Tropical Home Winter 2018

WINTER 2018

HOME DESIGN

INTERVIEWS

TABLE TALK

HOME TECH

TRAVEL

HOT NEWS

REAL ESTATE

MIAMI MANSE • DESIGNER SHOW HOUSE • ENGAGING KITCHENS • RETHINKING RATTAN • AMANDA LINDROTH COLLECTION • HISTORIC NAPLES • MINNIE PULITZER MCCLUSKEY

THCVR1.indd 1

12/28/17 2:16 PM

John's Island_TH_JAN18.indd 2

12/8/17 2:27 PM

001-015 TH_Contents_JAN18.indd 1

12/8/17 11:18 7:53 PM 12/1/17 AM

STRENGTH | INTEGRITY | TRUST | EXCELLENCE

WEST CAMINO DEL RIO

T p a

Newly Constructed Home with Coastal Inspired Architecture. 4,200 + square feet of living area, 4 bedrooms + Den, 4 bathrooms, 3 car garage, Heated Saltwater pool/spa, Impact & Low E glass, Marble & Hand Scraped Wood Floors, Stainless Pro series Jenn Air appliances. Smart House Automation System.

Located in one of the most desirable areas of the barrier island, with beautiful large oak trees. Chip Landers 772.473.7888 | MLS# 170050 | $1,999,999

PA L M I S L A N D P L A N TAT I O N Gracious 2-story 3BR/4.5BA plus den! Downstairs master suite. Deluxe finishes throughout. SE exposure pool, covered patio, outdoor fireplace. Eat-in kitchen/family room. Fenced yard. Includes ocean beach club poolside cabana.

Lucy Hendricks/Jane Schwiering 772.559.8812 | MLS# 197300 | $1,295,000

THE SHORES Rare south-facing riverfront. Total privacy. Architecturally designed 4BR/3.5BA with pool. Open water views. Dock. Beautiful hardwood floors. Large family room leading to covered, screened porch with water view.

Claudia Johnson 772.473.4345 | MLS# 184210 | $2,495,000

THE DUNES Oceanfront lot in south Vero Beach with an accreting beachfront. Over 2/3 acres size with 100 x 333 dimensions in a gated and deed restricted community. No time limit to build your dream home and low hoa fees.

Chip Landers 772.473.7888 | $2,950,000

INDIAN RIVER CLUB Luxurious estate home. 3BR, 2 offices, 3 full & 2 half baths. Chefs kitchen, family room & gracious living room. 3 A/C car & double golf cart garage.

Impact windows & doors. Overlooks 15th fairway & lake.

Brenda Dwight 772.643.1144 | MLS#195373 | $1,199,900

3377 Ocean Drive, Vero Beach, FL | 772-231-1270 | 800-635-5155

001-015 TH_Contents_JAN18.indd Berkshire_TH_JAN18.indd All Pages2

t

C t s

A member of the franchise system of BHH Affiliates, LLC

12/8/17 7:53 PM

C A S TAWAY C OV E V This waterfront home offers everything a family needs to live in comfort and style. Designed to maximize direct riverfront views, the first floor offers an open plan with 2 bedrooms. Upstairs; a luxurious master suite, loft and 3 more bedrooms, plus a BONUS 2 room suite with bath and private entry. Enjoy a large pool area, dock and lift, Granted Beach access, guard gated community. Cheryl Burge 772.538.0063 | MLS# 177946 | $1,795,000

EAST END Beachy, but sophisticated in ideal location. Walk to Ocean Dr. shops, restaurants and Farmer’s Market. Bright end unit. 4BR/4.5BA oceanfront townhome. Built in 2015 with exquisite detail and finishes.

Dan Downey & Anne Wallace 772.713.6314 | MLS# 179885 | $2,895,000

P E L I C A N C OV E I I Casa Puerta Roja is a newly rebuilt 3BR vacation home just steps from the ocean in Historic Riomar. 15,000 SQ FT lot with enormous 20’ x 40’ swimming pool. Impact windows, automated shades, home theater system.

Beth Livers 772.559.6958 | MLS# 178107 | $998,000

O L D OA K L A N E 2017 new home in heart of Old Riomar! Quality 4BR/4BA + 1BR/1BA guest house. Tile roof, 3 car garage, impact windows/doors. Great outdoor living including covered patio, BBQ, fire pit, and southern exposure pool.

Lucy Hendricks and Jane Schwiering 772.559.8812 | MLS# 191795 | $2,595,000

C E N T R A L B E AC H Riverfront Deep Water, 147 feet of frontage and beautiful views. 3 Bed 2.5 Bath Pool home with great mid century modern open layout, 2,700+ sf Southern exposure on the water perfect for sunrise and sunset.

Gretchen Hanson 772.713.6450 | MLS# 176416 | $825,000

BHHSFloridaRealty.com | norrisandcompany.com

LLC

001-015 TH_Contents_JAN18.indd 3

12/8/17 3:56 7:53 PM PM 12/8/17

Private Gated Community ~ Arnold Palmer Championship Golf Course ~ Member-Owned Golf Carts ~ Pickleball ~

Exclusively Selling Properties in Orchid Island Golf & Beach Club

Orchid All Pages 001-015Island_TH_JAN18.indd TH_Contents_JAN18.indd 4

12/8/17 7:53 PM

Eight

ball ~

Eight Har-Tru Tennis Courts ~ State-of-the-Art Fitness Center ~ Day Spa ~ Private Beach ~ Family Friendly Program

One Beachside Drive, Vero Beach, Florida (772) 388-3888 | info@orchidislandrealty.com OrchidIslandRealty.com

Orchid Island_TH_JAN18.indd 3

12/8/17 8:12 PM

CONTENTS

36

FEATURES

36

OUTSIDE IN The award-winning architectural team at Choeff Levy Fischman envisions a tropical modern manse: It’s all about the view.

48

THE HEART OF THE HOME Interior designer Leah Muller creates engaging spaces for culinary clients to enjoy food and family.

58

BY AMY ROBINSON

SHOW AND TELL Interior designers interpret elegant coastal living in a newly built Riomar home.

BY NIKI OFFUTT

78

RETHINKING RATTAN David Francis’ creative director Catherine Blum uses unexpected materials and finishes to create a modern take on rattan furniture.

BY MARY BETH VALLAR

6

Noted island-style designer Amanda Lindroth knows a thing or two about entertaining outdoors.

BY ANN TAYLOR

BY BARBARA REID

66

THE ART OF AL FRESCO

96

NAPLES COTTAGE Mark and Di Koestner have filled their historic beach cottage to the beams with Old Florida charm.

BY JOIE WILSON

Tropical Home WINTER 2018

001-015 TH_Contents_JAN18.indd 6

12/8/17 7:54 PM

The Moorin

001-015 TH_Contents_JAN18.indd The Moorings_TH_JAN18.indd 1 7

12/8/17 11:43 7:54 PM 12/1/17 AM

CONTENTS 16

20

84

88

28

DEPARTMENTS

16

HOT NEWS Small Spaces With Big Style Good things come in small packages

20

BY AMY ROBINSON

28

INTERVIEW Minnie Pulitzer McCluskey Minnie Pulitzer McCluskey’s zest for life is reflected in her art and adventures.

BY MARY BETH VALLAR

HOME TECH Home Is Where The Smart Is Innovations in home technology provide convenience and comfort

26

NEW RELEASES

88

THE EXCURSIONIST

Design books to spark style and spirit

BY AMY ROBINSON

84

TABLE TALK Tropical Delicacy

Pearl of the Antilles

Stone crabs pack a sweet and meaty punch

Natural beauty abounds in Cuba, and its people are happy to share.

A Versatile Vino

BY CAMILLE YATES

Pinot noir, a red wine for a tropical climate

BY CHRIS FASOLINO

8

Tropical Home WINTER 2018

001-015 TH_Contents_JAN18.indd 8

12/8/17 7:54 PM

Windsor_T

001-015 TH_Contents_JAN18.indd 9 Windsor_TH_JAN18.indd 1

12/8/17 11:15 7:54 PM 12/1/17 AM

CONTENTS

DEPARTMENTS

101

10

REAL ESTATE REGISTRY

102 500 Bay Drive

115 60 Dove Plum Road

Winter 2018 The source for luxury properties

104 1462 River Club Drive

116 192 Spinnaker Drive

105 1456 River Club Drive

117 153 Anchor Drive

106 1019 Gayfeather Lane

118 738 Grove Place

107 319 Live Oak Road

119 40 Beachside Drive #202

108 2 Dolphin Drive

120 181 Seaspray Lane

110 1804 Ocean Drive

121 8 Beachside Drive

112 21 Dove Shell Lane

122 12760 Florida A1A

113 692 Ocean Road

124 10635 Wittington Avenue

114 21 Marker Way

125 10795 Charleston Drive

126

AD LIST

127

HEALTH & WELLNESS

Directory of Advertisers

How to wake up with a positive attitude

128

IN PERSPECTIVE Color theory

Tropical Home WINTER 2018

001-015 TH_Contents_JAN18.indd 10

12/8/17 7:54 PM

Reilly Cons

Reilly Construction_TH_JAN18.indd 001-015 TH_Contents_JAN18.indd 11 1

12/1/17 12/8/17 11:13 7:54 PM AM

A NOTE FROM OUR EDITOR Welcome to Tropical Home

Winter in Name Only

A

s you turn these pages, don’t be surprised if you do a double take every time you see the words “Winter 2018” in the folios.

I know I did. First of all, it’s a new year, and that always takes a little getting used to. Secondly, when you see the lush tropical

images on our pages, winter is not the first word that comes to mind, which, of course, is the point. That’s why we live in the tropics!

As we celebrate our 20-year anniversary at Vero Beach Magazine, where we often share stories about inspiring homes and designers in this luxurious oceanside community, we are excited to bring you another issue of Tropical Home in which we get to exclusively explore even more of the architecture, design and lifestyle specific to a climate without winter.

In this issue, we take you on a tour of a tropical-modern manse in Miami with sweeping views of Biscayne Bay, a classic Naples cottage, and a designer show house in which six interior designers interpreted elegant coastal living in a newly built Riomar home. We talked with Palm Beach artist Minnie Pulitzer McCluskey, who, true to her iconic name, embraces the tropical lifestyle in full color. Designer Leah Muller gave us some dream kitchen inspiration, and island-style designer Amanda Lindroth shared her take on the art of entertaining outdoors. We have included a collection of magnificent properties in the Real Estate Registry, and there’s much more.

ON THE COVER 500 Bay Drive — A perfect combination of iconic elegance and geographic location.

PG 102

I hope you enjoy this issue as much as we enjoyed putting it together. Welcome back, and happy new year!

Best wishes,

Niki Offutt editor@tropicalhome.com

12

Tropical Home WINTER 2018

001-015 TH_Contents_JAN18.indd 12

12/8/17 8:23 PM

TC Sotheby

001-015 TH_Contents_JAN18.indd 13 TC Sothebys Jayne Kenworthy_TH_JAN18.indd 1

12/8/17 11:41 7:55 PM 12/1/17 AM

LISA DIGGINS Publisher publisher@verobeachmagazine.com

NIKI OFFUTT Managing Editor

ANI RICH Lifestyle Editor

SUSAN HALLER Account Executive susan@verobeachmagazine.com

ELIZABETH WHISMAN Proofreader

MARIE VANMEERTEN Business Manager marie@verobeachmagazine.com

CRYSTAL HOLLAND Account Coordinator crystal@verobeachmagazine.com

SUSAN LORENZ Newsstand Distribution 772-231-0021 susan@pakmailbeachside.com

ELIZABETH MOULTON Founder & CEO ceo@verobeachmagazine.com

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Chris Fasolino Barbara Reid Amy Robinson Ann Taylor Mary Beth Vallar Joie Wilson Camille Yates

RENEE BRADY Art Director HEATHER BOTTO Graphic Designer KARL ENGHOFER Graphic Designer TIFFANY FARIA Graphic Designer CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Jared Blais Carmel and Robert Brantley TJ Petrino Camille Yates Louis Venne Jessica Klewicki Glynn Gridley + Graves Photogrophers

956 20th Street, Vero Beach, Fl 32960 Phone: 772-234-8871 | Fax: 772-231-9534 hello@tropicalhome.com

14

Tropical Home is published four times a year by Moulton Publications Inc. Entire contents copyright 2018 by Moulton Publications Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this periodical may be reproduced in any form without written permission from the publisher. Supplied photography is used with permission and verification that the supplier has the right to publish. The publisher is not liable for errors or omissions.

