Picturing your home from lines on a floor plan can feel like venturing into the unknown. But for one lucky couple, Laing and Sandy, who bought a vacant lot in Palm Beach, Florida, they knew precisely what their unbuilt home would be like. In a sense, they’d been there before.
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When Laing and Sandy bought a block of land in Palm Beach, Florida,they knew exactly what kind of home they wished to build, right down to the teal shutters and detailed fretwork on the facade. Three generations now enjoy holidays here, in what has since become a much-loved retreat. (Photography: Carmel Brantley/ Styling: Brianna Washburn)
Who lives here?
Laing and her husband Sandy, a couple with a blended family whose adult children and grandchildren often visit.
Your favourite room? Laing: “I love the study, with all of our family photos. Caitlin started with an old Persian rug and designed the wonderfully textured space, where we love to escape.”
How do you like to entertain at home? Sandy: “I love our big Margarita Madness cocktail parties in the backyard by the pool with a band and lots of family and friends.” Laing: “An intimate dinner of four or six around the banquette in the family room is magical. When the weather is good, we love dinner parties under the pergola.”
A local builder had constructed a beautiful home nearby, and Laing, Sandy and I toured that house and loved everything about it,” says interior designer Caitlin Kah. “The builder and I reached out to the architects, and they agreed to take that floor plan, make a few tweaks and rescale it for this land.”
Using the same architect and builder, alongside Caitlin who had previously designed a pied-à-terre for the couple, plans were drawn up in record time. “It expedited things,” says Caitlin. “Laing and Sandy could envision what their home would look like; they knew what it would feel like. They were confident about building the house, as they had kind of already seen it.”
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Beneath a Visual Comfort pendant, a backdrop of Holland & Sherry ‘Chalus’ wallpaper links the room with the rest of the home. “Patterned grasscloth wallpaper is like a white wall in Palm Beach; it’s almost like our neutral,” says Caitlin. “We took that idea and went above and beyond, choosing a textured paper with pattern on top.” (Credit: Photography: Carmel Brantley/ Styling: Brianna Washburn)
The couple’s dream run continued when their local council swiftly approved the plans – “a pleasant surprise,” says Sandy wryly. Even construction progressed quickly, as a reassuring sense of déjà vu unfurled on site for the architect, builder and designer. “It was a quick build, because everyone already knew what the house was going to look like,” explains Caitlin.
The interior gave Laing and Sandy a chance to be playful with pattern and courageous with colour, adding bejewelled hues to the design, which Caitlin introduced in a carefully tempered way.
“They have fun taste, but as this is their home, it had to be really liveable, functional and comfortable. For some of our other clients, who may only spend a few months a year holidaying in Palm Beach, we can be a little crazier, because they want to feel really immersed when they’re here.”
Offset wall panelling adds a sea of texture with grasscloth coffered ceilings, custom seating and a vast rug (for similar sisal, try International Floorcoverings). Laing’s dad originally owned the piano and the couple installed a player. “It plays itself beautifully,” says Sandy. For a similar chandelier, try Lighterior ‘Sash’ pendant; for a similar side table, try Abacus and Hunt ‘Drum’ side table. (Credit: Photography: Carmel Brantley/ Styling: Brianna Washburn)
Just like the sandy beaches nearby, warm whites and neutrals form the interior backdrop, bolts of blue call to the ocean, vivid reds gleam like coral, and greens usher the outdoors in. Texture fills each room, from sisal underfoot and grasscloth walls to bigger, bolder forms as seen in the coffered ceilings.
The result is a summery sanctuary, beloved by three generations of family, where Laing and Sandy’s children and grandchildren can escape the winter cold; a home that feels as warm as the tropical paradise that surrounds it.
Kitchen
A quintessentially coastal palette defines the kitchen, fitted with Sub-Zero Wolf appliances (try Winnings) for the keen hosts. “The family room and kitchen are the heart and soul of our house where everyone hangs out,” says Sandy. Urban Electric Co pendants (try Bloomingdales Lighting) light the island, while stools (for similar, try ‘Le Jardin’ stools at Naturally Cane) invite cosy chats without encroaching on precious cooking space. (Credit: Photography: Carmel Brantley/ Styling: Brianna Washburn)
“We want people to exhale when they walk in the door; to feel incredibly comfortable and relaxed,” says Laing, homeowner.
Study
“My favourite room is the study,” shares Caitlin of this bejewelled space, stately with cedar joinery. (Credit: Photography: Carmel Brantley/ Styling: Brianna Washburn)
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“The whole room was inspired by Laing and Sandy’s rug; we pulled the reds from there. It’s a classic Palm Beach study, but with a twist.” (Credit: Photography: Carmel Brantley/ Styling: Brianna Washburn)Caitlin added tactile touches with a woven lamp from Memoire Design, topped by a Bunny Williams shade. (Credit: Photography: Carmel Brantley/ Styling: Brianna Washburn)She furnished the room with a Lee Industries ottoman and sofa. (Credit: Photography: Carmel Brantley/ Styling: Brianna Washburn)
Bedrooms
A Ro Sham Beaux chandelier crowns the couple’s room. (Credit: Photography: Carmel Brantley/ Styling: Brianna Washburn)
“Laing is so chic and classic, she’ll wear something really unexpected mixing old and new, so in the pink room we added the patterned headboard in Christopher Farr Cloth and their old claw-foot chair to tap into that,” says Caitlin of one of the guest rooms. (Credit: Photography: Carmel Brantley/ Styling: Brianna Washburn)A chest of drawers sits in the pink guest bedroom. (Credit: Photography: Carmel Brantley/ Styling: Brianna Washburn)
Bathrooms
Serena & Lily ‘Palmetto’ papers the walls in the bathroom near a wave-edge mirror (try Laura Kincade) and Visual Comfort sconces (try The Montauk Lighting Co). (Credit: Photography: Carmel Brantley/ Styling: Brianna Washburn)Resplendent in Pierre Frey wallpaper, the powder room makes a statement. (Credit: Photography: Carmel Brantley/ Styling: Brianna Washburn)
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Alfresco
The funny thing about this house is that it doesn’t have a dining room,” shares Caitlin. “Instead, the family spend a lot of time outside around the pool and in the pergola; the pergola is like their dining room. It’s always fun to host a dinner party in a space that’s not a traditional dining room and it’s really dreamy here at night.” Hand-painted ceramic pool tiles skirt the watermark, against the fresh, white backdrop of the pool house. (Credit: Photography: Carmel Brantley/ Styling: Brianna Washburn)
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Photography: Carmel Brantley/ Styling: Brianna Washburn
