A mecca of design and master planning set within the captivating landscape of the Gulf of Mexico coastline of Northwest Florida, Alys Beach is a living gallery of the works of some of the country’s most revered architects and designers. While the town inches towards full completion, a variety of home ownership options remain, with custom build opportunities presenting on a limited release basis. Creating a legacy of design, Alys Beach is built for resilience and longevity, cultivating a luxury coastal lifestyle to be enjoyed and sought after for generations to come.
designed by Studio Roche Bobois.
by
Roche Bobois. Cestello cocktail tables, designed by Gabriele Fedele. Unfold
Since 1938 ince
STARK delivers timeless luxury through innovative craftsmanship and expert service. For nearly a century, our master artisans and design consultants have transformed exceptional spaces with the world’s finest carpets and rugs, ensuring flawless execution every time.
MARCH | APRIL 2025
Celebrating Creativity
IT’S IMPOSSIBLE TO ESCAPE CREATIVE EXPRESSION.
Here at LUXE, nearly everything we see and touch has been thoughtfully conceived and skillfully crafted. As I travel across the country—visiting art fairs that showcase renowned artists and touring workrooms and studios where home goods are meticulously made by craftspeople whose names you may never learn—I marvel at the beauty produced by the creative community. Their talents are displayed on the most personal of canvases: our homes. At LUXE, we consider ourselves curators of these individualized, residential artworks. We are always searching for engaging projects and memorable homes that will captivate our audience. Being immersed in this creative world makes me feel deeply grateful and reminds me why home is so very special. Our homes, and every item within, have a proud story to tell. They are our own creative incubators.
In our March/April issue, you’ll nd a wellspring of inspiration with boundary-pushing design, rooms where color and pattern live together fearlessly and homes with dramatic natural surroundings—just to name a few. You can enjoy these beauties, and more, in your regional issues, or as they roll out on our freshly redesigned website luxesource.com.
As these descriptions suggest, you are about to see a refreshed explosion of color (both indoors and out) across our pages. Spring has arrived, and we are celebrating the imagination, inventiveness and talents of designers, makers and builders. While you’re at it, look around your own home with a renewed respect for the labor of love that goes into every detail. Then, open the windows wide, lighten up the linens and head outdoors.
Enjoy the season,
Jill Cohen Editor in Chief
Follow me @jilleditsluxe
MAR APR
Along with architect Tim Adams, designer Amanda Wyatt and landscape designer Alex Smith shape a serene North Carolina escape.
Showstopping rooms from our issues across the country suggest a shift toward fearless color.
Brittany Bromley, Sasha Bikoff and Chauncey Boothby school us on sophisticated kids’ rooms.
Benner Landscape Design and Green 17 Design share their ethos for emotive California landscapes.
Read about the inspiring work of Kips Bay Boys & Girls Club and a forthcoming book celebrating 50 years of the Decorator Show House.
Market
Discover spring’s new fabrics and wallpapers showcased within three distinct color combinations.
Shop the look of these eye-catching interiors pulled from our regional features.
Outdoor furniture company Harbour chats with LUXE about its evolution and what’s on the horizon.
The latest furniture, lighting and textile debuts for alfresco living that have caught our editors’ eyes.
A lush Palm Beach retreat by Marshall Watson is the perfect backdrop for entertaining in style.
Living
Jeffrey Alan Marks takes us behind the design of his charming Connecticut kitchen and dining spaces.
Thoughtful Innovation
you can see and taste
Visit our inspiring showroom and get started on your kitchen journey.
FEATURES
Individual Flavor
The bold personalities of collector clients shine through in a Manhattan apartment articulated by designers Anthony Baratta and Erick Espinoza.
Growing Up Gracefully
Designer Martin Horner seamlessly blends durability with luxury in a custom Chicago townhome for an expanding family.
True Colors
Designers Michael Cox and Zunilda Madera transform a 1990s Boca Raton residence into an eye-catching, eclectic home.
ON THE COVER: A rug by Anthony Monaco Carpet & Textile Design pulls together the palette of this Manhattan living room designed by Anthony Baratta and Erick Espinoza. The clients’ art collection, which includes works by Robert Townsend (left) and William Klein (right), alights the vista to the den. Page 86
Written by Grace Beuley Hunt
Photography by Annie Schlechter
Written by Lara Hallock
Photography by Dustin Halleck Styling by Hilary Rose
Written by Lisa Bingham Dewart
Photography by Carmel Brantley
EXECUTIVE EDITOR
JILL COHEN EDITOR IN CHIEF
MANAGING EDITORIAL DIRECTOR
STYLE DIRECTOR
DESIGN DIRECTOR Pam Shavalier DIRECTOR, DIGITAL Ileana Llorens
ART DIRECTOR
Candace Cohen
Brittany Chevalier McIntyre
SENIOR MANAGING EDITOR
Colleen McTiernan
Kelly Velocci Jolliffe
EDITORS
MANAGING
Krystal Racaniello, Clémence Sfadj
HOMES EDITORS
ARIZONA, GREATER CHICAGO
Brittany Chevalier McIntyre
AUSTIN + SAN ANTONIO, DALLAS + FORT WORTH, HOUSTON
Lara Hallock
COLORADO + THE ROCKIES, LOS ANGELES, SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
Kelly Phillips Badal
ART
ART DIRECTOR
Maria Pluta
SENIOR GRAPHIC DESIGNER
Jamie Beauparlant
GRAPHIC DESIGNERS
Kyle Anderson, John Griffin-Santucci
SENIOR RETOUCHER
Christian Ablan
CONTRIBUTING PHOTO EDITORS
Catherine Armanasco, Kristen Roeder
Kathryn Given
STRATEGIC COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER
Hannah Lavine
GREATER NEW YORK, HAMPTONS
Grace Beuley Hunt
MIAMI, NAPLES + SARASOTA, PALM BEACH + BROWARD
Jennifer Pfaff Smith
SENIOR MARKET EDITOR
Sarah Shelton
PACIFIC NORTHWEST, SAN FRANCISCO + NORTHERN CALIFORNIA
Mary Jo Bowling
SOUTHEAST
Kate Abney
DIGITAL
SENIOR SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER
Claire Evans
WEB EDITOR
Brooke Robinson
ADAM I. SANDOW
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ERICA HOLBORN
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
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Bobby Bonett
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VICE PRESIDENT, BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT
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Steven Wilsey
SANDOW was founded by visionary entrepreneur Adam I. Sandow in 2003, with the goal of reinventing the traditional publishing model. Today, SANDOW powers the design, materials and luxury industries through innovative content, tools and integrated solutions. With its diverse portfolio of assets, SANDOW has established itself as the largest design media company in the world which includes the following brands: LUXE Interiors + Design, Interior Design, Metropolis, DesignTV by SANDOW; ThinkLab, a research and strategy firm; and content services brands, including The Agency by SANDOW – a full-scale digital marketing agency, The Studio by SANDOW – a video production studio, and SURROUND – a podcast network and production studio. In 2019, Adam Sandow launched Material Bank, the world’s largest marketplace for searching, sampling and specifying architecture, design and construction materials. Other SANDOW brands include definitive authority on all things beauty, NewBeauty; luxury sampling platform, Test Tube by NewBeauty; Leaders Magazine; and exclusive private airport newsstand network, MediaJet.
