Vivid citrus shades, monkey mania, bold ceiling details, and exciting voyages deep in the jungle and into the depths of the sea: These are just some of the adventurous ideas playing out at this year’s Kips Bay Decorator Show House Palm Beach, where 24 top designers from around the country have come together to reimagine a 1920s Mediterranean Revival estate. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the home is quintessential Palm Beach—and its transformation is as refreshingly current as it is connected to the past.
Throughout are modern tributes to the local vernacular, from historic nods to Palm Beach pioneers like Henry Flagler to artistic, exciting interpretations of the city’s trademark tropical flora and fauna, and cozy places of respite that reflect the city’s polished sense of ease and sophistication. But perhaps most resonant is a triumphant sense of optimism appearing in vibrant, happy hues ranging from bold yellows to tangerine, strapping blues to greens in every shade. A sense of jubilance rises anew, just in time for spring.
Plan your visit to experience the Kips Bay Decorator Show House this year from Saturday, March 5 until Sunday, April 3. Tickets start at $40 with proceeds benefiting the Kips Bay Boys & Girls Club and the Boys & Girls Clubs of Palm Beach County. The showhouse is open Monday through Sunday from 10 a.m.–4 p.m.
Craig & Company’s "The Octopus's Garden"
New York– and Chicago-based designer Joan Craig of Craig & Company peered into the depths of the ocean for inspiration in the home’s foyer and stairwell—a beautiful descent that paid off in spades. With Los Angeles art studio MJ Atelier, she conjured ideas for a custom wallpaper and overall theme, and as the team thought about the intriguing denizens of the deep sea, one particular creature kept calling out to them.
“I loved the idea that octopi are essentially the decorators of the sea,” says Craig. “They collect objects, particularly shiny objects, and they bring them back to their dens.”
It was in this spirit that she began hunting down brilliant objects and decorative pieces for the entry, returning with treasures made by artisans like Eve Kaplan, who designed the gilded chandelier. The nod to the octopus’s love for radiant objects continues to the console table’s skirt where seamstresses from P+L Studio meticulously sewed sequins and beads, giving the fabric an added layer of texture and sheen. On the stair landing, sunlight filters in through tailored-pleat drapery by The Shade Store, using fabrics by Fox Linton and Jim Thompson. But it’s perhaps the ombré carpets by New Moon that most evoke the magic of the sea’s natural gradations. In nuanced shades from pale beige to deep aqua, the custom runner, in particular, resembles waves crashing onto the shore. Splashes of oceanic blue paint throughout the space round out its color story while making visitors feel as though they are underwater.
Andrea Schumacher Interiors’ “Flutter Loo”
For Denver-based designer Andrea Monath Schumacher, decorating the home’s first-floor powder room unexpectedly turned into a family affair. Her late grandmother Elizabeth Burger Monath was a notable artist who studied under Fernand Léger and went on to have a fruitful career as a children’s book illustrator and intaglio artist. But it was her landscape paintings that Schumacher opted to transform into vivid wallcoverings for her collection, Liesl. The mural affectionately called Flutter became the backdrop for her powder room and a soulful nod to her role model.
“It's exciting to memorialize her work in this way,” says Schumacher. “I wanted to design the space with something that no one's seen and with artwork so dear to my heart.”
To bring the wallpaper to life, Schumacher dotted it with 3D butterflies by artist Paul Villinski and echoed the shades of blue across the entire room, from sapphire trim (Delphinium, Benjamin Moore) to geometric ceiling paper, which was also inspired by the work of Schumacher’s grandmother. The tropical-inspired brass leaves of a Currey & Company chandelier pay homage to Palm Beach’s vegetation, while an oil painting from Axiom Fine Art nods to its native birds. The designer repurposed an elephant console table she found at Palm Beach Regency into a spectacular vanity fitted with state-of-the-art fixtures by Kohler. Faceted glass sconces (also by Currey & Company) soften the light, an always-welcome aspect of a good party-ready powder room.
Peter Pennoyer Architects’ “Drawing Room”
At first glance, Alice Engel and Peter Pennoyer of Peter Pennoyer Architects envisioned this living room as a portal to the past, a chic gathering hub for Palm Beach’s early denizens. The duo pulled inspiration from the leading patriarch Henry Flagler and naturalist John James Audubon as a way to honor Florida’s rich history and adapted these ideas for more modern ways of life.
