Riverfront Outdoor Living on the St. Johns River

Riverfront outdoor living on the St. Johns River.

From Mandarin and San Marco to Fruit Cove, RiverTown, Fleming Island and Orange Park, homes on the St. Johns River are built around the view. We design outdoor rooms that frame the river, serving riverfront homeowners on both banks.

AY Luxury Designs LLC · Certified Building Contractor CBC1268168 · Amany Youssef: Registered Building Contractor RB29003947 · Registered Electrical Contractor ER13016631 · Registered Underground Utility & Excavation Contractor RU11066663

Book a Consultation · Call (904) 629-8803

Designing on the River

The view first. Structures placed to frame the river, not block it.
Mature trees and slopes. Riverfront lots often slope to the water and have big oaks. We design around them with steps, raised patios and seat walls.
Storm exposure. Open water brings wind. Every permitted structure gets its necessary engineered documents.
Setbacks and review. Waterfront setbacks and HOA or historic review, depending on the neighborhood.
Different counties. The river runs through Duval, St. Johns and Clay counties, each with its own permit office.

Florida has more than 80 mosquito species, according to UF/IFAS.

UF/IFAS recommends avoiding wood-to-ground contact, like posts or decks set directly in soil, as one way to help reduce termite risk in Florida.

Why AY Luxury Designs

You design it with the founder. Amany Youssef designs every project with you in person and stays involved through the final walkthrough.
We manage every step, from design to final inspection. We handle the AutoCAD design, the HOA paperwork, the engineering, the permits and the build. We handle electrical work with our licensed electrical partner, and gas and plumbing with our licensed trade partners.
Built for Florida. Every permitted structure gets its necessary engineered documents.
A Nextdoor Neighborhood Favorite.

Our Design-Build Process

Design session with Amany. Your project starts at our Jacksonville design studio, where you sit down with founder Amany Youssef and watch your project take shape live on screen in AutoCAD.
Free AutoCAD design and a custom quote. You get to-scale 3D renderings and a fully itemized custom quote within 24 hours of your consultation, so you know exactly what you're getting.
In-home design visit. Amany comes to your home for an in-person walkthrough, so we look at the project together where you're most comfortable, finalize the details and choose your colors and finishes.
Engineering, HOA and permits handled. We get the necessary engineered documents for every permitted structure, prepare your HOA/ARB package and pull the permits.
Build. We can start most projects within two to four weeks. Our crews follow a build process we've refined over many projects, and you get daily updates.
The AY Advantage. You hold back the final 5% for seven days after completion, so we can take care of any touch-ups before you sign off.

Financing is available through Synchrony Bank, including 18 months of no-interest financing, and we have other financing options as well.

Related Projects

Cedar pergola over a raised paver patio with fire pit, RiverTown (St. Johns) A custom cedar pergola crowns a raised paver patio, with a built-in bench, a wood-burning fire pit and lighting woven through the walls and steps.

Grand cedar gazebo, fire pit walk and color-changing waterfall, RiverTown (St. Johns) An expansive cedar gazebo tied into the roofline, inside a screen enclosure with our expanded-view upgrade. Out in the yard, a paver walkway follows the slope of the lot down to a wood-burning fire pit and a color-changing waterfall, with lighting throughout.

Cedar gazebo with outdoor kitchen, bar and outdoor TV, Pace Island (Fleming Island) Planned as a cedar pergola, this project grew into a full cedar gazebo with custom column build-ups over an outdoor kitchen with a bar and granite counters, set on new pavers that wrap around the house. In a second phase the family added an outdoor TV and ceiling speakers.

Frequently Asked Questions

What's the best patio cover near the water or in a windy spot? Coastal and open lots need careful design and material choices. We choose materials and finishes for your home's exposure.

Do you serve riverfront homes on the St. Johns River? Yes, we serve homeowners in riverfront homes on the St. Johns River and throughout Northeast Florida. Your project starts with a design session at our Jacksonville studio, and then Amany comes to your home for the in-home design visit.