The Verandas ~ Effortless Living

Finding that perfect home in a great neighborhood that ticks all your boxes can be difficult. We’re talking safe and fun for kids, mature trees, a home with those oh-so-desirable custom touches, and more. Knowing what families want, the team behind The Verandas in Fairhope is committed to building a unique oasis for local families to call home. With VIP access, we took a tour of their breathtaking Showcase Home.

By Caroline Edmondson

Photos Stevye Photography

About The Verandas

The Verandas is a breathtaking new neighborhood in Fairhope built on an expansive parcel of Baldwin County farmland. This neighborhood offers build-to-suit homes by custom home builders to ensure every home meets its future owners’ needs and desires. Families, first-time buyers, retirees, and those simply seeking new, upscale homes are welcome here. The Verandas features luxurious amenities such as a neighborhood pool for those hot summer days, fully stocked ponds for the fisherman (or woman) at heart, fruit trees for residents to pick delicious in-season fruits, and multiple beautifully landscaped common areas to kick back and relax with friends, family, and new neighbors. Bonus: Home dwellers are close to nearly all of Fairhope’s amenities and attractions.

The Team

Well-known prestigious developers and partners for The Verandas, Trae Corte and Bruce Bigler are truly visionaries. They have teamed with Wise Living Real Estate, Michelle Bigler and Wendy Gavras to market the neighborhood adding experience and creativity. “I was looking for a site to develop a custom home neighborhood, so I started looking for land that was not surrounded by existing neighborhoods,” Trae shares. “This property stood out to me, as the terrain has rolling hills, large live oaks, and is set in a quiet country setting, yet close to Mobile. Its sense of community truly makes The Verandas a wonderful place to live and enjoy life in our beautiful part of the country,” Trae adds. For Bruce, “When Trae first approached me with the project more than two years ago, we walked the property full of beautiful old oak trees and discussed the vision of having a unique custom-built neighborhood that encompasses the Fairhope lifestyle. It's exciting to see it come to life,” Bruce says.

To date, the team has completed the first two phases which encompasses 77 lots across 44 acres with two stocked lakes, fruit orchards, and an abundance of greenspace. “Our lifestyle neighborhood will continue to expand throughout the next three phases starting in 2020,” Bruce says. “We have more unique ideas for the remaining 178 acres that includes everything from greenspace footpaths and biking trails to a village area and even some five acre lots,” he adds. 

Additionally, Bruce and Trae recognize and know the importance of a woman’s voice in the home buying process. Enter Michelle Bigler. “Not only am I involved in the design process of future phases and homes, but I’m also the Realtor for the showcase home, and helped with the planning and staging of the model and Showcase Home,” Michelle says. “I know how important the right appliances and smart features are to our clients! Additionally, we truly want everyone to know how special The Verandas is, so marketing, social media, and event planning are all a huge part of my job,” she adds. 

Breaking Ground

Eric Craig of Eric Craig Homes was entrusted in constructing The Verandas’ Showcase Home, as he’s been in the building and construction business for the past 17 years. Eric is a true professional, having built everything from complete construction and additions to full remodels. After meeting with developers Bruce Bigler and Trae Corte and hearing their vision of a high-end custom home subdivision, Eric was convinced The Verandas was the perfect place to build the Showcase Home for the Baldwin County Home Builders Association’s Parade of Homes. “Not only was the subdivision in a beautiful country setting, but it also had all the amenities to make it the perfect community,” he shares. Eric’s style can be described as modern rustic, with a touch of industrial achieved with textured layers – something Eric believes made him the perfect candidate for the job, as The Verandas is one of the few true custom neighborhoods in the area. Last November, Eric started planning the perfect home. “My criteria was to build a one story open floor plan with a large outdoor area for entertaining. I compiled a list of ideas and worked with Coastal Design Group to come up with a perfect plan,” he says.