TANYA SUBER EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT, BUSINESS OPERATIONS
This magazine is recyclable. Please recycle when you’re done with it. We’re all in this together.
Nickolas Sargent of DBA Sargent Photography
RADAR
CREATIVE APPROACH | SNAPSHOT | READ THE ROOM | ASK THE EXPERT | GIVING BACK
Step inside LUXE’s spring issue where we’re celebrating inspiring landscapes, creatives having fun with color, design doing good and so much more.
Appalachian IDYLL
There is one project recently completed by architect Tim Adams in Cashiers, North Carolina, that reads as something plucked from a dream. “The property sits in a beautiful valley of the Blue Ridge Mountains, bordered by national forest on one side, with a pretty meadow that runs down the middle of it,” says Adams, whose clients asked him to craft an idyllic vacation retreat capitalizing on those comprehensive views.
ACCESSORY STRUCTURES ENHANCE A BUCOLIC WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA COMPOUND, TIED TOGETHER BY MATERIALS AND DISTINGUISHED BY MOOD.
WRITTEN BY KATE ABNEY
PHOTOGRAPHY BY LISA ROMEREIN
STYLING BY ELEANOR ROPER
From the beginning, Adams’ winecollecting clients requested a creative method to store treasured vintages. An ingenious solution emerged as landscape designer Alex Smith was softening the incline of the lot’s topography into a gentle slope, integrating a stone retaining wall to hold back plant material and soil. Everyone agreed on a wonderful opportunity: tucking the cellar directly into this new hillside, complete with an antiqued oval door.
The same indigenous Doggett Mountain eldstone Adams chose for the main home reappears here on the façade, while native plantings spill over the structure, blending seamlessly with the landscape. “It becomes a found experience, something very personal,” Adams says. The result is a golden-hour retreat where savoring a rare bottle feels even more special, where teak seating can easily whisk onto the pea gravel courtyard for impromptu picnics.
Introducing the Spring 2025 Collection
Explore our full offering of textiles, wallcovering and rugs at hollyhunt.com.
“ Between the main house and the two guest cabins , we wanted to create three different experiences, three different languages.”
–TIM ADAMS
proportions complemented by hand-hewn ceiling beams and soft white plaster. Creating points of connection throughout the property was also a priority, so a guest bedroom in the main house (below) reflects a similar femininity.
Continuing threads of connection throughout the compound, Adams again used the same endemic stone on woodburning fireplaces in two guest cabins guarding the forest and meadow’s edges. “We wanted to create three different experiences, three different languages,” Adams says of this enchanting estate, which is set to be showcased in his upcoming monograph, Tradition Made New: Houses With a Sense of Soul and History (Rizzoli, September 2025). “One cabin feels more of the woods; the other, more of the meadow.” Meanwhile, interior designer Amanda Wyatt further differentiated the dwellings
through thematic touches. The woods cabin is darker and more grounded, while the meadow cabin (above) is brighter and airier, conjuring the European countryside through pale plaster, ivory textiles and botanical motifs. This lighter approach harks back to feminine spaces in the main house, including a guest bedroom dressed in cheery pinks (left). “It’s nice to have a space to get away that’s a little bit different,” Wyatt notes. “Much of this project was about moments of contrast, but everything works together.” tsadamsstudio.com, design-insider.com, alexsmithgardendesign.com
This Cashiers, North Carolina, estate by architect Tim Adams and designer Amanda Wyatt includes an outdoor wine cellar (previous page) and pair of cabins, each with a different material palette to reflect the destination. The meadow cabin (right) shines thanks to lofty
Designers
GONE WILD
LUXE spies fearlessly colorful interiors from coast to coast.
PRODUCED BY
GRACE BEULEY HUNT
“The rug was inspired by suiting fabric with superimposed flowers that pop off the surface. Conceptually, this den (right) was meant to feel ‘mod’ but in a modern sense, with very controlled color.” –Erick Espinoza, anthonybaratta.com
“We deliberately chose a neutral backdrop so that the serpentine sofa’s curves and pink color would burst onto the scene and draw you into the living room (below left).” –Julie Massucco Kleiner, massuccowarner.com
“The white linen-wrapped millwork featured in this home office (below middle) forms a soft canvas for a modern twist on the classic coastal blue and yellow color palette.” –Michael Cox, foleyandcox.com
“This sky-blue office (below right) doubles as a bedroom for the clients’ nieces and nephews. The emerald-green-striped circus ceiling isn’t visible on Zoom calls, but it’s a fun addition for young visitors sleeping over!” –Isy Runsewe, isysinteriors.com
New York
Florida Washington
New York
FOREVER YOUNG
TODAY’S TOP TALENTS ARE CRAFTING KIDS’ SPACES BRIMMING WITH DESIGN IDEAS FOR ALL AGES.
WRITTEN BY GRACE BEULEY HUNT
Christopher Farr Cloth’s La Jungle swathes the walls and ceiling of this Bedford, New York, bunk room designed by Brittany Bromley, continuing onto the lower bunk bed curtains. Taconic Builders crafted the custom millwork, which is painted Benjamin Moore’s New Born’s Eyes.
“Our brief was to create something fun and whimsical that didn’t take itself too seriously and managed to be durable and re ective of the home’s overall aesthetic,” shares designer Brittany Bromley of the multipurpose bunk room she designed in Bedford, New York. Bromley’s vision for the space (which would cater to games and crafts, homework sessions, movie nights and sleepover parties), was to offset a generous deployment of energetic colors and patterns with sophisticated furniture silhouettes and elevated lighting.
In turn, an envelope of hand-printed wallpaper bedecked with leopards and elephants sets the stage for a navy, green and sky palette popped with clean white and warm rattan accents that blend masculine with feminine, and youthful with elegant. The wallpaper also brings balance to the unusual dimensions of the space, which is tucked under a pitched roof. “Had we chosen to stop the paper before the eaves, the ceiling would have stood out and been plain by comparison. By having the pattern climb, we took advantage of the architectural detailing.” The nished mix, Bromley declares, makes for “everyone’s favorite room in the house!” bbromleyinteriors.com
Peter Dunham Textiles’ prints cover the sofa and chairs in the bunk room. A Currey & Company pendant hangs above, tying to the rattan Serena & Lily bistro chair at the Rove Concepts homework table (right). The rug is Fibreworks.
“I’m a Virgo, so I take my organization very seriously,” shares designer Sasha Bikoff. Naturally, she tapped her longtime collaborator, California Closets, to outfit her son Dino’s playroom in East Hampton, New York, with workhorse built-ins.
“It’s always great to work with California Closets; they tackle the technicals so that I can focus on the design, and together we fine-tune,” Bikoff says. The resulting program—a clever combination of open and closed storage concealing all manner of kiddie clutter—is as hardworking as it is fun to look at.
