The House That Seashells Built
By
Sea Grape Lodge
Every inch of this house on Demere Key (just off Pine Island) is encrusted with seashells. It is mind boggling to think about adhering each and every one of those whelk shells (they look like conchs too) to the outside walls….. much less, collecting all of them together!
Seashells around each window
The house was originally built by Phil Degraff to be a winter resort and named it Sea Grape Lodge.
Left side of Sea Grape Lodge
The lodge closed a number of years ago and now is a private residence so we tried to be as respectful as possible while driving by in our boat…. but it’s like stopping in front of a house with every inch covered in christmas lights… it’s mesmerizing!
Even the fence is covered with shells
Oh my, I couldn't get enough
I was on overload with eye candy!
Sea Grape Lodge on Demere Key
I found some really fantastic history on this house from one of my first ever blogger friends Pam from Small Serendipities. Please click on the link in bold and visit her blog to find out more info on this house that seashells built and maybe give her a little hello.
wow i would love to live in that house. it would be fun to just walk around the house looking at every shell!!!
Amazing!
Awesome!!!!
Would love to be able to see it in person.
I went to Pam’s Small Serendipities website; the history of this structure is fascinating! I wondered how Mr. Demere came up with all those shells and was amazed by the answer. Thanks, Pam, for yet another virtual “shelling” trip!
that is incredible! I wanna live there when I grow up!
omg! what a labor of love. must have been sad to leave behind. off pine island where?? i’ll be looking for it!
It is called Demere Key. It is @ the end of Maria Dr. On Pine Island.
Look at all those huge whelks.
Now that’s a dream home
WOW!! Absolutely gorgeous
Oh my gosh! How crazy amazing!!! I have to feature this!!!
Now that’s what I call the ULTIMATE sheller’s dream! Fabulous!
That’s amazing! I can’t believe that’s here in FL! I am dragging my husband to see this one on our way to beautiful Sanibel in a few weeks!
Hi there, just realised I’d left the “s” off my blog there… What a dope I am…
This house is insane and it’s my dream home. Seriously. Isn’t it just the most divine thing you’ve ever seen. No wonder you couldn’t get enough. I so have to visit your part of the world. Pruxxx
Wow, what a seashell house!!
Wow what a place..Just think about finding those shell mounds and deciding to do such a fantastic project with them.Wonder how long it took.
On my way to Sanibel in the morning. i cannot beleive my eyes, that someone could attach all those shells and I just want to find a few good ones.
Pam, can this only be seen by boat?
Yes, I believe that by boat is the only way you can see it.
That is the most beautiful house in the world! I think i can speak for everyone who reads this website when i say that i would love to live there!
WE visited the Sea grape in the late 60.s and had dinner ther, it’s a amazing place.The the name of the man was Phil Degraff
rocky and diane, ahhhh, so cool. Did you take pictures? I’d love to know if the inside had been encrusted with whelks in any way….. or if they used shells in any other decor or mosaics.
[...] got the nicest email from blog friend Lee Garrett after my post The House That Seashells Built with more seashell houses. See? We’re not the only ones in the world that are shell crazy. [...]
I am very familiar with that house and it’s history, you have a few things wrong, first of all the Island was named Demere Key, The island is named for its early owner, Lewis Deméré (1813 – About 1880), who was born at St. Simons Island, Georgia. He and his wife, Virginia Clancy Barnard Deméré (1821–1900) and son, Raymond Barnard Deméré (1843–1905) lived on the island until about 1880. The mna who built Seagrape lodge is named Phil DeGraff. Also, he did not collect the shells himself, it’s actually a sad story because local word of mouth has it that he offered cash to commercial fisherman for each boatload of Whelks they could deliver to him, unfortunately that meant they destroyed centuries old Indian Mounds to get those giant Whelks, it’s been extremely rare for many years to find Whelks of that size. you can find lots more info if you visit the sanibel library, the captiva library and the pine island library, it’s sad that so much of our rich history is accurately known by so few and they disappearing rapidly.
nice story though and a very cool house, there is also some evidence to support that the original fence around the Island was built by the Calusa out of Whelks
Thank you so much Arthur for such great info and for the corrections. I had a hard time finding any info on this house but I figured it has some great stories.
I actually vacationed there as a teenager with my parents and sister when the lodge was in its first few years in operation. Phil DeGraph owned a lodge dating back to the late 1930s in Trout Lake Michigan in “da UP” which is now a private residence. It was a seasonal operation and Phil built Sea Grape Lodge to have a winter operation. We visited Phil DeGraph’s lodge several summers.
Phil was a colorful guy. He always wore swim trunks and a matching cabana shirt. The Michigan operation was on Wegwas Lake which he owned completely and only non powered boats were allowed. The plans were all inclusive with great foot prepared at both locations. He did not serve alcohol… believed the food would stand on its merit. Phil published a cook book approptiately titled “Birches, Beaches, & Belches”.