Next, Eric worked closely with Stephanie Minter of Stephanie Minter Design to fine tune his ideas. “She and I put together a special home filled with smart features, an old growth Cyprus beam porch, hammered truss beams in the kitchen/living area, iron front doors, shiplap walls, painted wood ceilings, three fireplaces, and a dog wash,” Eric shares. The master bedroom features suspended beams, a built-in mantel with wall sconces, and a private screened-in sitting area. Inspired Closets of Mobile designed the master closet and pantry. The kitchen has pecky Cyprus accent cabinets with white GE Café appliances, a dual faucet multipurpose food prep sink, and a wet bar. Eric’s favorite part of the home is the outdoor kitchen, perfect for grilling out, and the living area with its wood burning fireplace for those chilly coastal nights. “This home embodies the craftsmanship and style of what the neighborhood is trying to achieve,” Eric says. “I’m proud of all the unique features and textures Stephanie and I used to give the home an authentic, modern industrial feel.”

Decorated to Perfection

Once built, it was time to enlist the help of the master decorators from Malouf Furniture. Gardner Malouf, the store’s owner, has lived a life centered around furniture, as his grandfather originally opened the store in 1946 in Greenwood, Miss. “It was a booming time in Mississippi,” Gardner explains. “The area did not have a quality furniture store so, being from a family of merchants, my grandfather opened one. The store is still there and has a reputation for quality furniture and great customer service,” Gardner shares. After his grandfather, Gardner’s father took over and opened a store in Foley. He then created a line of high-design lighting, accessories, mirrors, botanicals, and even furniture, and today their products can be found all over the U.S. These days, Gardner holds the reins of the store, something he takes great pride in. “It means everything to me to know what he stood for and to make sure I live up to that standard every day,” Gardner shares. Confirming the importance of family, Gardner’s wife Courtney is also a key member of the business. With a strong clientele across the Bay, she shares, “As a design team we always listen to the client and what their needs are. No exceptions; that’s where it starts. From there it’s designing their lifestyle and reaching the goals of the clients.” This philosophy is exactly why Malouf Furniture was perfect to complete The Verandas’ Showcase Home. 

A perfect match, Malouf Furniture Sales Manager Jeremy Brock shares, “The beautiful new neighborhood brings casual upscale living with a focus on community and nature. We care about the community and want our clients to truly enjoy the space they call home,” he says. Jeremy and his team at Malouf toured the home before it was completed to create an initial plan. “We could immediately see the theme and began making our selections,” he says. “We love the grand ceiling heights and amazing architectural elements throughout.” The style that emerged was “Transitional Casual Comfort,” which incorporated clean lines, rustic touches, and a pop of contemporary throughout, all mixing effortlessly to create an environment that is both comfortable and stylish. Jeremy says his favorite piece in the home has to be the beautiful Credenza in the dining room from the John Richard collection. “It’s an amazing piece that highlights art by Carol Benson Cobb,” he shares. 

Jeremy says the process of designing this home has been a lot of fun, as they enjoy large projects, putting together an interior design idea, and making it come to life. Ashley Huffmaster, their merchandising manager, was integral in making this a success. She shares, “This was done fairly quickly, but we have the ability to complete just about any look with a quick turnaround.” Thanks to Malouf Furniture, the Showcase Home displays the idyllic lifestyle the team has worked so hard to create. 

Why The Verandas?

In seeking to offer luxury, custom-built homes in the comfort of a neighborhood that emphasizes the importance of nature, friendship, and community, The Verandas brings dream homes to reality by allowing homebuyers the freedom to design and decorate their perfect home while giving them the tools and team they need to succeed. With state-of-the-art amenities, privacy, and a quaint setting, The Verandas is the perfect start to a new chapter.

The Verandas, Fairhope

251.367.1111 or 251.510.2682

Eric Craig Homes, Inc.

251.747.5465

Malouf Furniture

7745 AL-59, Foley

251.955.5151