The sun naturally played a starring role. The fiery coral hue of the Phillip Jeffries hemp grass cloth, for instance, inspired the designers to play with a citrus motif, embellishing the wallcovering with a “wonderful custom mural by artist Hayden Gregg, which features whimsical lemon trees all across the grass cloth,” explains Engel.
She and Pennoyer carried those vibrant tones into custom window treatments by The Shade Store and accented the tonal reds and oranges with pretty pops of blue (including trimming the sofa with an eight-inch bullion fringe by Fabricut) and natural hues (a Tibetan wool carpet by New Moon). An artful mix of modern accents from OKA and Liz O’Brien mingles harmoniously with intriguing antiques and a handsome bar cart made custom by Soane Britain. Of the latter, Engel notes, “This is one of the first things you see as you walk into the room, and I like to think it sends a message to guests that it’s time to grab a refreshment and unwind.”
Paloma Contreras Interior Design’s “Green Gardens”
Palm Beach’s singular, spirited vernacular was much too alluring for Houston-based designer Paloma Contreras to pass up in her design of a garden-facing sunroom. “The city has such a well-defined aesthetic, such a strong point of view,” says Contreras, “so I wanted this space to feel like a nice, layered, fresh take on classic Palm Beach.”
To wit, walls are clad in charming, historic-inspired treillage but with her own spin. “Instead of the traditional lattice pattern that runs diagonally, I decided that we would run the lines straight up and down,” says Contreras, noting that the more grid-like pattern allowed her to accent the woodwork with bands of circles embedded in the ceiling lattice.
Further references to nature arrive in the form of a tonal, celery green palette that feels both current and very Palm Beach. A dogwood-leaf fabric by Schumacher dresses Billy Baldwin–inspired slipper chairs and rattan armchairs (Soane Britain), while a pair of white lacquer side tables by oomph Home balances the green of a tuxedo-style sofa. Bold verdant trim by Samuel & Sons accents dentil valances and glazed linen drapery, both fabricated by The Shade Store. Meanwhile, an outdoor console (also by oomph Home) easily migrates to the garden as a chic cocktail bar—made of powder-coated aluminum, it can bask outside all season.
Beth Diana Smith Interior Design’s “Wonderland Dining Room”
When Beth Diana Smith first saw the dining room, she was surprised it had three entry points with little wall space. So the New Jersey–based designer turned her attention to the “fifth wall,” cloaking the ceiling in wallpaper from The Vale London through Fabricut alive with mesmerizing jungle scenery and set off by teal blue coffered panels. The effect is a wonderland-like feeling. “I think if we learned anything over the last couple of years, it’s that we should treasure moments of entertaining,” says Smith. “I hope this room inspires people to use lively florals and colors and ideas, creating rooms that provoke conversation.”
The party repartee begins with a cheeky monkey table by Currey & Company welcoming guests with a cocktail tray and a pair of seven-foot sculptures donning dramatic floral crowns of dried hydrangeas, ferns, and fan palms by San Francisco floral artist Tyson Lee. The regal OKA dining table is set with champagne-hued cutlery and goblets (also from OKA) with napkins by Pioneer Linens and a still-life display of vases from Currey & Company that range in style from colorful contemporary art to graphic Art Nouveau. As a final touch, Smith placed two exuberant photographs of peacocks from Leftbank Art on the Maya Romanoff–papered walls.
Bakes & Kropp’s “Classic Meridian Kitchen with a Twist”
While New York–based designer Bob Bakes of Bakes & Kropp was eager to invite hints of the Mediterranean into a newly redesigned kitchen, his first order of business was decidedly more practical: how to reconcile the room’s varied ceiling heights without compromising the home’s original architecture. The solution, he discovered, was in subtly creating activity centers for cooking, entertaining, and relaxing that help conceal and play with the ceiling variations.
In a passageway just beyond the sink, where the ceiling is lower before sloping up, the team decided to build out a coffee station equipped with cutting-edge appliances from JennAir and a new line of hardware from Bakes. “I love the way it fits within the mix of the other appliances and cabinetry.”
To that end, deep gray walnut and matte black cabinetry exquisitely contrast with crisp white Silestone countertops by Cosentino, midcentury-style brass lighting from Currey & Company, jewellike fixtures from Kohler, and plush OKA bar chairs. Bakes notes that the mix of tones and cabinetry styles was intended to make visitors linger longer in the kitchen. “I created a little bit of quirkiness with these combinations to make people do a double take and think more about the kitchen’s intention and design.”