Tropical Home WINTER 2018

001-015 TH_Contents_JAN18.indd 14

12/8/17 8:31 PM

Page 2 Des

WINTER 2018 Tropical Home

001-015 TH_Contents_JAN18.indd Page 2 Design_TH_JAN18.indd 1 15

15

12/8/17 11:07 7:55 PM 12/1/17 AM

HOME TECH Home Innovations

Modern advances make for easy living.

Home Is Where The Smart Is Innovations in home technology provide convenience and comfort.

WRITTEN BY AMY ROBINSON

The Good Life

S

taying connected through today’s smart innovations provides convenience and helps simplify our busy lives. Products and services that provide this type of value are increasingly in demand. Tech doesn’t have to be complicated to bring beauty, creativity and energy savings to our homes.

20

Bright Idea

M

aestro occupancy-vacancy sensors automatically turn lights on when you enter a space and off when you leave. The slim design blends with any decor and ensures energy savings along with reducing the carbon footprint of your home. The Maestro from Lutron is ideal for rooms that you often enter with your hands full, such as a laundry room, walk-in closet or kid’s room.

Maestro light sensors automatically turn lights on and off when you enter and leave a room.

Tropical Home WINTER 2018

TH_VBM_JAN17_Tech.indd 20

12/8/17 4:24 PM

HOME TECH Home Innovations

Connected Home

C

Easily control your home’s lights, shades and temperature from anywhere.

Give light, and the darkness will disappear of itself. – DESIDERIUS ERASMUC

ontrol your lights, shades and temperature from anywhere — whether you’re home or away. Caséta wireless dimmers and switches install in minutes, work with numerous bulb types — including dimmable LEDs and CFLs — and bring the convenience of a connected home to your fingertips.

“LED lights are very long lasting, and for home use, the dimmable option is increasingly desired,” says Langdon Scott, vice president of sales for K & M Electric. “The Caséta from Lutron is an affordable way to add that feature, wirelessly.”

The Family Fridge

S

amsung’s next generation Family Hub refrigerator represents a major advancement in the role and importance of the refrigerator in family life. From your smartphone, you can look inside your refrigerator using cameras, build your shopping list and place an order. Use the LED touchscreen as an interactive digital bulletin board to share photos, access updated calendars and post memos from wherever they may be, using a companion app. The kitchen remains the unchallenged heart of the home with the Family Hub refrigerator at its center.

Connect your refrigerator to your smart phone to manage shopping lists, family calendars and much more.

WINTER 2018 Tropical Home

TH_VBM_JAN17_Tech.indd 21

21

12/8/17 4:24 PM

HOME TECH Home Innovations

Safe Keeping

P

lan ahead for life’s events with the FidSafe program from Fidelity Investments to securely store the critical files you need online. “Storing your important legal and financial documents in a digital safe is one of the most basic, and perhaps most important, estate planning tips for families today,” says Matt McManus, vice president and branch manager of Fidelity Investments in Vero Beach. Reference the program’s Ready, Set, Plan checklists to help you decide which documents to store and designate who can access them at a moment’s notice.

Store your important legal and financial documents in a digital safe.

Home Search Tool

C

ompass, whose proprietary technology platform has streamlined how agents and buyers search for real estate online, has launched its “Collections” home search tool. The program tracks the homes you like and saves them in one place, allowing you to share selections with your spouse, parents or friends in one centralized location. Receive automated price and status updates about the homes in real time.

Streamline the way you search, track and share real estate using the newest online search tool.

22

Tropical Home WINTER 2018

TH_VBM_JAN17_Tech.indd 22

12/8/17 4:24 PM

Beachland

TH_VBM_JAN17_Tech.indd 23 Beachland Homes_TH_JAN17.indd 1

12/8/17 11:00 4:24 AM PM 12/1/17

HOME TECH Home Innovations

Smart Shades

I

Program your window treatments to open and close at specific times.

magine always having the perfect amount of natural light in your home, automatically. PowerView Motorization from Hunter Douglas, recipient of the 2016 Red Dot Design Award, programs window treatments to open or close, creating just the right ambiance any time of day or night. Move your window treatments to the exact position you want and then control and schedule them using a hand-held controller or an app on your smartphone or tablet. “Different scenes can be programmed within the system.

For instance, windows facing east can be down in the morning and when the sun is overhead they will go up, while west-side windows will go down,” suggests Bob Roth of Roth Interiors, one of a handful of accredited PowerView dealers in Florida. “You can control internal temperatures of the home and protect furniture, fabrics and carpets from fading.” ❂

With PowerView, you can control internal temperatures and protect furniture, fabrics and carpets from fading.

24

Tropical Home WINTER 2018

TH_VBM_JAN17_Tech.indd 24

12/8/17 6:11 PM

Untitled-10

TH_VBM_JAN17_Tech.indd 25 Untitled-10 1

12/8/17 12/8/17 4:24 2:59PM PM

NEW RELEASES Design Books

Capture Your Creativity Design books to spark style and spirit

26

Learn how designer Susan Hable translates everyday rooms into stunning interior spaces in A Colorful Home.

Brimming with luscious photography, this book reveals how to open our eyes to the colors around us and bring them to life in rooms composed with meaning. Chronicle Books, $30

Designer Meg Braff’s first book, The Decorated Home, explores the building blocks of the polished home. Fill your home with classic, cheerful charm and elegance that is approachable and pretty. Explore the fundamentals of spaces and learn all about the importance of that perfect finishing touch. Rizzoli, $28

Award-winning architect Gil Schafer believes a house is successful when the people who live there consider it home. In his new book A Place to Call Home Schafer shares his secrets in seven different homes around the country. The pages showcase how he interprets traditional principles of architectural styles with contemporary ways of living. Rizzoli, $55

The island of Ibiza is a quintessential Mediterranean hot spot that has served as an escape for artists, creatives and musicians alike for decades.

Ibiza Bohemia explores the island’s archetypal interiors that define its signature style. Discover colorful bliss one page at a time. Assouline, $58

This privileged tour of 22 lush garden retreats guides the reader through the colorful flora of Florida’s best-kept grounds. Private Gardens of South Florida by Jack Staub shares uniquely landscaped abodes, forest-like escapes, shaded pathways, secluded pools and more. Gibbs Smith, $50

From acclaimed architect and designer Keith Summerour Creating Home: Design for Living is an alluring new book of nine carefully crafted dwellings that redefine the idea of home for today.

Discover architecture, interiors and grounds that range from rustic retreats to aristocratic charm. Rizzoli, $50

Tropical Home WINTER 2018

DesignBooks_THJAN18.indd 26

12/8/17 4:45 PM

19 97-2017

Celebrating 20 Years Of Excellence

VB MUSEUM’S BRADY ROBERTS • MAUREEN BAUCHMAN • WOOD STORKS • VB PINEAPPLES • ST FRANCIS MANOR • POET SEAN SEXTON VOLUME XX, NUMBER 4

APRIL 2017

The Orchid Island Beach Club expands and updates its iconic design

LITTLE JEWEL ON THE OCEAN

VBM_APR17_CVR1.indd 1

3/16/17 9:56 AM

BERNIE SWAIN • POLO REVIVAL • LINDA ROBERTS’ MISSION • SCULPTOR LARRY KAGAN • PURPLE MARTINS • IR PHOTO CLUB WINNERS VOLUME XX, NUMBER 3

MARCH 2017

John’s Island redesigns its Golf Club to integrate the best of traditional and contemporary

EMBRACING THE PAST, PRESENT & FUTURE

VBM_MAR17_CVR1_v2.indd 1

BRIDGE CENTER • MEMORY & MOTION • BEACH HOME • ROSEATE SPOONBILLS • CHILDREN’S GARDEN • SPORTS CAR CLUB • DRESSING UP

RUTH SCHEER • ORIN SMITH’S CAR COLLECTION • DEBBIE PHELPS • LIFESAVERS • BRIDGE TENDER • SQUIRRELS • MOTHER’S DAY GIFT GUIDE

VOLUME XX, NUMBER 2

FEBRUARY 2017

VOLUME XX, NUMBER 5

MAY 2017

Quail Valley’s new club on The Pointe offers members a great place to dine and relax

Interior designer Page Franzel creates a test lab for her business

A BEACON ON THE RIVER

A DESIGNER’S OWN RENOVATION

VBM_FEB17_CVR1.indd 1

2/16/17 12:25 PM

2/16/17 12:26 PM

VBM_MAY17_CVR1.indd 1

10/2/17 8:40 AM

hello@verobeachmagazine.com 772-234 - 8 871

DesignBooks_THJAN18.indd 27

12/8/17 4:46 PM

INTERVIEW Minnie Pulitzer McCluskey

Feelin’ It Minnie Pulitzer McCluskey’s zest for life is reflected in her art and adventures.

WRITTEN BY MARY BETH VALLAR

M

❂

PHOTOGRAPHY BY CARMEL AND ROBERT BRANTLEY

in n ie Pulitzer McCluskey often does something because it just feels right. And often that project or deed involves family, friends, her commu-

nity and beyond.

Feeling right has taken Minnie on family adventures around the world, atop a scaffolding painting a jungle scene mural for a friend, and cleaning up beaches to prevent another piece of plastic from littering the coastline or polluting the ocean.

It also led her to paint faux turtle shells — a passion that has become her signature art. She paints the lifelike resin shells with a high-gloss finish for their decorative appeal and at the insistence of her family and clients, who love to see them hanging on a wall or used as a sconce.

But what makes it feel right for her is the attention it draws to the marine creatures and the threat they often face from entanglement in marine debris, such as plastic bags and other discarded items.

“I grew up swimming with sea turtles in the Bahamas, and I love them and the ocean, and so my turtle shell art has a special place for me.”

The Palm Beach native has experienced the ocean and its joys through swimming, fishing, surfing, snorkeling and scuba diving, and she still participates in those activities with her high-energy family. She shares her love of nature and its beauty through her art and her outreach in her characteristic ebullient and enthusiastic manner.

28

Seated in the courtyard of her 1940s-era home in Palm Beach — with a huge, 100-year-old banyan tree in the center and surrounded by lush tropical foliage — she talks about her art, her parents who inspired her and her life with its non-stop pace.

She shares the home with her husband, Kevin, and youngest son, 17-year-old Jack. She also shares the home with two very large rescue golden labs, one of which sleeps at her feet. “He looks like a big polar bear, doesn’t he?’’ she says reaching out and patting his head.

Her two older children, Lilly (and her husband, Sean Ferreira) and Rodman (and his wife, Serin, and their two children), live nearby, as does most of her family, including her father — to her great delight. Family is of utmost important to her, as is her ability to draw them close. The same can be said of her friends, of which this generous and unpretentious woman has many.

Of her art, she says, “I’m passionate about it. I love the feel of a paintbrush in my hand, and I love sitting back at the end and seeing it. But I literally just started my artwork again a few months ago after being away from it for several years. People were coming up and saying, ‘Minnie, when can I get another turtle shell?’ And I realized I missed it and had to get back to it. It felt right.”

Minnie Pulitzer McCluskey relaxes with one of her rescue dogs, Luke, in the courtyard of her home in Palm Beach. A 100-year-old banyan tree can be seen in the background.

Tropical Home WINTER 2018

MinniePulitzer_THJAN18_DNO.indd 28

12/8/17 4:38 PM

WINTER 2018 Tropical Home

MinniePulitzer_THJAN18_DNO.indd 29

29

12/8/17 4:38 PM

INTERVIEW Minnie Pulitzer McCluskey

We are adventuresome and non-stop travelers. We love life and live it to the fullest. And we laugh a lot. This we got from mom and dad.

