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the view, in fact, that really sold her on the condo, a million-dollar
unobstructed sightline of the Gulf from the massive windows that
stretch from floor to ceiling. “This area has always been one that
Britney loves, having spent so many summers here with her cousin
when she was a child; and being able to look out at those beautiful
beaches and share it with her family was really a dream for her,”
Lynne goes on. A dream within a dream, one might say…
Letting the view claim the spotlight, the rest of the décor is quite
understated, “Beach Shabby Chic,” as Lynne terms its aesthetic.
Playing up the coastal theme, a serene spectrum of muted greens and
blues offer subtle hints of color amongst the neutrality of light beiges
and sand. “This is our Beach Serenity,” Lynne explains of the open,
airy and light-filled condo that has been their vacation haven, “and
it’s a place that feels welcoming.”
“Welcoming” could be a word applied to the Spears family itself—
a tightly-knit group of siblings and their children, all under the wing
of their Mama Lynne. They love to gather and entertain; and over
the past 16 years, the Destin condo has provided the perfect place for
both. “Looking back over the years, the time we’ve spent here with
our family and friends has been some of our
best, sweetest memories.”
And there are many memories to recount,
as the abundance of family photos scattered
throughout the condo can easily attest. They
are a timeline of life, of growing and learning,
of days and nights cherished and shared. Not
of a pop-culture icon and a need for self-
aggrandizement, but of real life and a family
much like any other who comes from small
town roots. The condo is lived in and enjoyed,
from the kitchen where Britney’s young niece Maddie explores her
budding culinary genius under the watchful eye of her grandmother
to the spacious living room filled with light and air that hangs in
anticipation of music and laughter. “We all love to be here together,
watching the sunrises and sunsets and the fireworks, listening to
the roll of the tides coming in on the sand, cooking together and
eating together. Destin has so much for us to do as a family—going
to the beach or to the movies—normal, everyday things that let us
be us,” Lynne says. “It’s become comfortingly familiar—we have
several favorite restaurants along the harbor; we love going out to
Crab Island; and we like to shop at Silver Sands, City Market and
Frill Seekers Gifts, which is actually owned by a friend of ours. The
grandkids, of course, like to hang out at The Track and play the
arcade games,” Lynne says with a smile. “We have so many, many
memories here; and that’s something that no amount of money can
buy.”
Hit after hit, album after album, no fanfare or applause can replace
the feeling of coming home to the people you love, in a place that you
love. And for Britney Spears and her family, coming to Destin feels
like coming home.
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