Robert Brown Interior Design’s “Petit Salon”
Atlanta-based decorator Robert Brown’s salon is a love letter to French modernist pioneers such as Le Corbusier and Charlotte Perriand. And like the grandest romances, it began with love at first sight: an avant-garde wallpaper design by Parisian artist Garance Vallée for Élitis that caught Brown’s attention the moment he saw it.
“It's actually four murals that we pieced together to make it look like it was a continuous wallpaper,” explains Brown. “If you study it, you can see a couple of symbols such as wine glasses and jugs cleverly hidden across geometric shapes.”
The wallpaper’s bold shades of rust, brown, and blue repeat throughout the salon in the form of soft throw pillows from Nobilis and Dedar and sturdy performance fabrics from Perennials. Adding to the room’s abstract and surrealist sensibilities are carefully curated works of art, all conspiring for the most intriguing of salon conversation.
Jim Dove’s “Monkey Bar”
This “vision in terra-cotta and blue”—aptly dubbed by its creator—pays tribute to New York’s beloved Monkey Bar, which closed in the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic. Kitchen designer Jim Dove set out to put his own spin on the bar’s “swanky” atmosphere to make it fit in with the laid-back yet sophisticated lifestyle of Palm Beach, and it started with stepping into the wild.
His early-on discovery of a tropical de Gournay wallpaper climbing with dapper monkeys delivered a glamorous yet playful pièce de résistance. Silk taffeta drapery, fabricated by The Shade Store, in a kindred orange shade envelops the room in pure elegance and softens a striking quartz bar. “There’s just something so romantic about the way the drapery sways in the breeze,” says Dove. Speaking of romantic: The tiered cones of a sexy Italian-inspired chandelier from Currey & Company are illuminated from the inside, casting a warm, layered glow over the bar and those lounging there (careful, they’ll never leave). Meanwhile, Kohler’s brass faucet and sink make cleaning up after the last guest leaves a breeze—cheers to the lucky barkeep.
Pearl Design Interiors’ “Aficionado’s Dream”
Design duo Alecia Johnson and Charles Johnson of Pearl Design Interiors felt it was important that their reimagined patio didn’t compete with the stunning flora of the gardens. Rather it should provide a calming oasis to enjoy the views. “We wanted to create an extension of the home, a relaxing retreat where you can hang out during the day and entertain guests at night.”
The team began by freshening up a drab fireplace with a clean white shade (Alabaster, Benjamin Moore) and a bold black for the mantel (Soot, Benjamin Moore). The combination inspired the monochromatic palette that plays out top to bottom, from checkerboard and geo-chic carpets by New Moon to fringe-cloaked fireside chairs and hardy cushion fabrics (without a pergola or roof, the duo had to set a high bar for fabrics that would stand up to the elements).
Two happy exceptions to the polished blacks and whites: jaunty flamingo napkin rings by Pioneer Linens that perch atop Art Deco–inspired tableware by VERANDA contributing editor and designer Joy Moyler and a fuchsia pillow fabric by Stroheim.
Bell Design Inc.’s “Darwin’s Deco”
Robert Bell’s inspiration for the home’s expansive gardens came from a series of works painted by mid-20th-century Palm Beach artist Orville Bulman. The painter’s fantastical interpretations of people, jungles, and ornate structures inspired Bell to integrate vibrant pops of color and strong geometrics throughout the landscape.
The outdoor spaces are divided into five garden rooms, each with a different sensibility. The first, a chinoiserie-style pavilion by Fuller Architectural Panels, marks the entrance to the gardens (and smartly doubles as a ticket booth to the showhouse). “It’s a sort of folly people may have seen before, but it’s built in a way that will completely shock guests,” says Bell. “The entire structure is computer generated with small mirror inserts placed into the trellis. It’s truly a marvel.”
Topiaries shaped to resemble giraffes and rabbits point guests to a serene dining and lounge area outfitted with gracious pieces from Brown Jordan. This outdoor room overlooks a sculpture garden that was original to the home, but Bell freshened it up with a one-of-a-kind work by the late visual artist Lin Emery as well as dramatic plantings such as agave. As one moves closer to the pool, the plantings become more colorful with vibrant pink orchids bursting from evergreen foliage. The last of Bell’s garden rooms is designed around a backgammon board that stretches nearly the length of the lawn and is surrounded by leafy ferns and McKinnon and Harris benches.