— MINNIE PULITZER MCCLUSKEY

The illness and death of her mother were the reasons she temporarily put away her brushes and paints. “When my mother became ill, I couldn’t do it. She was my complete focus, and when she died, it was just crushing.”

Her mother, of course, is Lilly Pulitzer Rousseau, who created the iconic and colorful Palm Beach shifts — known simply as Lillys — and fostered the Lilly Pulitzer fashion business into a multimillion dollar enterprise from 1959 to 1984. She died in 2013.

Minnie’s father is entrepreneur Herbert Peter Pulitzer Jr., grandson of the newspaper publisher Joseph Pulitzer, who endowed the Pulitzer Prize for achievements in journalism and literature.

Minnie cherishes the gifts her parents gave her, which among other attributes influenced her art.

“My mother was the most outstanding and amazing woman who turned everyone into family, opening her arms and her home to everyone.” Minnie’s love of bright colors, reflected in what she wears and what she paints, are often the vibrant green, pink and orange hues found in the original Lilly Pulitzer dresses.

Minnie verified the story of how her mother accidentally invented the fashion “must have” Palm Beach outfit. “It’s absolutely true,” she says.

“When my parents eloped, they settled in Florida because dad already had citrus groves here. Mom sold orange and grapefruit juice from her stand on Via Mizner just off Worth Avenue.” The year was 1959 and Worth Avenue was full of mom-and-pop stores, she says.

Squeezing juice was messy business and stained Lilly’s clothes, as well as the clothes of her three young children who were frequently with her in the juice stand.

“So she went out and bought the wildest fabric she could find at who knows where, maybe Woolworth’s,” Minnie says. “And she found a lady to sew the simple shifts, slit up the sides and slap the bows on it. And that was the juicing outfit.

“We all wore them and people fell in love with them.

Then they painted dad’s orange and grapefruit crates and hung them in the stand upside down, attached hangers 30

and hung mom’s dresses on them. She sold them from the stand and they just took off.”

Her mother was not what Minnie calls a “water person,” but her father definitely is. “He loves the ocean and gave us the gift of water. And it has affected every aspect of my life.”

She also notes that her father is an avid hunter and maintained hunting camps in Okeechobee when she was growing up. “We would spend a lot of weekends out there. I loved just sitting in a tree blind and watching the sun come up and the animals and nature coming alive.

So many people only know Florida’s coastal areas and miss seeing what I call the ‘real’ Florida, which has its own beauty.”

Minnie doodled and drew as a child, and the nature around her was her favorite subject. “Mom was traveling a lot opening her stores, and my father was also traveling opening hotels or was in the orange groves. So we had this most amazing governess from Scotland named Elizabeth Torrance who loved to paint.” She was Minnie’s first art instructor.

“In the summers we went off to the Adirondacks and stayed in cabins on Bisby Lake, and we would walk through the woods. She pointed out fungus growing on trees and birds in their nests and squirrels, and we had our colored pencils and we would draw them.”

Back in Palm Beach, Minnie, with Torrance’s help, drew and painted what she saw — coconuts, palm trees, flowers and boats.

But her formal training didn’t come until soon after her daughter Lilly was born and she enrolled in classes at the Armory Art Center in West Palm Beach. “I had been painting my whole life, but this is where I learned the right techniques for many different art forms.”

A painting of bouganvilleas by Piero Aversa provides a tropical backdrop to a display of photographs attesting to the many adventures on which Minnie and her high-energy family thrive.

Tropical Home WINTER 2018

MinniePulitzer_THJAN18_DNO.indd 30

12/8/17 4:39 PM

WINTER 2018 Tropical Home

MinniePulitzer_THJAN18_DNO.indd 31

31

12/8/17 4:39 PM

Minnie Pulitzer McCluskey’s artistic focus is on painting lifelike faux turtle shells, which are displayed alongside a flower pot she also painted. “I think I have painted on every surface there is,” she says with a laugh.

From there she went on to make a name for herself as an artist. Today many Palm Beach homes and a few businesses feature Minnie’s tropical designs — on canvas, walls, crown molding, pillars, banisters, furniture and more. “I think I have painted on every surface there is,” she laughs.

Minnie’s “studio,” where she now concentrates on her turtle shells, is in a warehouse in West Palm Beach that she shares with her husband. “He and my two sons are using it to rebuild a 1969 Bronco, literally from the ground up. We call it the ‘Three-and-a-half Guys Garage’ for them and my 2½ year-old grandson.” Tucked away in the corner of the warehouse is an air conditioned office for Minnie to work on her turtle shells.

From start to finish, the process of painting a shell takes about 10 days to two weeks, including mixing the oil glazes, thinners and other ingredients, painting and 32

drying between painting the layers.

The turtle shells are indeed lifelike and Minnie likes to tell the story of carrying a piece of her art back from a family vacation in the Bahamas. A customs official stopped her and warned it was illegal to take the shell out of the country. “It’s not real,” she said, “but thank you for thinking it is.”

About five years ago, at the prodding of her sister Liza, Minnie got into the real estate business as an agent for Brown Harris Stevens in Palm Beach. “I knew I didn’t want to get on scaffolding anymore to paint, and so Liza,

This portrait of Lilly Pulitzer Rousseau was painted by Piero Aversa. “He was one of mother’s closest friends,” her daughter says of the artist.

Tropical Home WINTER 2018

MinniePulitzer_THJAN18_DNO.indd 32

12/8/17 4:39 PM

WINTER 2018 Tropical Home

MinniePulitzer_THJAN18_DNO.indd 33

33

12/8/17 4:39 PM

Minnie paints her signature art, faux turtle shells, to bring attention to the threat that sea turtles face.

34

Tropical Home WINTER 2018

MinniePulitzer_THJAN18_DNO.indd 34

12/8/17 4:39 PM

INTERVIEW Minnie Pulitzer McCluskey

772-234-1688

I love the feel of a paintbrush in my hand, and I love sitting back at the end and seeing it.

— MINNIE PULITZER MCCLUSKEY

who is a real estate rock star, got me into it. And I love it because I love property and I love this island.” She admits it is something she never thought she would pursue, but BEACHSIDE SPECIALIST again, she says, “It felt right.”

ALL PROPERTY TYPES ALL PRICE RANGES Family pastimes today include hunting and fishing, Christine R. McLaughlin, Lic. Broker hitting the road to watch Jack play baseball — he is off to 3201 Cardinal Drive, #7 • Vero Beach, FL 32963 Rollins College next year to play varsity baseball — and www.propertyinvero.com • 772.234.1688 shamrock19@earthlink.net traveling.

They fished the waters of the Atlantic, Pacific and Caribbean in search of billfish, and Jack became the youngest person ever to claim the “Royal Slam” of bill 1 fishing. This entailed his successful catch of each ofShamrock_TH_JAN18.indd the nine different species of billfish from their indigenous waters all over the world. The prize billfish are Atlantic blue marlin, Pacific blue marlin, black marlin, white marlin, striped marlin, Atlantic sailfish, Pacific sailfish, swordfish and spearfish.

The family traveled to Hawaii, Panama, the Bahamas, Dominican Republic and Mexico, and Jack accomplished the feat at age 9.

Another adventure was a mother-daughter trip to Africa for Minnie and Lilly, which included a cage dive among great white sharks off the coast of Cape Town.

Other places still to go, and things to do, include diving with the whales in Tonga, touring Machu Picchu in Peru and visiting Iceland. “And so many other places,” she adds.

“Our whole family is like this. We are adventuresome and non-stop travelers. We love life and live it to the fullest. And we laugh a lot. This we got from mom and dad.”

In fact, the license plates on her cars read: LIV LIF and LAF HRD. No doubt for Minnie there will be more of it all — art, work, travel and joy in living. And the timing: when it feels right. ❂

FBC Mortgage_TH_JAN18.indd 1

MinniePulitzer_THJAN18_DNO.indd 35

WINTER 2018 Tropical Home

12/7/17 3:37 PM

35

12/1/17 11:38 AM

12/8/17 4:39 PM

36

Tropical Home WINTER 2018

TH_VBM_JAN18_PaulFischman_DNO.indd 36

12/8/17 4:02 PM

Outside In The award-winning architectural team at Choeff Levy Fischman envisions a tropical modern manse: It’s all about the view.

WRITTEN BY BARBARA REID

W

hen Peter Fine of To Better Days Development commissioned architect Paul Fischman to design a custom spec house, he had a particular vision in mind. In 2013, Fine had purchased a 28,000-square-foot lot on Biscayne Bay, located in one of Miami Beach’s most prestigious neighborhoods. “North Bay Road has always been one of the most sought-after addresses and was crowned ‘Millionaires Row’ for a reason,” says the company’s executive vice president and project manager, Joshua Young. “It is no coincidence that Miami Beach pioneer and developer Carl Fisher placed his estate on this street.”

The impressive mansions and elegant estates that grace this community routinely attract a who’s who of celebrities, athletes, musicians and industry moguls, all lured by the tropics and Miami’s international cachet.

Mere blocks from the vibrant happenings of South Beach and the historical Art Deco district of Ocean Drive, the area’s attractions are many — boating, golfing, shopping and exquisite wining and dining are all just a stone’s throw away.

Architectural styles in this exclusive community run the gamut from Mediterranean revival to Italianate to mid-century modern, but Fine’s vision was clear: He wanted Fischman to design a luxurious, contemporary tropical home constructed of warm, natural materials with clean lines, a modern and open layout and spaces

WINTER 2018 Tropical Home

TH_VBM_JAN18_PaulFischman_DNO.indd 37

37

12/8/17 4:02 PM

The 1,500-square-foot master suite features floor-to-ceiling glass walls that slide open to reveal magnificent vistas of the bay and downtown Miami. Spacious and relaxing, the interior designer chose soft furnishings in shades of blue, white and sand.

for indoor-outdoor entertaining. He wanted a home that exuded an experiential quality, built with materials and methods that echoed the environment and brought the outside in.

Fischman was up to the task. He is one of three partners in the Miami-based, award-winning firm of Choeff Levy Fischman Architecture and Design. With a master’s degree in architecture from University of Miami and a bachelor’s in environmental design from the University of Colorado, he was a perfect fit for the project.

“Environmental design accounts for macro or microclimate, where you’re responding to the environmental features,” Fischman says. Fine’s directive informed his decision to focus on maximizing the natural light while creating a direct connectivity to the tropical environment.

Walking the lot, Fischman and partner Ralph Choeff studied the landscape, the angle and direction of light, and the architectural configuration needed to maximize the panoramic views of the bay and beyond. Fischman says that by extending a leg of the structure out proud of the main residence, they were able to create unobstructed views of Biscayne Bay and downtown Miami from the family room and second-level master bedroom suites. And the utilization of new technology for column-free spans of floor-to-ceiling glass allowed for a seamless, open-concept design that forged a direct connection to the tropical topography. “The way I designed 38

The humidity-controlled wine and tasting room that can hold more than 600 bottles of wine was the hub of the home during an inaugural open house.

this home is that there are pockets everywhere that can be opened up to the outside and nature,” he says. “The view literally drove every aspect of this home.”

The result is a spectacular 15,000-square-foot, twostory glass manse surrounded by sweeping terraces and lush tropical landscaping. With clean, linear lines and wood cantilevered overhangs for contrast and shade, the

Interior designer Bjorn Bjornsson turned a small open courtyard between the kitchen and family room into a seating area. “When the glass is open in this area, all the rooms become a single space,” Fischman says of the design.