One side of the room features twin closets with a pulldown bed tucked between, while the other side holds ample drawers and cubbies—as well as a workspace for mom. “I incorporated a desk because I imagine designing while Dino plays,” she muses. “The success to being both kid-friendly and sophisticated is to create an environment that you and your child can equally enjoy.” The fact that the room’s inspiration is the family’s beloved vacation destination (the multitone blues were plucked from the nearby bay, the oranges and yellows evoke East End sunsets and the ceramic veggie knobs nod to the Hamptons’ iconic farm stands) further cements the space as one for all ages to enjoy. sashabikoff.com
Benjamin Moore’s Mystical Blue, Tidal Wave and Clearest Ocean Blue create a color-block effect on designer Sasha Bikoff’s custom California Closets storage system. The shelf and play table are both Nestig and the rug is Sasha Bikoff for Flor.
For this playroom and little girl’s bedroom in Larchmont, New York, designer Chauncey Boothby employed a “playful yet subtly sophisticated palette” to craft a fairy-tale ambiance with timeless appeal. Hushed pink paint wraps the ocularly-shaped bedroom (which is located, fittingly, in a turret of the home), while creams, gray-greens and more soft pinks envelope the third-floor playroom. There, Boothby went all-in on storybook fantasy, crafting a scalloped tent valance to hide a projector and movie screen, and stashing an adorable built-in dollhouse behind a petite doorway.
“As the girls outgrow their kid furniture, those pieces can be moved out and the rooms will become chic sleeping and sitting areas in their tweens and teens. It’s a perfect haven for them to socialize,” Boothby continues. “When designing children’s rooms, I always look to accessories and other ‘smalls’ to create a youthful vibe, but pair them against beautiful wallpapers, fabrics, and in this case, lighting fixtures, that they can grow into and are not stereotypically childish.” chaunceyboothby.com
Aleta’s Bouquet Jal wallpaper was the jumping-off point for the playroom (above), which designer Chauncey Boothby paired with a Couristan rug, Poppie chairs and a Milton & Goose tables. Farrow & Ball’s Pink Ground decorates the bedroom walls alongside a pendant by The Urban Electric Co. and an RH Baby & Child crib.
GARDEN DELIGHTS
A PAIR OF GOLDEN STATE LANDSCAPES START WITH THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT.
WRITTEN BY KELLY PHILLIPS BADAL AND MARY JO BOWLING
California is known for seamless indooroutdoor living, so it’s fitting that when looking to create a harmonious, integrated experience between house and garden, a landscape designer would consider a dwelling’s architecture. Such was the case for these two projects, and although one was sparked by a midcentury gem and the other by classic Mediterranean style, both are studies in serenity.
SoCal Sanctuary
Los Angeles is a hothouse of midcentury abodes, often with striking landscaping to match. So, after Patricia Benner’s client purchased a 1963 Buff, Straub and Hensman dwelling, the landscape architect immediately envisioned aligning the garden spaces with its modernist roots. The owner, committed to preserving the
home’s architectural integrity, “was all about cozy, beautiful and restful gardens, and had a definite idea about the mood she wanted,” notes Benner. A meditative interior courtyard—shaded by a partial roof—became the serene centerpiece of the project. Linear wood slats play off the home’s interior details and warm up the space; Boston ivy traces the walls, and a boulder was fashioned into a water element. Fluffy tufts of Irish moss billow around pavers and bonsai-like juniper trees nod to a Japanese garden design aesthetic. “We focused on layering different textures of plant material to create a sense of perspective within each space,” she muses, pointing out the kinetic nature of her choices. “This is a richly textured but also very simple sanctuary—a word we used again and again while creating it.” benner-design.com
In a midcentury modern L.A. home’s inner courtyard, a Walter Lamb for Brown Jordan rocking chair is situated beside a firepit and boulder-turned-water element, both the work of Roger Hopkins Stone Sculptors. Views of an enclosed side garden (left) are visible from the client’s bedroom and bath.
DESIGNER
LIGHTING SHOP NOW
IAN K. FOWLER KEARS LARGE BRACKETED WALL LIGHT IN AGED IRON WITH CLEAR GLASS VISUALCOMFORT.COM
Refuge in Napa
When landscape designer Tim O’Shea began crafting this St. Helena garden, he looked to his clients’ love of travel and their classic Mediterranean-style home for inspiration. “The residence is like an Italian villa in wine country,” he notes. O’Shea gave the project formal structure and symmetry—hallmark characteristics of Mediterranean gardens—using the column-like forms of sycamore trees to create allées and rows of boxwood to define spaces—important concepts for the couple who enjoy entertaining and dining outside. “When you create a beautiful garden, people enjoy looking at it,” the designer says. “But when you define rooms within the landscape, they can immediately understand how to use it. It creates an instant intimacy with the land.” Thus, there are clearly designated spots for small daily rituals like morning coffee as well as larger spaces for alfresco dinner parties. Amidst this order, there is also a profound sense of peace. “Elements such as low stone walls and bold but simple plant combinations create a restful environment,” notes O’Shea. “It becomes a place of refuge.” green17design.com
Landscape designer Tim O’Shea created defined spaces in this Mediterranean-inspired St. Helena garden by using rows of sycamore trees and boxwood (left). A kumquat tree is planted in an antique pot from Living Green (below and bottom left).
Open up to Spirit of Place
SWEET CHARITY
On the occasion of a milestone anniversary, LUXE celebrates the life-changing work of Kips Bay Boys & Girls Club, as well as the Decorator Show House and the dynamic design community that supports it all.
WRITTEN BY JUDITH NASATIR
The Kips Bay Boys & Girls Club, a non-profit dedicated to improving kids’ lives in the Bronx, New York, often depends on the kindness of strangers. A unique synergy with its patrons though, changes destiny even further. Instrumental to Kips Bay’s mission is its bond with the design community, as evident in a half century of Kips Bay Decorator Show Houses, feted in a new book, and the club’s 10 facilities.
The growth of design industry involvement reveals the force multiplier of this charity’s
leadership—specifically executive director Daniel Quintero and Nazira Handal, director of special events and corporate partnerships, board president (and New York Design Center CEO and president) James Druckman, and board members like designer Ellie Cullman, who spearheaded a club culinary center. With Kips Bay show houses in Palm Beach and Dallas now joining the New York flagship, romancing the home is the gift that keeps on giving. Today, the club enhances the lives of 11,000-plus kids ages 6-18 with training in life skills, the arts, STEM subjects and more. How’s that for beauty? kipsbay.org
It’s Golden
A NEW BOOK SHOWCASES THE KIPS BAY DECORATOR SHOW HOUSE AT 50.
There’s nothing in the world like the Kips Bay Decorator Show House, both for its annual presentation of American design and decorative finesse at its most imaginative as for its ongoing devotion to the Bronx charity that gives it purpose. A new book, Iconic Rooms: Kips Bay New York Decorator Show House at 50, celebrates this half century of superlative beauty with glorious photos of iconic rooms from the 1970s to the present and brief essays by the club’s leadership and luminaries from the design world.