But perhaps the most memorable aspect of the alfresco spaces is the impact on the next crop of gardeners: Children from West Palm Beach Florence De George Boys & Girls Club helped Bell plant flowers and greenery throughout the gardens. “It’s all about the next generation and showing young people they, too, can make a career out of doing something they love, like designing or gardening.”
Janie Molster Designs’ “In the Pink: A Poolside Paradise”
Taken by the pink hues so emblematic of Palm Beach, Virginia-based designer Janie Molster wanted to incorporate the hot burst of tropicalia in a significant way in her transformation of the pool deck. “It’s a wonderful nod to the color palette linked to so much of Palm Beach’s long history in design and fashion,” says Molster, who loves the way the pink shade plays off the gardens’ greenery. “It feels so dynamic and, in a way, retro.”
Cabana-striped drapery, fabricated by The Shade Store, frames a poolside pergola furnished with a comfy Sutherland three-seat sofa upholstered in acrylic linen and a John Dickinson African table (both by Perennials and Sutherland)—an ideal spot for lounging after taking a dip in the pool. Oggetti woven chairs offer intriguing contrast. “I am a traditionalist, but I do like a bit of an edge,” says Molster, who teamed up with Bell to rim the pool in powder-coated aluminum planters by oomph Home filled with lush ferns, orchids, and other vibrant plantings.
The Lewis Design Group’s “The Closet Reimagined”
“I love the idea of really reflecting the time and place in decorating,” says Barbara Lewis of The Lewis Design Group, who looked to Palm Beach’s native foliage for inspiration for her closet redesign. “It just makes me smile when I look out and I see all the different varieties of palms and the blue sky.”
The challenge was how to channel that joy into an interior room, in particular a closet. First, the New York–based decorator teamed up with Gwendolyn Rayner of Aqualille to craft a custom wallpaper celebrating the natural landscape she adores. New millwork further personalizes the space (and breaks up its linear architecture), as do custom—and refreshingly graphic—shades, drapery, and valances from The Shade Store, inspired by the bright, vivacious awnings of Palm Beach. “The pairing of hand-painted wallpaper and patterned Roman shades is truly delightful,” notes Lewis. A centerpiece palm leaf table she discovered at a local boutique doubles as a vanity and desk for taking business calls, helping to make the ultraprivate space feel more like a refuge than simply a spot to hang clothes.
Nikki Levy Interiors’ “Petal to the Metal”
At first, Florida-based designer Nikki Levy was simply tasked with transforming a small bath on the second floor of the home. However, upon learning that the primary bathroom had gone unclaimed, she asked whether she could take on that space as well—and the results were transformational. What was once a cavernous bath became a spa-like retreat filled with verdant color and exquisite finishes.
Levy cleverly covered the walls in an emerald vinyl abaca mural by Phillip Jeffries and continued the Asian-inspired floral onto the vanities, allowing the workhorse built-ins to become “pieces of art,” she notes. Likewise, a second natural wallcovering (also Phillip Jeffries)—this one a geometric pattern using authentic paulownia wood—trims upper cabinetry in a groovy veneer, like stunning historic marquetry. Meanwhile, radiant green tiles from Artistic Tile encase the room and showcase the invigorating power of the color. “I see green as a neutral,” says Levy. “When you go outside and look at the trees, you’re not looking at green as green. You’re looking at the organic nature of it and allowing it to absorb into your psyche.”
Bathing the room in light is a series of magnolia blossom sconces by Currey & Company (that relate well to the gold finishes on Kohler fixtures and handsome countertops from Primestones) and a pair of windows dressed in soft linen Roman shades by The Shade Store.
Nikki Levy Interiors’ “Happy You’re A-Round”
For a small second-floor bathroom, Nikki Levy focused on balancing heavy materials with soft curves and scalloped details. The fluted vanity topped with Silestone Cala Blue quartz from Cosentino perfectly embodies this harmony between masculine and feminine. Levy notes the circle and half-moon motifs seen in the tiles (Artistic Tile) and the painterly Phillip Jeffries wallcovering represent the “twirling of a child and their infectious joy.” The gold Kohler fixtures and pearl-like pendant light from Currey & Company serve as dazzling jewelry, dressing this bath in subdued, sophisticated elegance.