Tropical Home WINTER 2018

TH_VBM_JAN18_PaulFischman_DNO.indd 38

12/8/17 4:02 PM

WINTER 2018 Tropical Home

TH_VBM_JAN18_PaulFischman_DNO.indd 39

39

12/8/17 4:02 PM

The home’s strong visual appeal comes from the textured elements of Brazilian cumaru along with the natural stone and honed limestone that provide both coolness and warmth to the structure. With clean, linear lines and cantilevered wood overhangs for contrast and shade, the design features an abundance of patios and balconies for outdoor entertaining and spectacular sunsets.

design features an abundance of patios and balconies overlooking the sparkling waters of the infinity-edge pool and Biscayne Bay to the west, while to the east, views of the Miami Beach cityscape beckon.

Completed in 2016, the seven-bedroom, nine-and-ahalf bathroom home has 100 feet of water frontage with a private 40-foot dock and cabana, a gym, theater room, wine cellar, home office and elevator. With many options for indoor-outdoor dining and entertaining throughout, one unique feature is the 2,500-square-foot rooftop with 360-degree views — the perfect vantage point for spectacular sunsets or an evening of stargazing.

The home’s strong visual appeal comes from the textured elements of Brazilian cumaru, a hardwood popular for its beauty and ability to withstand the Florida elements, along with natural stone and honed limestone that provide both coolness and warmth to the structure, while the sophisticated interior exudes the warmth of an inviting sanctuary. “We believe that a buyer at this level wants to own a ‘home,’” Young notes. “(This home) has character. It is not just a white box.”

Combining durable and sustainable materials with 40

the latest in advanced technology, the residence is also safe and impermeable, rendering hurricanes a temporary inconvenience. Fischman, alluding to the vast walls of impact glass that take advantage of Florida’s abundant light, says the home is also eco-friendly and energy efficient. “We used insulated glass that creates a thermal break between the interior and exterior climates and a low E-coating that allows the good light in but blocks the solar heat gain and glare.

“It’s typical for someone not to be in the home yearround, so it is designed to reduce costs and the global energy intake for the client,” he maintains. With automated roll-down shades and programmable technology controlling many functions of the home, all operations can be easily programmed to suit the owner’s schedule.

“Essentially the home can be made to behave just like a human,” Fischman says.

The formal dining room, with its striking marble and brass dining table and glass chandelier, has views of the tropics and access on both sides to the gourmet chef’s kitchen.

Tropical Home WINTER 2018

TH_VBM_JAN18_PaulFischman_DNO.indd 40

12/8/17 4:02 PM

WINTER 2018 Tropical Home

TH_VBM_JAN18_PaulFischman_DNO.indd 41

41

12/8/17 4:02 PM

42

Tropical Home WINTER 2018

TH_VBM_JAN18_PaulFischman_DNO.indd 42

12/8/17 4:02 PM

Approaching the property through a gated, palm tree-lined walkway, the transparency of the design is immediately apparent. “We designed the residence so you could see right through to the bay the second you open the gate,” says Fischman, adding that the more formal ipe wood door makes for a striking first impression while offering a degree of privacy. Flanking the walkway are two parking areas: a three-car garage with lifts that expands the space for up to six cars and a gravel carport with an ivy-clad pergola for additional parking. “The 100 feet of waterfront will allow the buyer to dock a boat at the back,” Young notes. “And the expandable garage is a perfect place to park their other toys.”

As you step into the home via an impressive double-high entry foyer, you are greeted by an engineering feat of sorts: 2-foot 6-inch beams supporting an entirely column-free, 40-foot-wide great room, where sliding glass walls disappear to unite the interior and exterior spaces. The room’s cool limestone flooring extends all the way out to the pool deck, where a sandblasted version renders a nonslip surface. “I wanted to create a seamless, monolithic look so that the second the front door is open, your eye just goes right over the vanishing edge of the pool to the water in Biscayne Bay,” Fischman explains.

In concert with the conceptual design, the low, streamlined seating arrangement, upholstered in muted tones, acts as a backdrop to the views. “When I came in here and could see the water and landscape, I felt I did not want to interrupt that with the furniture I chose,” says interior designer Bjorn Bjornsson. “The color palate has a soft and sophisticated look, yet doesn’t compete with the outside.”

Bjornsson was brought on board toward the end of the project to execute Fine’s vision of a contemporary design laced with traditional motifs. “I like to work with different lines, both modern and traditional,” Bjornsson says. “It has to feel comfortable, so I like to create that kind of lived-in look, accented by interesting artifacts so you don’t feel it’s a staged home.”

Blending traditional elements juxtaposed with mid-century modern lines, he added both transitional and eclectic accents to pull the design together. The pil-

The master suite’s 10-foot terrace enjoys views of the home’s 100foot waterfront replete with an infinity-edge pool, cabana and boat dock. Biscayne Bay and downtown beckon in the distance.

WINTER 2018 Tropical Home

TH_VBM_JAN18_PaulFischman_DNO.indd 43

43

12/8/17 4:02 PM

44

Tropical Home WINTER 2018

TH_VBM_JAN18_PaulFischman_DNO.indd 44

12/8/17 4:03 PM

lows, throws and artwork in shades of blue, cream, grey and yellow mimic the Florida sunlight, sky and water, while the 11-foot 6-inch high ceiling painted in a metallic shade of silver gives the space intimacy and depth. “On certain days, the ceiling reflects the pool and the waters in the bay,” he says.

To the left of the great room is a glass-enclosed gym spanning the entire southeast portion of the house. Fully furnished with the latest fitness equipment, it also features a spa, sauna and a Zen-like, covered yoga deck that opens onto a jungle of tropical palms and plants.

For the avid oenophile, Fischman included a humidity-controlled wine and tasting room where more than 600 bottles of wine can be showcased and sampled. Illuminating a high-top table and chairs is a traditional, yet uniquely elegant, glass chandelier that Bjornsson introduced as a contrast to the more contemporary wood and black accents. Across the way, a soundproof theater room with blackout shades also serves as a bar and lounge area.

Citing the need for multi-functionality, Fischman notes, “When it’s not being used as a theater room, it’s a beautiful space that receives tons of sunlight and engages with the entry landscape.”

To the north of the great room is the gourmet chef’s kitchen, featuring marble countertops and top-of-theline appliances and fixtures. With access on both sides to the formal dining room and breakfast area, this leads to a family room with an outdoor terrace for dining or relaxing by the pool and cabana. Shaping an architectural niche into useable space, Bjornsson turned a small open courtyard between the kitchen and family room into a seating area replete with rock garden — a peaceful oasis for a morning cup of coffee or reading the newspaper before breakfast. “When the glass is open in this area, all the rooms become a single space,” Fischman says of the design.

On the second floor is a 1,500-square-foot master suite with spacious his-and-her walk-in closets, two marble-floored bathrooms — one with a freestanding tub, and a 10-foot terrace overlooking the bay. Accessible by elevator or floating staircase going all the way up to the rooftop, again, the views here take center stage.

No expense has been spared in the materials and finishing touches of this home. Here, marble flooring and a freestanding soaker tub in the master bathroom suite overlook the bay and beyond.

WINTER 2018 Tropical Home

TH_VBM_JAN18_PaulFischman_DNO.indd 45

45

12/8/17 4:03 PM

46

Tropical Home WINTER 2018

TH_VBM_JAN18_PaulFischman_DNO.indd 46

12/8/17 4:03 PM

With corner opening, sliding glass walls that invite the tropical breezes coming off the bay, the room is spacious and relaxing.

Bjornsson accented this space with soft furnishings in shades of blue, white and sand, installing panels of velvety fabric for the bed’s headboard and a stationary wall covering to frame the view. Automated pull-down shades ensure both privacy and a restful haven. On the southwest corner, a mini-master suite for guests or partners who choose to sleep in separate rooms has walk-in closets, full bath and shower and a walkout terrace affording stunning views of the bay and downtown Miami.

Also on this floor and acting as an auxiliary part of the house while still being connected to the main residence is a breakfast kitchen and additional quarters with private entrance. “A lot of people may have a maid, a driver and a chef, especially European and South American clients,” says Fischman. “This home has the flexibility to be either for a family or someone with staff.”

Modern yet warm in its elegance, the innovative design encapsulates the relaxing essence of the tropics.

The landscaping and use of organic materials and natural light throughout the home effortlessly intertwine the interior and exterior spaces, creating a harmonious ambience and sense of place.

“For such a huge house, it has an intimate feeling, which I love,” Bjornsson says. “I walk around the home and it’s very calming. The soul of the house is that of a peaceful sanctuary.” Fischman agrees. “The elegant treatment of materials and the response to the tropics and environment is what sets this home apart,” he asserts.

Noting Fine’s proclivity for treating every project as if it were his own and anticipating the types of amenities a discerning buyer will expect, Young says the home’s nuanced design gives the residence soul while the attention to detail makes it a different kind of tropical modern home. “Our development team spent a lot of time making sure no detail or expense was spared,” he says. “(A prospective buyer will be) someone who is very familiar with high-end luxury goods and has an eye for quality.

When you walk through the front door you can feel it right away.” ❂

Approaching the property through a palm tree-lined walkway, the transparency of the design is immediately apparent. “We designed the residence so you could see right through to the bay the second you open the gate,” says architect Paul Fischman.

WINTER 2018 Tropical Home

TH_VBM_JAN18_PaulFischman_DNO.indd 47

47

12/8/17 4:03 PM

48

Tropical Home WINTER 2018

Leah Muller Kitchens_THJAN18_DNO.indd 48

12/8/17 4:55 PM

JESSICA KLEWICKI GLYNN

The Heart of the Home Interior designer Leah Muller creates engaging spaces for culinary clients to enjoy food and family.

WRITTEN BY AMY ROBINSON

T

he kitchen continues to hold its rocksolid position as the “heart of the home,” the center for gathering and entertaining. Nowhere is this truer than in the warm, inviting tropics. One designer has pushed the boundaries of creativity, function and beauty to bring homeowners’ dream kitchens to life.

Leah Muller began her design career in Philadelphia after graduating from Drexel University and continued her interior design and architectural studies at the Kling-Lindquist Partnership and the Vitetta Group. Her experience with historic homes in Philadelphia and on

“We stayed with a uniform background here and one color for simplicity and effectiveness,” says Muller. “We wanted the kitchen to be understated but not undermined.” Gray and white veined White Macaubas quartzite tops the counters.

WINTER 2018 Tropical Home

Leah Muller Kitchens_THJAN18_DNO.indd 49

49

12/8/17 4:55 PM

50

Tropical Home WINTER 2018

Leah Muller Kitchens_THJAN18_DNO.indd 50

12/8/17 4:56 PM

GRIDLEY + GRAVES PHOTOGRAPHERS

GRIDLEY + GRAVES PHOTOGRAPHERS

The glass tile backsplash and leather barstools in a light Caribbean blue adds the modern beachside kick that Muller’s client desired.

the Main Line gave her a healthy respect for honoring craftsmanship and preserving details while improving a space to suit modern-day needs. After her move to Florida, she adjusted her eye to suit the coastal lifestyle.

“The darker, more primal colors of the northeast trigger cozy, warm instincts versus the coastal palette of lighter, brighter hues creating cool, open spaces,” says Muller.

“There is something about living near the ocean that changes everything. It’s not only about the fundamentals of design and architecture; it’s about the feeling you have living near the water. The sunshine is abundant, the sea breeze is consistent and the stress is less. Our goal is to create that relaxed, comfortable feeling in your coastal home, consistently in every room.”

Muller’s firm is geared to handle all phases of a client’s project. From design concept, project budgeting and furniture layout through furnishing selections and the purchase and installation process. Her strength is

White cabinet door panels with contemporary stainless steel handles complement the professional gas range and hood.

Muller documents her clients’ wish lists and must-haves early in the process. “Face-to-face meetings are of the utmost importance,” she says.

WINTER 2018 Tropical Home

Leah Muller Kitchens_THJAN18_DNO.indd 51

51

12/8/17 4:56 PM

52

Tropical Home WINTER 2018

Leah Muller Kitchens_THJAN18_DNO.indd 52

12/8/17 4:56 PM

GRIDLEY + GRAVES PHOTOGRAPHERS

Entertainment zones can be the wet bar, coffee center, beer bar, wine wall or the wine station, where four wine bottles are accessible through a refrigerated dispenser built in to your cabinets.

