Longboat Key Garden Club Home Tour: Howard Home

The annual home tour takes place from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on March 4.

  • By Katie Johns
  • | 6:00 a.m. February 22, 2017
  • Longboat Key
  • Neighbors
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It’s hard not to admire the homes while traveling down Gulf of Mexico Drive, but once a year, the Longboat Key Garden Club gives Longboat Key residents and visitors the chance to admire these homes from the inside. The annual Longboat Key Garden Club Home Tour, which benefits the club’s grant and scholarship funds, is quickly approaching. This year, four homes will welcome visitors with open doors. Before the big event on March 4, we previewed each ho

Howard-McQuilken Home

The home of Kim Howard and Kim McQuilken at 5911 Emerald Harbor Drive was designed to be livable and open.

The open home is supposed to feel like sand and sea, and it does with white walls and a light blue couch. Howard only displays books that have tones of blue and green on the cover on the entertainment center shelves to add to the theme. Upstairs, two bedrooms offer space for guests.

The couple designed the home to be entertaining for everyone, and with a spacious pool deck off the living room and kitchen, complete with a sitting area, TV and grilling area, it appears everyone will have a space to relax.

Outside of the pool deck is a vast backyard where Howard grows edible plants, including olive, mango, lime and banana trees. In the front of the house, she has blueberry bushes.

 

Kim Howard and Kim McQuilken designed their home to be open and livable.
Kim Howard and Kim McQuilken designed their home to be open and livable.
The living room gives off a sea vibe with blue tones spread throughout.
The living room gives off a sea vibe with blue tones spread throughout.
The kitchen is adjacent to the living room and features a small window and counter that face out to the pool deck.
The kitchen is adjacent to the living room and features a small window and counter that face out to the pool deck.
Blue and white accents, like these pillows, add to the sand and sea theme.
Blue and white accents, like these pillows, add to the sand and sea theme.
A sign on the pool deck even gives off the sand and sea theme.
A sign on the pool deck even gives off the sand and sea theme.
Howard only puts books that have blue colors on the cover on the shelves of the entertainment center.
Howard only puts books that have blue colors on the cover on the shelves of the entertainment center.
A guest bedroom upstairs has two beds and a bathroom for visitors.
A guest bedroom upstairs has two beds and a bathroom for visitors.
Another guest bedroom is simply decorated with colorful accent pillows and a rug.
Another guest bedroom is simply decorated with colorful accent pillows and a rug.
The master bedroom has doors that open to the pool deck.
The master bedroom has doors that open to the pool deck.
The pool deck is complete with a grill, television, sitting area and counter island facing into the kitchen.
The pool deck is complete with a grill, television, sitting area and counter island facing into the kitchen.
A hot tub is connected to the main pool.
A hot tub is connected to the main pool.
The home is located in Emerald Harbor.
The home is located in Emerald Harbor.

 

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