Ashley Gilbreath Interior Design’s “Primary Bedroom”
Alabama-based decorator Ashley Gilbreath pulled from her own experiences to design a primary bedroom that embodies absolute comfort. “My family has moved in the past year and a half, and I've found myself craving this sense of home,” she explains. “I recognize everyone probably defines this a little bit differently, but for me, it means feeling comfortable and at ease in your space.”
Gilbreath tented the room in a cognac brown stripe by Schumacher to combat its asymmetrical architecture while still making the space feel cozy. In areas where her team could not utilize the custom drapery by The Shade Store, walls were covered in a matching wallpaper for serene continuity.
Muted shades of blue on the trim (Ocean Floor, Benjamin Moore), a Leontine bedcover, and a striped rug by Arsin Rug Gallery enliven the rich mahogany antiques that ground the room in an elegant sense of antiquity. As a final touch, Gilbreath brought in a collection of her mother’s antique sterling silver rouge pots as a personal and feminine accent. “Those rouge pots are the most sentimental thing to me. They feel like home and fit so beautifully on the secretary beside the bed.”
Noz Design’s “No Bad Mondays”
For an upstairs sitting room, San Francisco–based designer Noz Nozawa pondered what sorts of rooms friends or clients might gravitate to if they found themselves with extra square footage. Since the space is directly off the primary bedroom, Nozawa began envisioning a highly personal, joyful nook for starting the day with coffee or meditation. And with that came a burst of color.
“I chose what I call ‘lavender pink’—it’s a shade that we haven't had an opportunity to design with before, and it feels very ‘modern Palm Beach’ to me,” says Nozawa, who fell in love with Sasha Bikoff’s Uptown Toile pattern from Vervain because the colorway was “spot-on and features tongue-in-cheek beach scenes.” Deployed as a breezy drapery fabric, the toile’s pops of tomato red repeat on a bright geometric sofa fabric from Soane Britain, a satin-like bullion fringe (Stroheim), and an area rug from Arsin Rug Gallery. Tempering all the lively color are woven wood shades from The Shade Store and a whimsical antiqued gold monkey table by Currey & Company.
Wanting the room to connect back to the Kips Bay Boys & Girls Club, Nozawa’s team commissioned a work titled New York Love from artist James Sexer Rodriguez, an alumnus of the organization. The piece pays tribute to the city and the various street artists who call it home. “Layered over a graphic Porter Teleo wallpaper, it’s almost as if the wild energy of the spray paint and color leaps off the canvas and onto the walls.”
Damour Drake’s “Toddler’s Haven”
Originally designers Maryline Damour and Mel Jones Jr. of Damour Drake pictured their sitting room on the home’s second floor as a rainy-day retreat. However, upon learning the owner had a young child, they quickly pivoted to create an imaginative children’s room to honor the babies born during the pandemic.
“I think there's just so much opportunity in children's spaces to encourage creativity and stir a sense of excitement about the world around them,” says Damour. “So we pictured this room as an imaginative hub for a future artist or interior designer.”
Since the corner room offers impeccable views of the gardens’ palms and sky, the Hudson Valley–based team incorporated colors and motifs that suggest a continuation of the natural scenery. Artistic clouds by Sienna Martz float across the ceiling like an oversized mobile. For homework or art sessions, Jones worked with New York Heartwoods to produce a custom desk and chair that can collapse and stow away for more floor space. Draperies and a scalloped cornice (The Shade Store) frame the views in a custom fabric designed by Helen Prior.
Sarah Bartholomew Interior Design’s “Brighton Boudoir”
Nashville-based decorator Sarah Bartholomew looked to the palatial architecture and gardens of King George IV’s Brighton Pavilion to guide the design of her guest bedroom. Many of the room’s near-neutral hues and regal details nod to his Ottoman-inspired palace, including a Guy Goodfellow Collection striped fabric that tents the room. “The green tones remind me not only of the English garden but Palm Beach as well, where gardening and the outdoors are such an essential part of living,” says the designer, who used the same pattern in draperies, with trim by Samuel & Sons (fabricated by The Shade Store).
The sublime yet subtle color continues onto a painted canopy bed upholstered in a woven indigo batik pattern by Susan Deliss, layered with a floral print by Lee Jofa and a selection of linen textiles from Fabricut and Stroheim. A mix of antique wood furnishings with a laid-back rattan armchair and modern accessories makes the room feel collected and lived-in. “It just feels like a beautiful place to curl up in and read a book or rest,” she says.
