapagos Islands. “We are also avid scuba divers, so he takes at least one diving vacation a year to Hawaii, Belize, Honduras, or Bonaire.”
Still, it's hard to beat the atmosphere of the house. Enjoy lunch on the lanai and prepare dinner in the outdoor kitchen while watching the sun set over the lake. “We've made some long-time friends here,” they say. “This community brings together people from all over the country, with a variety of backgrounds and experiences. It's a great quality of life in an incredibly beautiful setting. Who could say no to that?”
Certainly not Charlie. In addition to his own pool, he has his own dog park by the clubhouse. Not a bad lifestyle for a Labrador.