Developed and produced by Sandow Bo oks in partnership with Gibbs Smith
MARKET
Feast your eyes on gorgeous textiles, a plethora of exciting design finds, chic outdoor furnishings and a dreamy alfresco tablescape.
Clockwise from top right: Bahia Fabric in Lemon by Serena Dugan
Fabric in Euphorbia / houseofhackney.com Lucia Fabric in Seafoam by Nathan Turner / jamesshowroom.com Canvas Chenille in 07 Gold by S. Harris / fabricut.com Shantung Silhouette Sisal Wallpaper in Yellow / schumacher.com Mystique Fabric in Citrine by Peter Fasano / johnrosselli.com Bursa Willow Fabric in Peacock by Ferran Textiles / johnrosselli.com Benjamin Moore Majestic Blue and Tranquil Blue Paint / benjaminmoore.com 60 Oaks Fabric in Buttery Blue by Isobel / studiofournyc.com Linara Fabric in Jonquil / romo.com Vista Fabric in Seafoam /
It’s All in How You Frame It.
Bring the natural textures of the outdoors into the interior with Feeney®’s DesignRail® resin infill options with organic embedded materials.
Welcome to the World of Feeney, where our designer custom options make it easy for you to create your own masterpiece, all while keeping it perfectly within frame.
Reach out to a Feeney Design Specialist to learn more: design@feeneyinc.com
COBALT + COTTON + SKY
Clockwise from top: Benjamin Moore Mistral and Cumulus Cotton Paint / benjaminmoore.com Lunar Dot Fabric in Ivory by Kravet Basics / kravet.com Hedgehog Fabric in Denim White with Neisha Crosland / schumacher.com Fresh Air Sheer in Blanca / perennialsfabrics.com Malachite Wallpaper in Sky by Harlequin / sandersondesigngroup.com Luster Linen in 01987 Chambray by Trend / fabricut.com Dorset Fabric in Ocean by Cowtan & Tout / cowtan.com Medina Fabric in Indigo / pierrefrey.com Vita Fabric in Blue by Décors Barbares for Namay Samay / johnrosselli.com Enzo Print Fabric in Coastal / schumacher.com Arene Santorin Fabric in 006 (on button) / metaphores.com Linara Fabric in Surf (on button) / romo.com Jenga Fabric in 104 Marine by Stroheim / fabricut.com Ishi Fabric in Ice Blue / perennialsfabrics.com Arene Santorin Fabric in 006 / metaphores.com
TERRA COTTA + BUFF + MELON
Clockwise from top right: Seaweed Fabric in Birch / salvesengraham.com Ishi Fabric in Shell / perennialsfabrics.com Lunaria Fabric in Blush on Terracotta with Drusus Tabor / schumacher.com Iford Floral Fabric in Sienna Pink by Kate Loudoun Shand (on button) / studiofournyc.com Scarlet Stripe in Blush / thibautdesign.com Nurole Sheer in Bianco / coraggio.com Agafay Fabric in Terracotta / pierrefrey.com Comfort Zone Fabric in Desert Rose / perennialsfabrics.com Leni Stripe Woven Sheer in Potter’s Pink by Imogen Heath / studiofournyc.com Regia Fabric in Paprika / thibautdesign.com Loxley Fabric in Ivory by GP & J Baker / kravet.com Pittura Fabric in Blush by Clarke & Clarke / kravet.com Iford Floral Fabric in Sienna Pink by Kate Loudoun Shand / studiofournyc.com Linara Fabric in Serandite / romo.com Benjamin Moore Pink Moiré and San Antonio Rose Paint / benjaminmoore.com Prisma Fabric in Blush / thibautdesign.com
COLOR CUES
INTERIORS FROM OUR REGIONAL ISSUES OFFER FRESH PALETTES FOR SPRING. PRODUCED BY SARAH SHELTON
Go Graphic
Behold a daring Manhattan kitchen designed by Anthony Baratta and Erick Espinoza that proves the timeless combination of blue and white is always ripe for reinterpretation. anthonybaratta.com Counterclockwise from top left: Norma Wall Mirror with Megan Molten / Price upon request / cooperclassics.com Pumo Lamp with Fabio Novembre in Blue / $245 / kartell.com Katya 8990F Rug in Blue/Beige/ Price upon request / feizy.com Silhouette Dining Table / Price upon request / bernhardt.com USM
Bright Idea
Kemble Interiors infused a Palm Beach villa with Sunshine State-appropriate colors: cheery yellow and soft shades reminiscent of the sea, resulting in a mood-boosting space for all to enjoy. kembleinteriors.com
from top right: Calvari Performance Fabric in Limone with Veronique de Soultrait / Price upon request / christopherfarrcloth.com Greek Key Mirror in Sugar Bag Light by Farrow & Ball / Price upon request / studio-atkinson.com Curtain Call 3 Seater Sofa in Sky Laidback Linen / Price upon request / nicolaharding.com Citron Bowl / $437 / caitlinwilson.com Carson End Table in Gold / Price upon request / chelseahouseinc.com Joie de Vivre Tibetan Knot Rug / Price upon request / perennialsfabrics.com Murphy Table Lamp with Yellow Shibori Linen Empire Shade and Yellow Ceramic Base / $325 / us.pooky.com
Clockwise
FAMILY AFFAIR
AUSTRALIAN-BORN OUTDOOR FURNISHINGS COMPANY HARBOUR CONTINUES TO MAKE ITS MARK STATESIDE.
WRITTEN BY MAILE PINGEL
“We’re a family effort,” says Nicholas Condos, chief creative officer of Harbour, the outdoor furniture company founded by his father, in Sydney, in 1976. While Nicholas leads design, his brother, Harrison, CEO, oversees manufacturing.
“Our father was a blacksmith by trade, and while we’ve expanded his ideas, we’re
committed to his principles of simplicity and functionality,” he adds. The Condos’ shared vision is also rooted in their Mediterranean ancestry. “We spend a lot of time outdoors with our family, and we want our pieces to offer the same sense of comfort for other families, too.”
Headquartered in California since 2012, the brothers divide their time between Los Angeles, New York and Sydney, while spending part of the year in Asia and Europe. “Travel inspires us— architecture, hotels, fashion—and our new collections tell stories about different destinations,” says Nicholas. Originally crafted in aluminum, today Harbour offers teak and stone pieces, as well as
in Asia and “Travel us—
upholstered seating, and launched six new collections this year alone. “I’m really excited about the fresh curves of the Chloe Collection, while the Palm Beach Collection speaks to our expertise in materiality.” The company also recently partnered with Sunbrella on a line of fabrics, which includes plush velvets and chenilles—a rarity for outdoor seating. “Giving customers the ability to make our designs their own,” Nicholas explains, “is especially satisfying.” shopharbour.com
PHOTOS: COURTESY HARBOUR.
Harbour’s new Chloe Collection (pictured) includes a sculptural teak-framed coffee table. Nicholas (standing) and Harrison Condos lead the outdoor furniture company today.
This Isn’t Wood. This is Fortina.
Fortina is a remarkable architectural system that looks and feels like real wood, but is made with aluminum and a hyper-realistic non-PVC surface.