Amanda Reynal Interiors’ “Beachy Breakfast Hideaway”
Tucked away on the second floor, the serene bedroom terrace by Iowa-based designer Amanda Reynal feels like a chic treehouse nestled in the palms. Part of this owes to an exquisite canopy Reynal added that’s inspired by awnings seen across Palm Beach, making the formerly open balcony feel more like a lofty private suite. But there’s also the compelling color story and vision that pays homage to the designers of the city’s past. “So many talented architects and designers really paved the way for us, developing a vernacular that’s since been interpreted in design across the world,” says Reynal.
Her take is bursting with optimism and sunny native color. A trio of banquettes in a summery Schumacher floral offers a cozy spot for light reading or entertaining friends, with pineapple yellow curtains that can be drawn to shield against the elements. A blush pink cocktail table by oomph Home makes for a convivial centerpiece, inviting guests to gather around for anything from brunch to afternoon tea.
Tiffany Brooks Interiors Inc.’s “Bloom Lounge”
Chicago-based designer Tiffany Brooks always keeps a sketchbook of ideas, and for this guest bedroom, she flipped straight to a lounge concept she’d been eager to bring to life. “I got butterflies realizing I was finally able to design this haven, which I’d envisioned as a place a creative mind could use as an escape,” explains Brooks.
At the heart of the design is a floating daybed upholstered in dreamy mint green (from Fabricut's Italian leather collection), with the curves of its bolster pillows mirrored in curvy custom cornices by The Shade Store. An ultramodern chandelier, too, lends gravitas to the elliptic: Currey & Company’s brass-studded circular discs cast light upward with gold-leaf interiors for a warm glow.
To help cement the room’s sense of place, Brooks deployed a flower and pagoda print by Thibaut on the walls in a blue and green combination reminiscent of the Palm Beach sky and landscape. A pair of lightweight oomph Home cocktail tables for books, notes, or even an afternoon cocktail (whatever gets the mind whirring) can be easily shifted to accompany the bamboo and rattan corner throne from Made Goods. With the daybed, both are great recharging stations before returning to the desk to churn out another masterpiece.
Philip Gorrivan Design’s “Sala Exotico”
Italian modernism reigns in a petite sitting room by New York–based decorator Philip Gorrivan but not without a few delicate nods to Brazilian craft and the local traditions of Palm Beach. The designer first turned the ceiling into a sculptural centerpiece with a 3D installation crafted of exotic Brazilian woods, bringing a sense of dimension and texture to the small room. “It's made of wooden blocks that are not all geometric,” says Gorrivan. “I think it speaks to the natural world because they're not perfect and they're not straight edges.”
Moving to the walls, the decorator wanted to introduce a tropical, leafy theme in an artistic manner reminiscent of the landscapes by French painter Henri Rousseau. So he enlisted the help of Fromental to create a custom wallpaper bursting with palms, florals, and other native plants while playing with negative space. Pleasing shades of tobacco, iris, and rose continue into an Erik Lindström rug, Rose Cumming | ClassicCloth fabrics, and custom drapery by The Shade Store, while fine Italian antiques from Gary Rubinstein Antiques serve as a powerful grounding force—and echo the ceiling installation’s artistic heft.
Catherine M. Austin Interior Design’s “The Jewel of the Jungle”
Always one for a challenge, Charlotte, North Carolina–based designer Cathy Austin took on not only the guesthouse dining room but also the kitchen and entryway. Drawing inspiration for the collection of spaces from textilier CW Stockwell and Voutsa’s Martinique Celebration wallpaper, she was particularly interested in a colorway influenced by artist Henri Matisse. “Matisse has been a huge influence on my color aesthetic throughout my career,” says Austin, “and I’ve been holding on to that wallpaper since it was released, just waiting for the perfect opportunity to use it.”
Indeed, opportunity called and here, the vivacious jungle scene plays out on dining room walls and frames kitchen windows in the form of pleated drapery by The Shade Store. And while the color palette remains the same throughout all three spaces, Austin opted to distinguish them by giving them each a different headlining hue. For example, sunny yellow in the dining area arrives via theatrical Schumacher window treatments (also by The Shade Store) and a Murano chandelier from Shades from the Midnight Sun. In the kitchen, it’s a fresh green that brightens kitchen cabinetry (Richmond Green, Benjamin Moore), tempered by the soft white and gray veining of hardy Dekton countertops by Cosentino. Kohler fixtures and JennAir appliances ensure entertaining—even in a galley kitchen—is a breeze.