— LEAH MULLER

teamwork and communication between every professional involved in the client’s home. “I describe our role as the quarterback position, but the quarterback is only as good as the team,” she notes. “Coordinating a team of well-respected vendors with good communication skills is the key to a successful project.” Muller is known for her versatile style, and nowhere is that more evident than in the kitchens she has designed. “Kitchen design incorporates appliances, cabinetry, work surfaces, work zones and entertainment zones. The work zones are a common element of the kitchen, but entertainment zones are the newest layer to the overall plan,” she says. “Entertainment zones can be the wet bar, coffee center, beer bar, wine wall or the wine station, where four wine bottles are accessible through a refrigerated dispenser built in to your cabinets.”

For cabinetry, Muller often turns to Dawn Wallace Designs as a collaborator for custom cabinets and storage. “Classic simplicity is still king in Florida kitchens, and white remains the ruling color,” Wallace remarks.

“Shaker style cabinets are the most popular. Certain inset options can add personality, such as the rattan inset in white or wood tone. It’s great as an accent to add a ‘wow’ factor without losing the subtlety.” Her showroom

The kitchen island in a deep espresso coordinates with the architectural style and finish of the pendant light fixtures. “The glass shelves help create depth and open the space,” notes Muller. “It makes the space more personable.”

WINTER 2018 Tropical Home

Leah Muller Kitchens_THJAN18_DNO.indd 53

53

12/8/17 4:56 PM

54

Tropical Home WINTER 2018

Leah Muller Kitchens_THJAN18_DNO.indd 54

12/8/17 4:56 PM

JESSICA KLEWICKI GLYNN

We ask a series of lifestyle questions, such as: Who cooks?

Who’s the dishwasher? How do you entertain? Then we review color palettes and photos and discuss time and money.

— LEAH MULLER

and office feature cabinets that beg to be touched in a huge variety of finishes and looks from Wood Mode and Brookhaven, the two high-end lines Wallace favors. Slab doors that cover the entire cabinet, as opposed to inset doors, are on trend, with a large variety of veneers allowing for customization to suit the overall kitchen design.

“In solid wood, maple is still the most popular, but oak is new again in rift cut or in various degrees of a sandblasted finish,” notes Wallace.

For Muller and her team, the kitchen design process begins with clear communication. “The most valuable information comes from the initial meetings we have with our clients. Face-to-face meetings are of the utmost importance,” Muller states. “We ask a series of lifestyle questions, such as: Who cooks? Who’s the dishwasher?

How do you entertain? Then we review color palettes and photos and discuss time and money.”

Susan Katelman sought out Leah Muller for a wholehouse renovation in the John’s Island community of Vero Beach. “I’m really into white kitchens but I wanted some blue in there as well to complement the chairs in the eating area. Leah suggested a French blue island, and at first I was a bit cautious but I am so thrilled with it,” Katelman says. “This is a 20-year plan, so we wanted a look that would be timeless.” The counters are quartzite and add light and space to the entire kitchen, which flows to a bar Susan Katelman asked Muller to incorporate some blue amidst the new ultra-clean white kitchen cabinets, and Muller suggested a French blue island. “I am so thrilled with it,” says Katelman. “This is a 20-year plan so we wanted a look that would be timeless.” The neutral gray quartzite top balances the color impact.

WINTER 2018 Tropical Home

Leah Muller Kitchens_THJAN18_DNO.indd 55

55

12/8/17 4:56 PM

GRIDLEY + GRAVES PHOTOGRAPHERS

56

Tropical Home WINTER 2018

Leah Muller Kitchens_THJAN18_DNO.indd 56

12/8/17 4:57 PM

TIPS FROM THE PRO

area with beveled glass cabinets. “Leah’s space planning was so well thought out. All the space is usable and very functional for a multi-generational family gathering. I had 15 in the house in July and it was seamless.”

Muller’s relationships with her clients transcend design consultations. Sandy McManus found Muller through an open house and fell in love with the whole look. “I saw this beautiful spec home she had decorated in John’s Island,” McManus recalls. “I loved everything she did there and said, ‘That’s it, she’s the one.’ I went to meet her and, through our process, we became friends,” she says. “Ours is not so much a working relationship but a friendship that works.” The kitchen Muller designed for McManus features a predominantly white palette with rich bead molding on the hand-made cabinets and eye-catching milk glass pendant lights over the island.

“Honestly, white is classic and can withstand decades of trends,” says Muller. “But there are thousands of whites — cool and crisp bright whites that enhance modern looks and warmer whites that lean more eclectic.” Her clients may opt for neutral palettes and add color in light fixtures, a backsplash or furniture pieces.

In talking with prospective clients, Muller documents both wish list and must-have items before planning the space. “Some clients express a wish for their ‘dream’ kitchen island — a large island, with a strong, easy maintenance surface at one height and designed for flexible living,” says Muller. She adds that quartzite countertops are high on clients’ priority lists, since they have a neutral appearance in white, beige and gray hues. “It’s a natural stone, harder than granite, and it withstands heat very well.” Muller sees value for the homeowner in remodeling kitchen spaces. “The most impactful spaces to remodel are kitchens and bathrooms. It’s typically the first place a buyer will assess the cost and quality of a home,” she states. They are also spaces that readily accommodate the homeowner’s individual tastes. “For a pop of color in an otherwise neutral kitchen, a La Cornue oven in distinctive royal blue, set off by a handsome blue tile backsplash, becomes a focal point,” she says. “This is your home and you should show off your personality.” ❂

Top Trends and Classic Retouches Millwork 2.0: Architectural millwork is in demand in tropical kitchens where abundant natural light can show off details. Walter Parmalee of Styles and Rails in Vero Beach made the solid wood cabinets for the McManus house and incorporated bead molding to enrich the look.

Color Correction: “Grey is becoming the new neutral,” notes designer Leah Muller. “But greys can still provide individuality. Shale is a warm grey hue we use that pairs very well with other colors.”

Rock Solid: Mark Marques of Macata Stone in Vero Beach recommends a backsplash in natural stone to complement granite counters. “Granite plays well with all other types of stone. Consider creating a backsplash with marble, slate or limestone.”

Dressed-up Cabinets: Walter Parmalee likes using the new veneers on his custom cabinets.

“I made ebony-stained cabinets for Leah Muller with a striae finish,” he said. “It’s like making art. You can come up with different designs and use exotic woods.”

Old World New: Leah Muller sees concrete tiles back in style. “Concrete tiles in new patterns and color combinations remind me of coastal Mediterranean villages.”

Island Dream: Muller gets frequent requests for the “dream” kitchen island with thoughtful storage and plenty of space. “Everyone ends up in the kitchen gathered around the island, so it’s important to provide a flexible space for the sous chef, the mixologist and the pancake professional.”

The predominately white kitchen that Muller designed for Sandy McManus is punctuated by robust milk glass pendant lights over the island. Walter Parmalee of Styles and Rails constructed the wood cabinets with delicate bead molding to texturize the look.

WINTER 2018 Tropical Home

Leah Muller Kitchens_THJAN18_DNO.indd 57

57

12/8/17 4:57 PM

The Lindroth Design Table Top Collection features raffia baskets, placemats, trays and serving pieces with an appealing tropical vibe.

58

Tropical Home WINTER 2018

Amanda Lindroth_THJAN18_DNO.indd 58

12/8/17 4:42 PM

The Art of Al Fresco Noted island-style designer Amanda Lindroth knows a thing or two about entertaining outdoors.

WRITTEN BY ANN TAYLOR

A

manda Lindroth makes no secret of the fact that dining al fresco is high on her happy list. For this sand-in-her-shoes island girl, sharing a meal with friends while under a star-studded sky is the best of all worlds.

That’s why the designer best known for her inspired interiors didn’t stop with furnishings, wall coverings and window treatments — she created a tabletop collection that reflects her breezy signature style.

“I decided to design a line of things for eating al fresco because here in the islands we are constantly eating outside and I found there were certain things missing in the marketplace,” says Amanda, who was born in South Florida and for the past 20 years has called Lyford Cay in the Bahamas home.

WINTER 2018 Tropical Home

Amanda Lindroth_THJAN18_DNO.indd 59

59

12/8/17 4:42 PM

I’ve always thought how sad it is that in all the tropical places we dine, so often there are commercial stainless serving vessels.

This collection, which revolves around woven things, solves that.

— AMANDA LINDROTH

“I’ve always thought how sad it is that in all the tropical places we dine, so often there are commercial stainless serving vessels. This collection, which revolves around woven things, solves that.”

The collection, which features various size trays, placemats, baskets, candleholders, party lanterns and buffet tents, has just the right mixture of color, pattern and seaside glamour to make them fun as well as practical.

While most of the items in the collection are rattan, natural materials such as bamboo and certain reeds make an appearance.

“People have been very, very responsive to the collection. The party lanterns and giant buffet tents and picnic tents have received a lot of attention,” Amanda enthuses.

60

“We created the buffet tents in wonderful sizes from giant to a regular dinner-plate size. We did them in natural rattan and also had them copied in a faux rattan, which can be practical for commercial use or if one wants to scrub them. We’ve even done more relaxed ‘picnic tents,’ with smart navy netting tops attached. They’re great for picnics on the beach or out on the boat.”

Designing interiors and creating a successful table collection weren’t even tiny dots on Amanda’s drawing board when she graduated from Wellesley College with a degree in international relations.

The travel bug bit and she spent time in Paris

Tropical Home WINTER 2018

Amanda Lindroth_THJAN18_DNO.indd 60

12/8/17 4:42 PM

Raffia beverage sleeves in a variety of patterns make any drink taste sweeter.

Whether in the center of a dining table or hanging from a tree branch, party lanterns add a glow to the outdoor setting.

Woven spiral placemats in a variety of colors reflect Lindroth’s comfortable, breezy island design style.

WINTER 2018 Tropical Home

Amanda Lindroth_THJAN18_DNO.indd 61

61

12/8/17 4:42 PM

I feel it’s important in an island home to have fresh open air in the house, clean and crisp white bedding in guest rooms, and bookshelves filled with books to read.

— AMANDA LINDROTH

and throughout Europe, inspired by the art and architecture of every place she visited.

After returning to the States, Amanda began writing about social events for Women’s Wear Daily and W Magazine, which frequently involved covering multiple parties nightly. “I was in so many New York apartments and saw ‘who wore it best’ among a very privileged group of people at a very jazzy period in New York’s social history,” she has been quoted as saying.

When Amanda received an offer to head up Gucci’s public relations department in London, she didn’t hesitate. Life there was good. It got even better after she moved to Nassau and her island style spirit burst into full bloom, prompting friends to seek her decorating advice.

62

Charmed with Amanda’s use of sea grass rugs on the floor, grass cloth on the walls, and Bahamian straw work throughout, friends of those friends began calling.

Before she knew it, Amanda found herself designing interiors full time, and loving it. So did the print media.

Her creative style, influenced by classical architecture and proportion and described by one admirer as “colonial Caribbean,” has been featured in House Beautiful, Veranda and Coastal Living magazines.

Following the success of a Bahamian house tour featuring six residences, some bearing Amanda’s signature touch, Martha Stewart invited her to be a guest on her radio show. During their conversation, Amanda shared views about her island lifestyle.

Tropical Home WINTER 2018

Amanda Lindroth_THJAN18_DNO.indd 62

12/8/17 4:43 PM

Dome covered trays in various patterns and colors not only enhance a table setting, they help keep food warm.

Amanda Lindroth’s Tabletop Collection features starburst baskets, ranging in size from small to large.

WINTER 2018 Tropical Home

Amanda Lindroth_THJAN18_DNO.indd 63

63

12/8/17 4:43 PM

Raffia placemats in red, blue or natural add a tropical touch to any setting.

“We do a lot of entertaining and have several house guests visit throughout the year. I feel it’s important in an island home to have fresh, open air in the house, clean and crisp white bedding in guest rooms, and bookshelves filled with books to read. An abundant breakfast buffet is a plus. We use our kitchen island and always have a mountain of bacon when we have house guests,” says Amanda.

