Chateau Farmer

The Riverside Drive château of the late Phillip and Jeanne Farmer is a local landmark. PINK FLAMINGO PHOTOGRAPHY

Majestic dream house is gilded with happy memories

Many parties and events that raised funds for local nonprofits were held at the Farmer home’s terrace, a beautiful area overlooking the Indian River Lagoon.

A well-crafted house reflects the personality of the people who call it their home. The Indialantic château was the pride of Phillip and Jeanne Farmer for many years. It reveals a portrait of a couple who adored their family and community, and who approached life with grace, kindness and humor.

“The house is a true reflection of the warmth and love that my parents felt for each other and that they shared with everyone they met,” Jeff Farmer said.

Melbourne architect Andrew Kirschner designed the 8,015-square-foot forever home for the Farmers in 1999. With the guidance of interior designer Bobbi Hart, Jeanne Farmer furnished it in a manner both impeccable and welcoming. This was the 11th house she had decorated, as her husband’s career necessitated moves. Her final opus of a home was designed to embrace her large family and her passion for gardening. She succeeded with both intents. 

Son-in-law Jaimie Moore remembers his feelings of anticipation before he first visited the Farmers’ Castle House. “I wasn’t really sure what to expect,” he said. “But within moments, I realized this was not just a showpiece: It was a warm, cozy and welcoming home.”

The Farmers were generous with their time, talent and treasure. Their home by the Indian River often served as the setting for events benefitting Florida Institute of Technology, the King Center, The Haven, Brevard Symphony Orchestra and other community groups. At Florida Tech, the couple’s legacy is anchored by the Farmer Scholars Program, the university’s most prestigious financial award, which provides a full four-year scholarship annually. Their philanthropy embraced a variety of organizations, which also included Brevard Zoo and the Health First Foundation.

Phil Farmer, president of Harris Corporation during the 1990s, passed away in 2018. Jeanne continued living in the house until her death this May.

Soaring ceilings and a wraparound balcony with custom metalwork overlook the elegant living room.

ONE OF A KIND

The Farmer château in Indialantic features a beautiful view of the Indian River Lagoon, as well as of the gardens Jeanne Farmer created and loved.

So, a new family will be making memories in the landmark Castle House after it is offered for sale in a few weeks by global real estate advisor Stephanie Moss Dandridge of One Sotheby’s International Realty. Dandridge comes well-prepared for such an outstanding property, since she has represented and sold — at $9 million — the highest-priced residence in the county. She also handled the county’s best-known property, Hacienda del Sol, in not one but two sales. Fluent in five languages and with a background in contracts and law, a bachelor’s degree in marketing, an MBA and an MIM in international marketing and diplomatic relations, Dandridge is trusted with the most exclusive properties on the Space Coast. The Farmer home is typical of the craftsmanship and community legacy found in the homes Dandridge represents.

“Like the other properties, this is iconic because of the owners,” she said. The home is as one of a kind as the couple who created it. 

“My parents built 3380 N. Riverside Drive as their dream home, a culmination of a successful life, with the supreme satisfaction of knowing they would never have to move again,” Jeff Farmer said. “It is a house built for what they loved: entertaining family and friends, hosting community events, and relaxing with a cocktail in hand to view the sunsets over the river.”

A gracious gatehouse frames the château beyond and provides a taste of what visitors can expect. The structure encompasses a four-car garage topped by a 700-square-foot playroom for the grandchildren.

“Everything Jeanne did was for the grandkids,” Dandridge said. The Farmers took great pleasure in making the grandchildren feel at home, and the younger generation could not resist the attraction of multiple sets of stairs, plus the many balconies, pool and spa. “The grandkids in particular all have so many special holiday memories,” Jeff Farmer said. “There is no place quite like it.”

Look closer and you will see the paintings of the family’s beloved poodles enjoying pride of place over the bed.

WHIMSICAL TOUCHES 

Jeanne’s rose garden is a pocket version that hints at formal gardens such as those found in the Loire Valley’s famed cháteau de Villandry. It also reflects Jeanne’s acumen at growing the often-moody bushes in Florida.

A driveway of circular pavers rings a fountain where a very unexpected bright yellow rubber ducky contentedly floats — proving the Farmers’ whimsical sense of humor. Both huge animal lovers, the Farmers enjoyed incorporating a variety of animal-themed décor into their house. They so loved their mini-pack of standard poodles that drawings of their beloved pets take pride of place in the master bedroom.

With five bedrooms, five bathrooms and two half-baths, the Farmer home has an abundance of space, yet every square foot has been thoughtfully allocated a purpose. “It’s a great floor plan,” Dandridge said. “For a house this size, there is no space wasted.” Jeff Farmer, his siblings and their families remember their visits fondly. “There is enough space that you never feel cramped, with great gathering spaces in every direction, yet somehow it maintains a cozy, warm feel,” he said.

The French kitchen enclave includes double fireplaces, a counter and a table and chairs. The adjoining sunroom was the Farmers’ favorite space.

The house remains fully furnished, as if the owners have just stepped out for dinner. The family has decided the furniture will be available to the home’s next owner, should they so wish.

“The thought is that the furnishings were designed for the house and fit perfectly,” Dandridge said. Everything in the décor complements each other, subtly but definitely. The expansive yet welcoming French kitchen, for example, beams with warmth as does the adjoining river-facing sunroom. These rooms must have hosted a share of informal get-togethers. Two of the home’s four fireplaces are located here: one facing the kitchen, the other the sunroom.

The Farmer house is stunning in every season, but particularly so during the holidays. “Christmas was especially festive at the house, with lights everywhere, multiple trees, and fantastic outdoor decor that made you feel you were entering a fairy tale castle,” Jeff Farmer said.

If the past is any indication, the home will undoubtedly continue creating unforgettable moments for future generations of owners. “Some of my most precious memories will forever be linked to Phil, Jeannie and this wonderful home,” Moore said.

Exclusively offered by ONE Sotheby’s International Realty and Stephanie Moss Dandridge. Currently offered at $5.6 Million.

Elegantly decorated, the kitchen was the hub for family and guests alike.

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