Goddard Design Group’s “Salon Vingt-Trois”
Chris Goddard of Goddard Design Group is bringing the French salon back into decorating parlance with his colorful reimagining of the guesthouse living room. The Arkansas-based designer adored the idea of creating a gathering hub away from the main house dedicated to creativity, fun, and, of course, conservation. “I wanted to take this rectangular box and turn it into something fabulous, a romantic French salon infused with lots of color and energy,” says Goddard.
Since the room held little architectural intrigue, Goddard added lacquered cobalt beams to the ceiling in a geometric arrangement and draped violet fabrics from Kravet on the walls. Further adding to a sense of warmth, vibrant embroidered fabrics finished with pleated taffeta layer over custom sheers (The Shade Store).
Overhead, honeycomb lighting by Currey & Company is a sculptural delight—its metal-pierced design lending a strong sense of craft and workmanship—and pairs well with contemporary works of art. The mustard sofa and tribal-print wingback chairs invite conversation, while antique Chinese rugs and a chinoiserie secretary ground the room in a sense of antiquity.
Tish Mills Interiors' "The Perfect Home Office Hideaway"
As many people in her life continued to work from home because of the pandemic, Atlanta-based designer Tish Mills felt the showhouse needed to have a creative and inspiring room where people could escape to get work done or take Zoom calls. As a result, what was once a guesthouse bedroom has transformed into a multidimensional office filled with earthy, meditative tones and high-impact artwork.
Mills’s team started by swapping the cottage’s original mirrored closet for a dynamic quartz fireplace surround that stretches to the ceiling. Then Mills wrapped the room in a marbled Phillip Jeffries wallcovering, which picks up on the cool lavender, gray, and brown tones of the quartz. “When I look at the wallpaper, it reminds me of what the sand on the beach looks like when the waves pull back from the shore,” says Mills. The leafy brass floor lamp by Currey & Company rising up in a corner only intensifies the shoreline vibe.
With its prominent vertical graining, the vintage desk by Jacques Garcia for Baker plays into the room’s organic aesthetic, while a bright yellow settee upholstered in Perennials’ soft acrylic velvet (aptly named Plushy) by Birmingham, Alabama, furniture maker Grant Trick, with photography curated by Holden Luntz Gallery in Palm Beach, adds just the right amount of playfulness and color to the soothing study.
Joy Street Design’s “In Real Life”
Kelly Finley of Joy Street Design viewed the transformation of a guesthouse bedroom and bath as a singular challenge for her California-based team to experiment with rich color and a spate of new technologies ranging from art to smart innovation. Momentum for the former began at the very top with a ceiling wallpaper by S.Harris with juicy berry tones so alluring that they inspired the room’s entire color story. A burgundy and plum ombré rug by New Moon followed, as did deep red velvet upholstery and painterly patterned window shades (also by S.Harris).
Meanwhile, ripe raspberry walls (Dark Burgundy, Benjamin Moore) became bold backdrops for framed screens displaying dynamic NFTs by Black artists associated with Melanated Studios. “We wanted to show how these digital works of art can live simultaneously with printed art and photography in a home gallery,” says Finley. “I think NFTs really help to create a sense of democratization in the often overwhelming art world.”
The modern innovation continues to the windows with motorized Roman shades (fabricated by The Shade Store with another S.Harris pattern) that operate by voice command. Custom bed linens from Dea and sculptural Currey & Company vases soften the strict lines of the onyx table inlays.
A special thanks to this year's sponsors: Arsin Rug Gallery, Benjamin Moore, Boys & Girls Clubs of Palm Beach County, Cosentino, Currey & Company, Design Management Company/Lloyd Princeton, Fabricut, First Republic Bank, Horse Soldier Bourbon, Hindman, Hive Trade Showroom, Hive Home, Gift & Garden, Innova, JennAir, Kohler, Lilly Pulitzer, New Moon, New York Design Center, OKA, oomph Home, Perennials and Sutherland, Phillip Jeffries, Pioneer Linens, Primestones, Related Southeast, Rose Cumming | ClassicCloth, Soane Britain, Susan's Jewelry, The Colony Hotel, The Shade Store, and Whispering Angel.
Sarah DiMarco is the Assistant Editor at VERANDA, covering all things art, design, and travel, and she also manages social media for the brand.