“Usually, our guests are pretty much on their own for lunch, then later we all gather again for dinner. The setting is magical with candlelight and the mottled light from breeze-blown palms and the hint of the night sea in view.

My best party secret is seating eight people at a 48-inch round table. It makes for the best, best time — everyone squished together and able to talk across the table.”

64

Since Amanda opened her design business in 2010, it has expanded to include 17 employees staffing studios in Nassau and Palm Beach.

“I feel very fortunate to be living in the tropics, creating beautiful, practical things,” Amanda says, who credits her creative muse for always being on the lookout for new ideas.

“My eye has always been quick to catch details, and I’m inspired by the things I see and the images I view,” says Amanda, who views the world through an artistic lens. “There are still design areas I want to work on, things I want to learn, do, and create.” ❂

Tropical Home WINTER 2018

Amanda Lindroth_THJAN18_DNO.indd 64

12/8/17 4:43 PM

From large to small, Lindroth’s Birkin Baskets with leather handles and identification tags fly off the shelves.

Rattan buffet tents range in size and are among the more popular items in the collection as they seamlessly travel from the table to a blanket on the beach.

WINTER 2018 Tropical Home

Amanda Lindroth_THJAN18_DNO.indd 65

65

12/8/17 4:43 PM

66

Tropical Home WINTER 2018

HouseOfCulture_THJAN18.indd 66

12/8/17 5:02 PM

Show And Tell Interior designers interpret elegant coastal living in a newly built Riomar home.

WRITTEN BY NIKI OFFUTT ❂ PHOTOGRAPHY BY JARED BLAIS

W

hat happens when you give six interior designers their own empty room in a new home and free-rein to design it as they please? A lot of beautiful rooms — and a surprisingly cohesive whole. “Elegant tropical lifestyle” was the starting point for the designers that participated in the recent design showcase in the Old Oak Lane development in Vero Beach, part of the House of Art, Culture and Design event held to benefit the Cultural Council of Indian River County. After that, it was up to interpretation. Event co-chair Diane Langevin said, “It was amazing that, though each designer worked separately, it all came together beautifully. There was a continuity.”

Join us on a tour of the designer show house and a peek into the boutique house next door.

WINTER 2018 Tropical Home

HouseOfCulture_THJAN18.indd 67

67

12/8/17 5:02 PM

CAPTION Liquatqu aerferessi con placero od quatem alique volupta quiam, ut pediciasin repero ditibus,

68

Tropical Home WINTER 2018

HouseOfCulture_THJAN18.indd 68

12/8/17 5:02 PM

I try to keep my interiors very clean. I didn’t want your eye to stop inside and not get to see the beauty outside.

— PAGE FRANZEL

The Great Room Page Franzel, owner of Page 2 Design, designed the foyer, great room, dining room and bar area. “Coastal modern is simple, comfortable, inviting, clutter-free and does not take away from the integrity of the architecture,” she says. “The most important thing is scale and making sure your furniture is both large enough but not overpowering for your room.” With a large open room, she says, the key is arranging the furniture on the area rug. In a bit of decorating kismet, Franzel found a perfectly complementary and perfectly sized Falasiri rug after she has already chosen the other fabrics. “It was as if the rug was made for the room.” With a focus on calmness, Franzel chose greys with sea foam undertones that change in interesting ways as the light changes and blended traditional elements with modern, such as gold fixtures and custom-upholstered animal print chairs. “I wanted you to walk in and feel peaceful,” she says.

WINTER 2018 Tropical Home

HouseOfCulture_THJAN18.indd 69

69

12/8/17 5:02 PM

The Master Suite Gregory Ness designed the master suite with his strong coastal modern viewpoint. “I was trying to show in that room that coastal design can be done through texture and palette,” he says. Ness reinforced the coastal part of the equation with blue tones, textures like abaco rope on the Palacek platform bed, and Cowtan & Tout textiles with undulating patterns to represent moving waves, which he juxtaposed with modern elements like acrylic furniture legs that create a feeling of floating.

For balance and interest, Ness commissioned local artist Patty Vaughn to paint the artwork that hangs over the bed. “I wanted a strong image of realism to contrast with the abstract pieces in the room from J.M. Stringer Gallery,” he says. What’s the name of the piece? “It doesn’t have a name, but I call her ‘Contessa.’”

70

Tropical Home WINTER 2018

HouseOfCulture_THJAN18.indd 70

12/8/17 5:02 PM

WINTER 2018 Tropical Home

HouseOfCulture_THJAN18.indd 71

71

12/8/17 5:02 PM

72

Tropical Home WINTER 2018

HouseOfCulture_THJAN18.indd 72

12/8/17 5:02 PM

The Cabana In the one room that isn’t attached to the rest of the house, it’s fitting that the design went in a slightly different direction. “It’s a modern interpretation of coastal, with tribal elements,” says designer Joseph Tanacs. Instead of using big bold prints, Tanacs wanted to add contrast with textures, which can be seen in the custom-built Turkish style bed and custom fabrics on the pillows, made by Aboriginal artisans. “Most of the fabrics I went with a softer color palette, really looking at texture. I brought in the blush color and the tassels because I feel that’s going to be a color coming out this year.” A rope chair, woven pendant light, and a fiddle leaf fig tree remind you that you’re steps away from the ocean — albeit an exotic one — and dark shades give the room a cool, shady feel, perfect for relaxation after a day in the sun. “It’s a cozier feel and I like bringing in dark elements. Sometimes people are scared to use darker things and I don’t mind it.” As a final nod to the coastal look with a hint of darkness, Tanacs commissioned the shark painting from local artist Andy Diossy. Tanacs says he draws a lot of inspiration from what is happening in the fashion world. “Luckily my wife likes clothes.”

WINTER 2018 Tropical Home

HouseOfCulture_THJAN18.indd 73

73

12/8/17 5:02 PM

The Office Designer KC Barkley says the architectural elements of the room informed the design. “The stacked, chiseled stone on the fireplace is very popular nowadays and set the pace for the room — we had to do contemporary,” she says. “The industrial desk goes with that fireplace, and to bring it back to a warmer coastal look, we added the rattan chairs with a natural wash finish.” To add 74

interest, Barkley included modern bookcases with spaces for different size sculptures and books and a collection of four abstract paintings with a seascape feel by local artist Ann Fuller. Grey and blue pillows and crisp draperies in white, grey and navy tie the room together.

Barkley says she mounted the rod and draperies all the way at the top, underneath the crown molding, to maximize the beautiful height of the windows.

Tropical Home WINTER 2018

HouseOfCulture_THJAN18.indd 74

12/8/17 5:03 PM

The Guest Bedroom Teal sea-inspired sculptures are the focus of the room, says Theresa Swett of David Francis Furniture, which specializes in transitional rattan furniture, a key element in coastal modern design. In the Stockholm chair, rattan in a natural finish is mixed with metal legs for an organic-meets-industrial look and a modern silhouette. The swirl rattan headboard follows suit.

WINTER 2018 Tropical Home

HouseOfCulture_THJAN18.indd 75

75

12/8/17 5:03 PM

What we tried to achieve from the very beginning was an elegant, coastal feel and the Vero Beach lifestyle.

— DIANE LANGEVIN

The Bedroom Designer Diane Langevin went for the quintessential Vero look, calling the design philosophy “casual elegance.” With classic blues and whites and seaside-inspired artwork — everything from jellyfish to shellfish — the room exudes a cool, coastal calm. Langevin completed the room entirely with furniture and decor from Sunshine Furniture in Vero Beach.

76

Tropical Home WINTER 2018

HouseOfCulture_THJAN18.indd 76

12/8/17 5:03 PM

The oil painting “Ramutuelle Cote D’Azur” by Edwart Noott, a British Royal Academy artist, was one of many artworks provided by J.M. Stringer Gallery and displayed throughout the designer showcase and boutique houses. Furniture and accessories by M. Maison.

The Boutique The House of Art Culture and Design event featured a boutique house in which several businesses displayed their wares, from artwork to beauty products to clothing and jewelry. Event co-chair Caesar Mistretta says he worked together with home decor boutique M. Maison to create an entrance with a welcoming, polished great room. “I wanted it to look designed, and I think we accomplished that.” ❂

WINTER 2018 Tropical Home

HouseOfCulture_THJAN18.indd 77

77

12/8/17 5:04 PM

78

Tropical Home WINTER 2018

DavidFrancis_THJAN1_DNO.indd 78

12/8/17 4:10 PM

Rethinking Rattan David Francis’ creative director Catherine Blum uses unexpected materials and finishes to create a modern take on rattan furniture.

WRITTEN BY MARY BETH VALLAR

❂

PHOTOGRAPHY BY TJ PETRINO

C

lassic styles are classic for good reason. They have withstood the test of time and possess a certain authority measured by standards of established quality and expectation. But that doesn’t mean a classic style can’t be re-interpreted to fit today’s lifestyles and trends.

That is exactly what David Francis Furniture is doing with its traditional rattan and other natural wood furniture. And interior designers and residential and commercial customers from coast to coast, as well as in the Caribbean and South America, are taking note.

Timothy Ledford, one of David Francis Furniture’s master craftsmen, finishes a rattan chair. All finishes are applied by hand.

WINTER 2018 Tropical Home

DavidFrancis_THJAN1_DNO.indd 79

79

12/8/17 4:10 PM

Being small and local allows for greater quality control.

Finishing takes place in the 20,000-square-foot warehouse behind David Francis Furniture’s showroom in Vero Beach.

We are moving toward even more of a transitional look, more contemporary. Definitely it is not the typical rattan of the past.

— CATHERINE BLUM

By introducing sleeker lines and subtly changing shapes, mixing materials and launching dramatic finishes — all painstakingly hand-applied — David Francis Furniture designers are setting a new course in the highend indoor and outdoor coastal look.

Catherine Blum is vice president and creative director and the second generation executive in the family business, headquartered in Vero Beach. In 1997 her parents, David and Terry Swett, bought the original rattan furniture business, The Trading Company, which was established in 1979.

The evolution in design started at the time of the purchase, and by 2000, when the name was changed to David Francis Furniture, the new design direction had taken hold.

Most frames are manufactured in factories in Indonesia and the Philippines to the company’s specifications and shipped to the 20,000-square-foot warehouse on U.S. 1 for assembling and finishing. Upholstering is completed at a separate location, also in Vero Beach.

David and Terry Swett are still very much involved.

Terry continues to head the financial operations, and, while David is involved in the design process, he has 80

recently turned its leadership over to their daughter.

“I came on board in 2007 when I finished college and have worked my way up in different positions from customer service, operations and marketing,” Catherine explains. Now she is leading the design team and adds, “We are moving toward even more of a transitional look, more contemporary. Definitely it is not the typical rattan of the past.”

Traditional materials such as bamboo, rattan, abaca and lampakanay are matched with each other and with out-of-the-ordinary options like stainless steel and hand-dyed leather. The resulting look is transformative.

And the lines and shapes of the furniture give a current feel to the most casual or smartly sophisticated piece or collection.

One of David Francis Furniture’s designs has won a coveted Pinnacle Award from the American Society of Furniture Designers four times in the past seven years.

“We offer 37 different finishes, and we have an infinite number of upholstery options, so the opportunities are endless,” Catherine says.

“Most often an interior designer will select something from our catalogue and choose a finish and fabric

Tropical Home WINTER 2018

DavidFrancis_THJAN1_DNO.indd 80

12/8/17 4:10 PM

to customize the look. But other times, for example with a commercial job, the designer might come in and say, ‘I love the style of this chair but prefer the back splat of that chair. Can you make a chair with the combination?’ So we will sit and sketch and work collaboratively to provide the perfect design for the project.”

Feedback from designers gathering at major shows, such as in High Point, North Carolina, also can enter into the design process, she adds. For example, an attendee checking out a certain table might wonder if it also comes in an outdoor version. Or, as in a recent case, a designer admired an étagère and then said she needed something taller because the homes she is decorating are so massive.