Available in over 100+ wood and metal finishes and 50+ profiles for interior and exterior applications. Now with integral lighting as well as larger, up to 2" x 12" profiles.
OUT & ABOUT
UP THE ANTE ON OUTDOOR LIVING WITH NEW AND INNOVATIVE FINDS THAT DELIVER ON COMFORT AND STYLE.
PRODUCED BY KATHRYN GIVEN AND SARAH SHELTON
Did you hear? Tuuci, the Miami-based manufacturer known for ultra-posh umbrellas and pergolas, has debuted outdoor furniture. The Sail Collection (pictured), which lives up to its name with a spinnaker weave upholstery treatment, is one of four new lines created by founder, CEO and designer Dougan Clarke. tuuci.com
Not all umbrellas are created equal. Dreamed up by Henrik Pedersen for Gloster, the Ambient Sol tures a chic, all-weather wicker canopy with a builtLED light that provides a warm glow as the sun goes down, making this shade accessory a double-duty workhorse gloster.com
created Dreamed up Henrik Pedersen for the Ambient Sol features a all-weather wicker canopy with a builtin LED that a warm as the sun goes this shade accessory a
Tom Dixon is taking his industrial design sensibility outside—a first for the company—with the Groove collection. The curvy and coiled aluminum silhouettes embody an Art Deco flair across chairs, tables and stools in shades Putty (pictured) and Moss. tomdixon.net
Behold Jeffrey Alan Marks’ Asilomar Outdoor Wall
Lighting is one of the brand’s fastestgrowing and this boasts a special synthetic wicker that won’t fade or split—standing up to the elements and the test of time.
Alan Marks’ Asilomar Pendant for Palecek. the brand’s fastestcategories, and this unique piece non-toxic, recyclable that won’t fade or to the elements and palecek.com
Adding to its colorful trove of fabrics and wallpapers, Thibaut has launched outdoorfriendly rugs for all manner of alfresco living. The preppy New England-inspired striped designs (above) are named after Newport and Nantucket, respectively, while other styles are ideal for mountain or city living. thibautdesigns.com
PALM BEACH CHIC
IN HONOR OF HIS FORTHCOMING BOOK, DESIGNER MARSHALL WATSON SHARES A SPECTACULAR OUTDOOR RETREAT WITH LUXE.
Travel the country in high style in Marshall Watson: De ning Elegance, the designer’s latest tome, which takes readers on a decorating journey from one sophisticated scheme to the next. The wide range of spaces prove just how adept Watson is at crafting re ned, pared-down interiors that remain layered and full of life. For a Palm Beach project (pictured), Watson and his team transformed a
once-sad spec home into an inspired and beautiful Mediterranean Revival abode. Below, the designer shares his distinct take on this one-of-a-kind residence.
As for our approach: My partner, Kate Reid, and I agreed that the success of the interiors relied on certain inviolate principles. First and foremost, the house had to be authentically, unmistakably, “Palm Beach.” From tropical Jazz Age
panache to 1950s swank, from Moroccan romance to Persian exoticism, our design would precisely re ect the locale’s worldly sensibility. We wanted the home to be inviting, witty, and stylish, but free of anything trivial. The idea was to preserve a measure of the formality typical of the local style in its heyday. marshallwatsoninteriors.com, rizzoliusa.com
Surrounded by lush flora and fauna, a Palm Beach pool cabana features a bold interweaving of colors and materials, providing the perfect perch for a fabulous fête.
Inspired by nature, born from technology
Verde Sim Dinner Plate by Ivo Angel / $53 Granada Napkin in Thistle / $174 for four
Cirql Nu Armchair with Werner Aisslinger / Price upon request dedon.de
LIVING
KITCHEN + BATH
Tour the dreamy Connecticut estate that designer Jeffrey Alan Marks imbued with light, color and effortless West Coast style.
The colorful hues of designer Jeffrey Alan Marks’ Plain English kitchen, with dual islands painted Mushy Peas, are tempered by white lacquering and oak planks from New England Custom Floors. The sconce is from The Urban Electric Co.
California Calling
When the opportunity struck to purchase a 1928 Georgian Manor-style home in Greenwich—once decorated by his personal icon, Billy Baldwin—designer Jeffrey Alan Marks packed up his life in Montecito, California, energized by the prospect of test driving the Connecticut idyll and restoring the residence to its former grandeur. Naturally, one such home needed a showstopping kitchen at its heart.
“The house merited this very interesting kitchen,” muses Marks. The designer teamed up with Plain English (“their clean lines and
simple yet elevated cabinetry matched the legacy of the property perfectly,” he notes) to craft a layered space de ned by a blue, green and pink palette—a request from his ve-year-old daughter, James, that proved surprisingly sophisticated.
The challenge: Bringing an airy disposition to the room’s dark, patrician architecture. “By adding a large picture window over the sink, gallons of high-gloss white paint on tongueand-groove siding, and window screens to enclose the bar, the space became breathable,” he explains. And oh, what a bar it is.
A breakfast nook off the kitchen is enlivened by collected artworks. The banquette is clad in Loro Piana velvet and joins a Richard Wrightman table, Paul Ferrante pendant and Paul Smith for The Rug Company rug.
More glossy paint—this time emerald green, gives the feel of an old-timey pub room. Another star detail is the cocktail serving island Marks fashioned from an oversized antique French laundry basket purchased on a whim. “We spend a lot of time in there as a family; it’s cozy and intimate,” Marks re ects. “And whenever we have parties, it’s the room that everyone gravitates towards.” Coziness similarly de nes the breakfast nook, a sunken space off the kitchen where casual meals are enjoyed reside, ensconced in a green velvet banquette that echoes the tones of the bar.
The living room, trimmed with Baldwin’s original moldings, graces the cover of Marks’ new monograph This Is Home (Rizzoli).
Featuring an array of residences for repeat clients, the tome explores the idea that we don’t stay in multi-generational dwellings as our ancestors did—we move and change with the people we call home as compass. Practicing what he preaches, Marks recently sold the Connecticut property, embarking on a California comeback and leaving a transformed piece of history for its next lucky stewards.
Living Laboratory
“I have always loved to garden, so elevating the outdoor spaces was a real passion project for me,” shares Marks of his property’s transformation. “The original owner in the 1920s treated the grounds with meticulous care, and I’m so happy they survived the past century,” he notes, pointing to a vast green lawn with meandering seating areas, a “play garden” favored by James and the family puppy, a magnificent array of old growth lilac trees and a 100-year-old sunken English garden. There, injecting his signature flair, Marks composed an outdoor dining room rimmed with espaliers “to give structure” and dotted with boxwoods in woven planters designed in collaboration with his longtime partner,
Palecek. Known for their emphasis on natural materials and traditional artisanal techniques, the Bay Area-based brand has collaborated with Marks since 2012, finding common ground in their shared coastal-chic ethos and attention to detail. “I love mixing my pieces into the garden. Right now, I’m experimenting with 10 different types of ropes for a new collection in development with Palecek,” shares the designer, as he preps for his West Coast move. “It is a testing ground for all of my exterior product collections. People think California sun is tough, but I’m learning from the seasons here what will last and what won’t!” jeffreyalanmarks.com, palecek.com
A Palecek lantern and chairs alongside a Sutherland table create a dining destination within Marks’ English-inspired garden. More of the designer’s home can be seen in his new monograph, This Is Home (below).
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FIRST ANNUAL
Texas Designer Showhouses is thrilled to present the inaugural Round Top Designer Showhouse, benefiting Camp for All, which opens to the public on March 20 and coincides with the Round Top Antiques Show.
Eight of Texas’ top designers will transform the home and landscaping, incorporating state-of-the-art materials, products and furnishings that will inspire ideas for your own home.
MARCH 20 – APRIL 5, 2025 |
ROUND TOP, TEXAS
Tickets on sale now at RoundTopDesignerShowhouse.com or at the door. roundtopdesignershowhouse
FEATURED DESIGNERS:
✦ Marcus Mohon (Austin)
✦ Kara Childress (Houston)
✦ Julie Dodson (Houston)
✦ Kurt Bielawski (Dallas)
✦ Darla Bankston May (Houston)
✦ Renea Abbott (Houston)
✦ Staci Steidley (Dallas)
✦ Susan Semmelmann (Dallas)
✦ LB Walden (Landscape: Houston)
INDIVIDUAL FLAVOR
Interior Design: Anthony Baratta and Erick Espinoza, Anthony Baratta LLC
Home Builder: Tony Wala, Simply Elegant General Contracting LTD
Layered inspirations and a collaborative love of art and design yield an inimitable apartment on Manhattan’s Upper East Side.
WRITTEN
BY
GRACE BEULEY HUNT PHOTOGRAPHY
BY
ANNIE SCHLECHTER
A view from the dining room through the sycamore veneer-clad moon door takes in a Ross Bleckner artwork framed by Charles Edwards sconces atop the fireplace. The ottoman boasts an appliqué top by felt artist Holly Johnson and legs finished by Osmundo Studio.
Previous page: Artworks by Robert Townsend (left) and Marilyn Minter (right) frame the entrance to the den.
A rug by Anthony Monaco Carpet & Textile Design grounds custom furnishings including a chair and sofa, both wrapped in Pierre Frey cotton velvets.
When someone is a collector, an interior comes out so much more interesting. It has personality before the design even starts,” reflects Anthony Baratta of the Upper East Side apartment he and firm partner Erick Espinoza crafted for longtime clients. With a view to showcasing the couple’s dynamic and ever-expanding art collection, as well as their fearless personal style, the residence, set within an inconspicuous 1940s building, had to first be stripped to the studs in order to be reborn as something far more fabulous.
The clients—two women with a love of color, pattern and European design—were passionately involved in the project, with one homeowner stewarding the architectural transformation alongside general contractor Tony Wala. Reimagining the space from scratch allowed for a gracious home office, a separate den off the living room, an expanded kitchen courtesy of absorbing the former maid’s quarters, bespoke storage (the hallway has three closets for shoes alone) and compelling points of transition throughout. See: gracefully arched case openings, peep-through lucite shelves to display a prized collection of Italian and American art glass, and, not to be upstaged, a moon door connecting the living and dining rooms.
A whimsical request from the client, Baratta and Espinoza channeled a sleek ’70s vibe in their interpretation, cladding the feature in sycamore wood veneer with a high-gloss finish.
The clients’ irrepressible ideas—many torn from design magazines and presented to Baratta and Espinoza in paper form—flood the residence. Other star examples include the dining room’s geometric, 3D-effect painted floors, the office’s color-blocked shelving unit replete with a built-in desk and the kitchen’s showstopping tiled ceiling. Featuring a Gio Ponti design from the ’40s, the geometric blue-and-white tiles were sourced through an Italian tile fair and painstakingly installed to flush perfection. They join a bevy of interesting surface treatments and materials throughout the home, including custom-mixed terrazzo floors, waxed Venetian-plaster walls
and glossy lacquered casework, which together lend a bold and fashion-forward bent to the architectural canvas.
“There are very contemporary design elements in the architecture, which led us to approach the interior design in a very streamlined way as well,” explains Espinoza of the ensuing decoration. “Nothing is too fussy. There are lots of clean lines, solid blocks of color and simple Italian forms.” Crucial to the brief was finding use for the many custom furnishings built just 10 years ago for their prior—and notably, allpink—Manhattan apartment. “We love seeing the beautiful pieces our clients really invest in evolve and continue on in their life cycle,” says Espinoza. Adds Baratta, “Good design is good design. Why get rid of beautiful things?”
And so, rather than starting over, existing pieces were lovingly cataloged and reinterpreted before being paired with choice new acquisitions selected to enhance the modern mood and punchy palette of black and white popped with yellows, blues and pinks. In the living room, a previously lacquered, scroll-shaped coffee table was transformed with silver-leaf cladding and a bright blue underbelly. The primary bedroom’s plush tufted bed frame was wrapped in a jazzy new lipstick-pink felt. And a freestanding kitchen island designed to resemble an elegant chest was refinished and topped with a cerulean lava-stone countertop. “It’s almost as if the whole collection matured and grew up a little,” reflects Espinoza.
The couple’s remarkable assemblage of art, which includes works by Cindy Sherman, Marilyn Minter and Ross Bleckner, to name a few, adds a top layer of panache, elevating the residence to one-of-a-kind—as well as a movable canvas that continues to excite. “We just love to collect. We’re limited on wall space now to the extent that we’re hanging things on doors,” laughs one homeowner, to which the other adds, “You can’t be afraid to lean into what you love.” It’s a sentiment the designers are inclined to agree with: “There’s not a person on earth that has this interior,” says Baratta. “We all got to create something completely fun and completely custom here. I love that these clients want individuality and don’t care what other people think, because that is when design gets exciting.”
Floors painted in a geometric motif ground a Deco Revival dining set lit by a Venini chandelier. Art by Cindy Sherman, Pablo Picasso and Helmut Newton (left to right) hang on walls clad in Japanese silver-leaf squares from Studio Zen Wallcoverings.
Above: Tiles from Ceramica Francesco De Maio line the ceiling and backsplash of the kitchen, where glossy cabinets mimic the La Cornue range. The breakfast nook features a diner-inspired banquette, a Mecox table base with a custom top and an antique Venetian-glass chandelier.
Opposite: Leading off the dining room, resin-based terrazzo floors flow from the wet bar through the kitchen. A black-and-white Diane Arbus photo complements the lacquered cabinetry topped with polished granite counters. The chrome tap is Kohler.
The primary bedroom walls and windows are wrapped in a Quadrille textile installed by Maison de France Interiors. Above the bed wrapped in a Thibaut fabric hangs Kelly Reemtsen art. The armchairs are a custom Anthony Baratta LLC design.
The blue tones of the Stark Carpet rug flow into the primary bathroom, which features mosaic tiles from Complete Tile Collection, a lacquer vanity and a mirror from Mirror Image. Rodney Smith photographs flank the doorway.