“If we decide to make a variation, which we did with the taller étagère, we can make it happen in a matter of months. Because we are a small company, we are flexible and can be responsive to one designer or one customer.

We can give that personal attention.”

Comfort is also a major consideration. “We design for comfort and function,” Catherine says. “When we design a chair, we always manufacture a sample and then sit-test. Sometimes it will go through five iterations before it’s exactly right.”

David Francis Furniture is found in a number of Vero Beach clubs, including The Moorings, Sea Oaks, Orchid Island and Indian River, and in homes throughout the community. Company-wide, 75 percent of the business is residential and 25 percent is commercial.

While David Francis Furniture could be located

anywhere, its owners have many reasons to stay in Vero Beach. “We have found talented men and women from the community who have trained under our operations manager and they do excellent hand-finishing and upholstering. We love being in Vero Beach, and it’s important to support the local economy,” Catherine says.

The business community feels the same. In fact, in 2009, the Indian River County Chamber of Commerce named the company “Small Manufacturer of the Year.”

The key word is “small” and it is a benefit, Cather-

A local craftsman hand-binds leather trim on a David Francis dining room chair.

WINTER 2018 Tropical Home

DavidFrancis_THJAN1_DNO.indd 81

81

12/8/17 4:11 PM

Being small and local ensures the best quality. Because all the finishing is done in our workshop behind the showroom, we closely monitor it. It’s the same with upholstering, which is done nearby. We inspect each piece.

— CATHERINE BLUM

The new Bay Lounge Chair’s powder coated aluminum frame and hand sewn Sunbrella cushions are available in custom colors and fabrics.

82

Tropical Home WINTER 2018

DavidFrancis_THJAN1_DNO.indd 82

12/8/17 4:11 PM

The Milano Lounge Chair and the Milano Loveseat are two new contemporary pieces in the company’s outdoor collections.

ine explains. “Being small and local ensures the best quality. Because all the finishing is done in our workshop behind the showroom, we closely monitor it. It’s the same with upholstering, which is done nearby. We inspect each piece.”

David Francis Furniture was awarded the 2014 Pinnacle Award in the Summer/Casual category for its innovative Palm Chair and Ottoman. The Pinnacle is the nation’s foremost furniture design achievement award, given by the American Society of Furniture Designers (ASFD).

Page Franzel, owner of Page 2 Design, says, “My company has worked with David Francis Furniture for more than eight years and they just keep getting better. Their new collection is a breath of fresh air as it combines the East and the West. I have shown it to several of my clients and received a wonderfully positive reaction. Their furniture is clean, never fussy and best of all, they’re local.”

The Vero Beach “outlet” showroom on U.S. 1 is open to the public and sees plenty of traffic, especially in season. It features the most popular pieces from the current catalogue, and customers buy the furniture “as is.”

Catherine adds, “If someone comes in with a swatch and wants to match it, or prefers a different finish, we are happy to customize the order.”

All finishes are on display in the showroom, and they include vibrant colors such as green, orange and yellow — popular for children’s rooms — as well as sophisticated metallics, weathered whites and grays and traditional natural and neutral stains.

“Every year we evaluate our color offerings, and I am in the process now of seeing what best sellers were last year, what is waning, and what people are asking for that we don’t have. So every year we introduce a new color palette.”

Last year David Francis Furniture launched its new Weathered Collection — fashioned for the shabby chic, boho and farmhouse looks. It has been extremely well received and will continue to be enhanced and featured prominently.

“We are always watching to see what colors and fabrics are selected and gauging what is on the cutting edge,” Catherine says. ❂

WINTER 2018 Tropical Home

DavidFrancis_THJAN1_DNO.indd 83

83

12/8/17 4:11 PM

TABLE TALK Stone Crabs

Tropical Delicacy Harvested only for their claws, stone crabs pack a sweet and meaty punch

Stone Crab Ceviche In A Coconut Cup MAKES 4 SERVINGS PREP TIME: 30 MINUTES

8 large stone crab claws 2 fresh coconuts 2 limes, juiced 1 ripe mango, peeled, pitted and diced 2 carrots, peeled and shredded or grated 2 vine tomatoes, cored, seeded and diced 1 small red chili, seeded and minced micro greens, to garnish crushed ice, to serve kosher salt freshly ground black pepper

Bring a stockpot of water to boil.

Place crab claws in a steaming basket and cover with a lid. Place over the boiling water and steam until just cooked, about 4–5 minutes. Remove from the basket and let cool on a plate. Wrap coconuts in a kitchen towel before splitting in half with a hammer. Carefully drain about 1 cup coconut water into a food processor or blender. Reserve coconut halves for serving.

Add lime juice and diced mango to coconut water, blending until smooth. Pour into mixing bowl. Crack four crab claws

84

and carefully pick away the shell from the knuckles down, leaving the shell about the pincers intact. Set aside until ready to serve. Crack remaining claws, picking all of the meat out from them. Finely slice the meat and add to the mango and coconut

mixture. Stir in carrot, tomato, chili and some salt and pepper to taste. Divide mixture between the reserved coconut halves. Garnish with the four crab claws that were set aside and micro greens. Serve on bowls of crushed ice.

Tropical Home WINTER 2018

084-087 TH_VBM18_Table Talk.indd 84

12/8/17 4:48 PM

TABLE TALK Stone Crabs

Stone Crab With Shaved White Truffles MAKES 4 SERVINGS PREP TIME: 45 MINUTES

PARSLEY DRESSING

1 small bunch parsley 1 pinch kosher salt ½ cup olive oil CRABS

4 large stone crab claws Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food. – HIPPOCRATES

TRUFFLE BEURRE BLANC

1 shallot, finely chopped 3 tablespoons white wine vinegar 3 tablespoons dry white wine 1 cup butter, cubed 1 teaspoon white truffle, finely chopped kosher salt freshly ground white pepper PRESENTATION

2 tablespoons white wine vinegar 4 medium eggs 2 thick sourdough slices white truffle, for shaving

Combine parsley, salt and olive oil in a food processor. Blend on high until smooth. Scrape into a bowl, cover, and chill until needed.

Bring large stockpot of water to a boil. Place crab claws in a steaming basket, cover, and place over stockpot of water. Steam for 5 minutes until cooked through. Remove basket from water and remove crabs to a plate. Loosely wrap with aluminum foil to keep warm.

Combine shallot, white wine vinegar

and wine in a saucepan. Bring to a boil and reduce until about 1.5 tablespoons of liquid is left. Remove pan from heat and whisk in about 2 tablespoons butter until melted and incorporated. Return saucepan to low heat and continue to incorporate butter by the cube until the sauce is thick and emulsified. Strain into a clean bowl, stir in chopped truffle, and season to take with some salt and pepper. Cover and keep warm to one side.

Bring large saucepan of water to a

simmer. Stir in white wine vinegar. Crack eggs into cups and slide into water. Return water to a steady simmer and cook for 3 minutes, timing carefully. Remove from water with slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Toast bread until golden.

Position on plates and top with poached eggs. Spoon over some truffled beurre blanc and top with crab claws. Spoon parsley dressing around plate. Finely shave over some fresh white truffle before serving.

WINTER 2018 Tropical Home

084-087 TH_VBM18_Table Talk.indd 85

85

12/8/17 4:48 PM

TABLE TALK Wine

A Versatile Vino pinot noir, a red wine for a tropical climate WRITTEN BY CHRIS FASOLINO

flavor profiles tend to be full-bodied. A good pinot noir, however, will have an interesting and vibrant range of flavors, while also being lighter in texture and even silky.

That combination makes pinot noir an ideal red wine for the tropics.

W

hen my father moved from New York to Sebastian, Florida, he faced a question. Like many transplants from the north, he was enjoying the sunshine, the beaches and the relief of not having to worry about snow and ice. But the question he faced was: What kind of wine to buy now?

The robust Italian red wines that he had enjoyed (such as sangiovese and montepulciano d’abruzzo) seemed heavy for a warm climate. But since he had always preferred red wine, the white varieties that many would associate with tropical weather did not seem appealing, either.

Naturally, then, he gravitated to pinot noir.

86

Why Pinot Noir?

M

y father remembered the words of his old friend Charlie Rodriguez, who had worked in a wine shop for years (and who, incidentally, claimed that the famed pirate Captain Morgan may have been one of his ancestors). “You can never go wrong with pinot noir,” Charlie said, although his forebear might have preferred a tot of rum.

Pinot noir is, indeed, an extremely versatile wine. Anyone looking for a red wine that doesn’t seem overpowering in a warm climate would do well to consider it.

What makes pinot noir so unusual is that it is rich in flavor yet relatively light in body. In the world of red wine, that seems like a paradox. Red wines with rich, complex

Sea Glass and Sheepdogs

T

he west coast, from California north to Washington State, produces many excellent pinot noirs.

One engaging and festive example is SeaGlass, from California’s Santa Barbara County. Both the name and the label (which features a picture of blue, green and turquoise sea glass) are delightfully beachy. And the wine itself is a fine example of why pinot noir works so well in warm weather: fruit-forward and light-bodied, this is a red wine that is refreshing. It has vibrant flavors reminiscent of black cherry and raspberry.

Tropical Home WINTER 2018

084-087 TH_VBM18_Table Talk.indd 86

12/8/17 4:48 PM

TABLE TALK Wine

Another California pinot noir worth knowing about is Old Pearl.

The vineyard where this wine is made is also a ranch, and “Old Pearl” is the name of the sheepdog, a Great Pyrenees who has lived at the ranch since she was a puppy.

The label informs us, endearingly, that the wine is a tribute to her, adding, “May you enjoy this wine with your family and alongside your best dog.” Always good advice!

Old Pearl is a different style of pinot noir, dryer and full of spicy undertones. Flavors reminiscent of cinnamon and nutmeg counterpoint the blackberry-like fruitiness.

From the Land of the Kiwi

N

ew Zealand wineries have become known for excellent pinot noir. One that I recommend is Villa Maria, which I first tried at the EPCOT International Food &

Wine Festival. The wines of Villa Maria have won numerous awards over the years, with one extraordinary accolade coming in the form of a knighthood for the vineyard’s founder in recognition of service to the New Zealand wine industry.

George Fistonich (now Sir George Fistonich) had gotten his start with a single acre of vines back in 1961, when he was 21 years old, so his rise to success and recognition has been a dramatic one.

Villa Maria has vineyards in some of New Zealand’s key regions, with pinot noir vines growing in sunny Marlborough on the South Island, as well as in Auckland, a North Island region known for its volcanic soils.

One feature of Villa Maria wines that might surprise you is apparent before you taste the wine, or even pour it into the glass — and that’s the screw cap. It might not be what you were expecting from a winery whose founder was knighted! However, the folks at Villa Maria performed a series of experiments testing different methods of preservation, and they decided that a screw cap had some advantages in that respect. This award-winning winery has been “cork-free,” as they put it, for about 15 years now.

In keeping with the importance of pinot noir in New Zealand winemaking, Villa Maria has several different styles of the variety available. For example, they have an organic pinot noir known as “The Attorney,” perhaps a reference to a lawyer friend who enjoys his wine.

(A bottle might make a good gift for someone in the legal profession!)

Another selection is a single-vineyard pinot noir from a spot in the

Marlborough region called “Southern Clays” for its soil type.

Villa Maria’s “Private Bin” pinot noir, which is made with grapes sourced from a number of different vineyards in the Awatere and Wairau River Valleys, is another interesting choice. This wine has a silky texture with bold fruit flavors reminiscent of red currants and red raspberries, with some herbal undertones that add complexity.

With their focus on variety and their willingness to experiment, Villa Maria provides some great examples of what pinot noir has to offer.

Versatility

T

he versatility of pinot noir also extends to food pairings. Any of these examples would go well with lamb, duck, roast turkey or chicken — or with good pizza. They would also go well with “steak”-type fishes like salmon or wahoo.