Opposite: The office is a study in geometry with its desk and shelving unit fabricated by general contractor Tony Wala and Stark Carpet rug based off a Pucci scarf. A bespoke armchair sits at the desk lit by a Murano-glass lamp.
Growing Up Gracefully
SUITING FAMILY LIFE IN STYLE, A CHICAGO TOWNHOME
BLENDS GLAM MOMENTS WITH DURABLE SENSIBILITIES.
WRITTEN BY LARA HALLOCK | PHOTOGRAPHY BY DUSTIN HALLECK |
Architecture and Home Builder: Kevin Klinger, Savane Properties Interior Design: Martin Horner, Soucie Horner Design Collective
As a Chicago family expanded from four to five, they looked around their Gold Coast condo and realized the space didn’t quite accommodate them anymore. “We had outgrown our home, but our children attended a school nearby, so we wanted to stay in the city,” the wife explains. Along with upgrading square footage, the couple desired a residence that would reflect their lifestyle, stylishly so. “I wanted it to be a family-friendly, thought-out house that would fulfill my design dreams without sacrificing our needs,” the wife reflects. Charmed by Lincoln Park, they jumped at the chance to construct a custom townhome in the area, bringing their vision to life.
The owners turned to interior designer Martin Horner and residential designer Kevin Klinger, who created a three-story transitional abode with a basement and sky deck that fosters movement and interaction, starting with the main level. Housing the primary living and entertaining spaces, it is populated with furnishings in silhouettes that, while elegant, wear durable indoor-outdoor fabric meant to stand up to years of use. Amid them, decadent accents add a dose of drama. In the formal living room, for instance, the form and hue of the rippled satin-brass chandelier mimics the gold silk-satin drapery. Likewise, the dining room table’s polished bronze base resembles a set of interlocking gold rings, its glass top reflecting light from the crystal chandelier above.
“The lighting acts as little crown jewels that we put into the home,” Horner muses.
He accessorized the kitchen with a molecular bronze-and-glass fixture that gleams alongside a stylish stainless steel hood. The wife loves to cook and wanted to avoid clutter, so the space needed to be functional yet sleek. Iceberg Belissima quartzite forms an island with the slightest reveal between the top and base for visual interest. The stone appears again as the range backsplash and its adjoined telescoping doors, which open to reveal shelves lined with spices.
From the kitchen’s citrine leather stools to the family room’s emerald velvet armchair, a bold palette permeates the downstairs, infusing energy into the entertaining spaces. The dining room is so saturated in royal blues—seen on the wallcovering and chairs—that they almost act as a neutral. Threaded in golds, they tie into an
abstract Andrew Holmquist painting that was discovered, surprisingly, after the rest of the room had been put into place.
As the curved plaster staircase guides guests upstairs to the bedrooms, the colors begin to ease, starting with the sky-blue-and-brown runner—toned-down versions of the main level’s jewel hues. “The palette goes from moody to more peaceful as you go up,” Horner describes. “The light gets brighter. It’s calming.”
In the owners’ bedroom, the designer focused on neutrals and soft materials to create a sense of retreat. A cashmere rug provides sumptuous texture underfoot, and walls clad in an earthen beige cocoon the space in warmth. The tone becomes even more ethereal in the primary bathroom, where Calacatta Gold marble forms a niche surrounding the tub, reflecting sunlight diffused through white drapes. “Those sheers add a layer of translucency,” Horner observes.
Just as much thought went into the children’s rooms, which were designed to age with them. One daughter’s room, for instance, boasts patterned taupe wallpaper and elegant ballerinapink draperies tied with Victorian-inspired tassels. “In a traditional house, those tassels are typically seen only in the living room,” Horner notes. The vintage-inspired canopy chair feels right at home in a room full of romantic and rosy accoutrements, topped by a floral crown chandelier that may as well have been plucked from a fairy tale.
The children and their parents often congregate in the cozy family room, outfitted in a shearling rug and plush, modern furniture gathered before a gold-veined mantel of Nero Portoro marble. “It’s my favorite stone,” Horner admits. “I even used it in my own bathroom at home.” Through three sets of French doors, the space opens to an outdoor patio, encouraging an effortless inside-outside flow. “We were able to raise the whole terrace and yard to be level with the main living floor,” Klinger points out. Complete with a brick fireplace, an outdoor kitchen and a play area for the children, the exterior space deftly balances entertaining for all ages.
From the outside in, the dwelling serves as an elegant and comfortable place for the family while encouraging beauty and ease in everyday living. “Our approach was: We are going to raise our children in a home we love and feel like we can grow in for a very long time,” the wife shares. “We achieved that goal here.”
Enveloped by Benjamin Moore’s Dune White, the elegant staircase features a wool-and-silk Shiir runner. Holly Hunt’s Four Seasons sconce illuminates the space, and the brand’s Great Plains material adorns Natasha Baradaran’s Sempione bench.
Previous page: An Elliott Puckette artwork is mounted over the living room’s Anatolia Black marble mantel. The chairs, sporting a de Le Cuona fabric, face a Holly Hunt sofa. Dedar overdrapes match Wired Custom Lighting’s Georgia fixture above John Pomp’s Tidal table.
Wired Custom Lighting
A
chandelier complements the kitchen’s stainless steel hood with brass detail fabricated by Mitchel and Mitchel. The Iceberg Belissima quartzite island is lined with Powell & Bonnell stools in Keleen Leathers upholstery.
Left: Constructed of the same Iceberg Belissima quartzite that composes the counters, two sliding doors above the Wolf range conceal spice racks. Below, Shiir’s Primitive rug adds warmth and texture.
Opposite: Barron Custom Furniture chairs in a Pollack fabric encircle the Hudson Furniture dining table. Andrew Holmquist artwork, backed by a Phillip Jeffries wallcovering, and a John Pomp chandelier energize the space.
A Coup Studio chandelier and Holly Hunt lamp shed light on the primary bedroom, home to Jean de Merry’s Mano bench. The bed is dressed in Kerry Joyce and Weitzner fabrics, with pillows in Dedar, Samuel & Sons and Holly Hunt Great Plains textiles.
Opposite: Calacatta Gold marble from Marble & Granite Supply of Illinois surrounds the primary bathroom’s Devon&Devon tub, joined by a table from 1stdibs. A Wired Custom Lighting glass chandelier suspends above Ann Sacks’ Calacatta Zebrino tile.
Against a Relativity Textiles wallcovering, Visual Comfort & Co. sconces join Pottery Barn mirrors in the daughter’s bathroom. Beata Heuman handles decorate cabinetry by Intelligent Spaces by Design LLC underneath Iceberg Magenta quartzite countertops.
Opposite: Pretty in pink, the daughter’s bedroom is clad in a geometric silk wallpaper by Jane Churchill. The RH bed, chair and crystal pendant exude fairy-tale romance. The cornice and draperies are made of a Lee Jofa material with Samuel & Sons trim.
The family room’s Minotti sectional faces an ottoman by Barron Custom Furniture, an emerald Cassina armchair and a curved DeMuro Das lounge chair.
In front of Anna Kunz’s Gardenia are a Flos floor lamp and an Oluce table lamp.
A Janus et Cie table and chairs encourage alfresco dining on the back courtyard, while the brand’s Tosca armchairs and RH’s Havana sofa create a seating area. Holly Hunt’s Cachalot coffee table and Serena & Lily’s Cabrillo side table complete the scene.
True COLORS
LIKE A BOX OF CRAYONS, A VIBRANT OASIS CONJURES A CREATIVE, PLAYFUL ATMOSPHERE.
WRITTEN BY LISA BINGHAM DEWART PHOTOGRAPHY BY CARMEL BRANTLEY
Architecture: Randall Stofft and Fredy Polania, Randall Stofft Architects
Interior Design: Michael Cox and Zunilda Madera, Foley & Cox
Home Builder: Michael Burzesi, Coral Bay Builders
Landscape Architecture: Stephanie Portus, PLA Design Studio
ANew York couple’s love affair with South Florida began as many do: An extended sojourn proved so enchanting, they were inspired to put down roots. The pair acquired a 1990s residence and then turned to their longtime designers, Michael Cox and Zunilda Madera, to transform the house into a multigenerational retreat. “They wanted something playful, welcoming and relaxed,” Cox describes, “and to have fun with color.”
Updating the Boca Raton property required a gut renovation, so the designers collaborated with architects Randall Stofft—who had originally conceived the home—and Fredy Polania along with general contractor Michael Burzesi. “We dropped some of the ceilings, made doors taller, added glass, squared off corners in the office and dining area to increase the footprint, and removed level changes inside,” Polania reports. The result is an airy plan in tune with contemporary life and the comfortable aura the clients desired.
To keep the newly open public areas from feeling too connected, the designers devised what Cox calls “soft delineations of space.” For instance, the entry and dining area occupy the same zone, so the team gently separated the two using a substantial wood sculpture that resembles a quartet of sails. “They pivot, so you can make the room feel more closed or open,” Cox says. At other times, dramatic architectural detailing was used to define spaces—like in the living area, which is crowned with a barrel-vaulted ceiling wrapped in a natural woven material. “The lighting throughout the home is strong and sculptural, but we went quieter here because it’s more about the ceiling,” Madera notes. “We thought about what we wanted the star of the room to be.” They applied a similar strategy to the husband’s office with linen-wrapped panels that run up the walls and a complementary pattern across the ceiling, fitting lighting in the channels between them.
Thanks to the designers’ long working relationship with the couple, “We heard both clients’ voices in our heads as we made our decisions,” Cox explains. “The wife pushes us in terms of practicality and functionality, and the husband pushes us in terms of design and innovation.” To meet the wife’s brief, they
chose new pieces with cozy silhouettes and durable performance fabrics to host guests comfortably and withstand rowdy grandchildren, such as the inviting club chairs in the living area and the generously scaled chairs in the dining area. For the husband, they wove in collectible modern items and vintage finds that introduce patina, including a Gio Ponti desk in his office and a blue Yves Klein table in the living area. “We wanted the house to feel like it evolved naturally,” Cox muses, “so it looks collected and eclectic.”
Pieces like the Klein table, the bright blue poufs in the entry and the color-blocked rug in the husband’s office answer the clients’ desire for a playful palette, echoed through the fine art. “The mural in the dining area is a David Gilbert photograph, which we installed almost as wallpaper,” Cox observes of the overscale piece. “It’s quite magical in the space.” Other eyecatching moments appear in the office, where they hung an abstract painting incorporating more vibrant blue and a collection of pieces devoted to yellow. The primary bedroom then takes a tranquil note with a blush headboard beneath a soft green ceiling that oversees wood, rattan and wicker furnishings.
The home’s interior spaces flow seamlessly to outside seating and dining areas—which can be protected by drop-down screens—and into the back garden. There, landscape architect Stephanie Portus “created a resort-like oasis with privacy, clean lines and lush foliage,” she describes. Even here, color was key in ways large and small. An outdoor sectional repeats the blue scheme, for example, but perhaps the boldest expression is at the bottom of the pool.
“We thought: How can we take the pool to the next level and bring the art outside?” Cox recalls. Inspired by a trip he took to the Fornasetti house in Milan, the designer conceived an intricate floral tile mosaic in blues, pinks, greens and yellows, adorned with bumblebee motifs.
Their clients’ Florida home marks the fourth collaboration with the designers, a relationship that continues to grow and evolve. Not only have the couple’s own tastes changed, but also they, in turn, have inspired the duo’s creativity. “When you’re on the fourth project, you’ve already done this or that,” Cox points out. Madera adds, “It’s a fun challenge to do things that aren’t in their other homes.”
sculptural Luis
from
Previous page: Design Within Reach chairs are an ideal perch to take in the backyard, flaunting a pygmy date palm, philodendrons, tree jasmine and large elephant ears. Near Ramón Esteve’s spherical Ulm Moon daybed, a Janus et Cie
A
Arredondo screen
StudioTwentySeven defines the foyer. A light fixture by Shim-Sutcliffe Architects suspends over the Cogolin rug. Against Benjamin Moore’s Super White hang Leon Polk Smith drawings. Stools in Pierre Frey’s Les Mouettes fabric rest beside a Charlap Hyman & Herrero table.
umbrella shades Harbour lounge chairs.
Arteriors chairs surround a Bower Studios dining table from The Future Perfect beneath a Bec Brittain chandelier. The David Gilbert mural doubles as a wallcovering. Self Entrapment #2 by Eric Gushee is displayed over a console from Mecox.
Flos’ Superloon floor lamp joins a mobile from Harbinger in the living area. Preben Fabricius and Jørgen Kastholm armchairs for Lange Production mirror wicker Ralph Lauren Home armchairs from Palm Beach Home Style. Side tables from Circa Who mingle with a sofa by Peruvian Touch.
The Gio Ponti desk pairs with a Preben Fabricius and Jørgen Kastholm chair for Alfred Kill International in the husband’s office, crowned by an L&G Studio chandelier. Karl Zahn art decorates the space above the Guillerme et Chambron credenza. The Svend Aage Holm-Sørensen floor lamp faces a Gino Sarfatti table lamp between Gilbert Rohde chairs.
Opposite: In the same room, Sylvia Rutkoff art oversees the Esther Calderon Interiors Inc. sofa, which holds pillows in a Gastón y Daniela jacquard. The Perennials rug flows underneath a Bolier coffee table for Decca. A drink table from JF Chen sits below a Takashi Murakami piece.
Maximo Caminero art headlines the primary bedroom’s custom bed and nightstands, topped with lamps from Palm Beach Home Style. The armchairs and ottoman from Circa Who complement window treatments by Drapery Castle in a Zinc Textile material.
For
the pool’s flooring, Aquaventure Pools crafted a mosaic of floral Fornasetti tiles from Bisazza. Elsewhere, gathering spaces include Case sectional with a Made Goods coffee table under an umbrella from Patio & Table as well as a dining area with Richard Schultz furnishings.
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