“You can never go wrong with pinot noir” may not be part of the original pirate’s code, but the words of Captain Morgan’s (possible) descendant are good advice here in the tropics.

If you are looking for a red wine that is rich in flavor, and that suits a tropical climate, you can never go wrong with pinot noir. ❂

WINTER 2018 Tropical Home

084-087 TH_VBM18_Table Talk.indd 87

87

12/8/17 4:49 PM

THE EXCURSIONIST Cuba

88

Tropical Home WINTER 2018

Cuba_THJAN18_DNO.indd 88

12/8/17 4:50 PM

THE EXCURSIONIST Cuba

Madonna mosaic in Fusterlandia

Pearl of the Antilles Natural beauty abounds in Cuba, and its people are happy to share.

WRITTEN AND PHOTOGRAPHED BY CAMILLE YATES

S

eductive, exotic and mesmerizing. These are all words that perfectly describe a country that has seen few changes over the last six decades but has weathered the test of time with resilience. This country is Cuba, and it’s the largest island in the Caribbean. An experience in Cuba stimulates all emotions and senses, particularly for Americans who’ve been forbidden to travel there unless for educational or cultural reasons.

First colonized in the 1800s, Viñales has rich soils that allow farmers to grow tobacco, coffee and other crops. Dome-shaped hills called mogotes rise abruptly from the flat plain of the valley providing stunning views from small towns and villages.

WINTER 2018 Tropical Home

Cuba_THJAN18_DNO.indd 89

89

12/8/17 4:50 PM

THE EXCURSIONIST Cuba

Botanical gardens, large and small, can be found throughout Cuba. Between Havana and Viñales, the Orquideario Soroa boasts the largest collection of orchids in Cuba. Here horticulturalists propagate orchids “in vitro” to reintroduce them in their natural environment.

With the Obama administration relaxing travel restrictions in 2016, it’s easier for Americans to visit Cuba.

But, when restrictions were tighter, I helped organize a trip to Cuba sponsored by the Environmental Learning Center (ELC) of Vero Beach with a special license held by the Florida Keys Tree Institute. Twenty-two people spent eight days on the island exploring various natural habitats and botanical gardens. The trip focused on western and central Cuba and took us to the UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) biosphere reserves of Viñales, Cienfuegos, Zapata Swamp, Bay of Pigs and Havana.

90

E

ven though Cuba’s natural habitats are beautiful, more than anything, it’s the people of Cuba who left us with lasting memories. “I couldn’t believe how friendly the people were to Americans, given the complicated history of the two countries,” says Ned Dayton, who was part of the ELC group.

The group was accompanied by Cuban scientist Douglas Fernandez-Hernandez, who has studied butterflies since childhood and is one of Cuba’s distinguished authorities on entomology. Even though Douglas is a well-educated scientist, he struggles to make a living to

Tropical Home WINTER 2018

Cuba_THJAN18_DNO.indd 90

12/8/17 4:50 PM

THE EXCURSIONIST Cuba

The people in Cuba were lovely. They’ve managed to incorporate so much culture into their lives, art and music, even though they’ve been held back.

— MUCI CLEMENS

support his family. The limited income he makes guiding people through Cuban ecosystems helps sustain his scientific research and love of studying butterflies. On one short walk with our group through a tobacco field, Douglas documented 10 species of butterflies and recorded his findings on his hand.

Douglas is also a wood carver and makes intricate designs out of wood salvaged from old buildings. His grandfather taught him the craft using only hand tools.

There are no stores to buy lumber, so as Douglas seeks to find new species of butterflies, he also carefully looks for pieces of wood suitable for carving. Many hours go into the carvings, but he supplements his income by selling custom pieces to tourists.

After Fidel Castro overthrew Cuba’s U.S.-backed dictator Fulgencio Batista in 1959, communism changed the once opulent and thriving country. Many Cubans fled the country, but those who stayed have learned to adjust.

Muci Clemens, who grew up in a communist-led country, had reservations about going to Cuba. “As a small child I lived under communism, and going to a communist country brings back feelings that are not pleasant,” says Muci. “The people in Cuba were lovely. They’ve managed to incorporate so much culture into their lives, art and music, even though they’ve been held back.” The Cuban people left such an impression on Muci that after returning to the U.S., she painted an acrylic painting of a man she saw sitting on a curb in Havana playing a trumpet.

In Havana and other large cities, the government has turned mansions once owned by the wealthy into rooming houses holding numerous families. In smaller towns, like Viñales just west of Havana, large families live in small houses. Both electricity and water are scarce. Water is stored in tanks on top of colorful colonial-style houses and gravity is used to push the water into the faucets.

Here, horses are the primary form of transportation.

Along the busy streets, vendors sell huge slabs of meat in their open-air carts, and locals bring egg trays to the market to get their daily rations.

W

hen it comes to natural beauty, Viñales is beyond compare. Its unique and stunning views of mogotes — dome-shaped limestone mountains reaching 500 to 1,300 feet — are breathtaking.

Designated as a UNESCO Natural Heritage site, Viñales is a vibrant area, particularly because of the mogotes combined with abundant tobacco plantations, caves, and rare birds and plants.

Several hours east of Viñales and south of Havana is Playa Larga. It lies at the northern tip of the Bay of Pigs and is a good location to explore the ocean or the massive Zapata swamp. A popular spot here is La Cueva de los Peces, a 120-foot-deep cave that is connected to the ocean through an underground river. Divers and non-divers appreciate the unique beauty — many species of multi-colored tropical fish can be viewed right from its volcanic edge.

Local experts guide birding enthusiasts through Zapata Swamp National Park, Cuba’s largest wetland at 1.1 million acres and home to eight bird species found nowhere else in the world.

WINTER 2018 Tropical Home

Cuba_THJAN18_DNO.indd 91

91

12/8/17 4:50 PM

THE EXCURSIONIST Cuba

The bee hummingbird, the smallest bird species in the world weighing a fraction of an ounce, can only be found in Cuba.

NED DAYTON

Bird lovers are in for a treat at Zapata Swamp National Park, which is Cuba’s largest preserve. At 1.1 million acres, Zapata is a diverse place with 900 indigenous plant species, 175 bird species, 31 reptiles and more than 1,000 species of invertebrates.

“Zapata Swamp has the best birding in the Caribbean,” says Ned, who is an avid birder and photographer.

Notable bird species here are the Zapata wren, Zapata rail, Zapata sparrow and the bee hummingbird — the smallest bird species on the planet.

92

T

wo hours west of Playa Larga is the coastal city of Cienfuegos, which is surrounded by the Sagua Bay. Founded by French colonists in 1819, this refined, elegant city has a dynamic atmosphere with many shops and restaurants.

Known for its stunning neoclassical architecture, the city contains many buildings, like the Palacio de Ferrer built in 1918, that are in the process of being restored. Located beside the Parque Martí, the palace is known for its rooftop cupola with a 360-degree view of the city and bay.

Tropical Home WINTER 2018

Cuba_THJAN18_DNO.indd 92

12/8/17 4:51 PM

THE EXCURSIONIST Cuba

The music of Cuba is a huge part of the culture.

It’s vibrant and energetic, but there’s a classical influence, too. Our group visited a beautiful building in Cienfuegos, where we were treated to a private Cuban orchestra. Many of us were moved emotionally by their passion for music — their rendition of “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” brought tears to our eyes. The musicians are extremely dedicated and make their money from tips or selling CDs. Back in Havana, the historic heart of Cuba’s capital city is La Habana Vieja, or Old Havana. Full of color and personality, the area contains a mix of historic buildings, museums, galleries, churches and lively squares that have been restored to their former splendor.

Called Finca la Vigia meaning “lookout farm,” the home Ernest Hemingway purchased in 1940 has been preserved as a museum, virtually unchanged after he fled the country in 1961. His original furnishings, collection of magazines and favorite armchair all remain, as well as trophy animals from safari hunts in Africa.

WINTER 2018 Tropical Home

Cuba_THJAN18_DNO.indd 93

93

12/8/17 4:51 PM

THE EXCURSIONIST Cuba

A walk through tobacco fields leads to family compounds adorned with tobacco barns and small houses where visitors can watch the rolling of cigars or be treated to a cup of coffee.

Built in 1903, Old Havana’s Parque Central is decorated with exotic trees and Cuba’s national tree, the royal palm. At its center is a statue of Cuban national hero Jose Martí. The park is a hub where tourists can hire drivers of vintage automobiles or take horse-and-buggy tours through the city.

Not far from Parque Central is the Catedral de San

Cristóbal. Built in 1724, this cathedral represents ecclesiastical architecture from the 18th century. The intricate Baroque facade features two large, asymmetrical bell towers that frame the grandiose stone exterior.

On the northwestern edge of Havana, an artist who has been called “Cuba’s Gaudi” built a fantasy world by the name of Fusterlandia. In 1975, José Rodriguez Fus-

This farm in Viñales is inside a national park where chemical fertilizers are illegal, so the tobacco is grown organically. Local tobacco growers, known as vegueros, insist that this makes their tobacco the finest in Cuba.

94

Tropical Home WINTER 2018

Cuba_THJAN18_DNO.indd 94

12/8/17 4:51 PM

THE EXCURSIONIST Cuba

ter moved into a modest wood house in the fishing town of Jaimanitas, where he began decorating his studio in a colorful mosaic. Fuster reached out to his neighbors and started decorating their homes and businesses, too.

Now, Fuster has embellished more than 80 houses with ornate murals and domes and built a chess park with giant boards and tables, a huge wall, a theater and public swimming pools.

A tourist watches as a farmer rolls cigars inside his home.

A

lthough small, Viñales is a bustling village. Its two main roads are dotted with a few restaurants and bars, and the town’s very colorful one-story, wooden colonial houses serve as hostels for tourists in addition to being homes for local families.

Tobacco production is one of the largest agricultural crops in Cuba, and the Viñales region is one of the last places in the world where traditional methods of tobacco growing have survived. Here, just as in centuries past, men still tend fields with plows towed by oxen. But nowadays, tobacco farmers not only make money producing cigars, they also entertain tourists. A walk through tobacco fields leads to family compounds adorned with tobacco barns and small houses where visitors can watch the rolling of cigars or be treated to a cup of coffee, which couldn’t be more fresh — locally harvested beans are boiled over a wood fire and strained into small porcelain cups for some high-test brew.

Tourism is an important part of Cuba’s economy. In Viñales, the fertile valley is rich with not just tobacco and coffee farms but also with native flora and fauna found nowhere else in the world. As a result, tourists flock to the area to observe this diversity.

As a counterpart to state-run restaurants, the Cuban government has slowly allowed families to serve meals in their private homes. Eating in a family’s home allows tourists the opportunity to have a more vivid interaction with Cuban life. At most of these homes, which are called paladars, the food is served family style at big tables. Breakfast normally includes trays of meat, cheese and bread, baked goods and sometimes omelets, oatmeal and yogurt. Lunch and dinner usually consist of a salad served on a tray with cabbage, lettuce and tomatoes along with entrées of baked chicken, pork or fish, and rice and beans. There are a variety of paladars to choose from, some resembling small farmhouses while others are much more elegant.

Our group had a whirlwind trip through only a small portion of Cuba with a tight itinerary. Now, with relaxed restrictions, Americans can more easily visit Cuba. Vero Beach resident Gina Hodges, her husband and another couple recently returned from six nights in Cuba. They opted to plan their own trip rather than go through a tour company and spent about 25 hours researching online where to stay and what to do. “We loved interacting with the people. We brought gifts for the kids and spent a lot of time talking to our host families. We wanted to see Cuba before things started to get commercialized. The people are wonderful, hard-working and happy.”

Americans can fly on commercial airlines like Jet Blue or Southwest into several Cuban cities but must still apply for a general license which encompasses 12 different people-to-people reasons for travel. Cubans are very limited with supplies. Bring gifts for the people like spark plugs for old cars, coloring pencils for kids or baseballs.

This is a third world country. Don’t be surprised if the power goes out or you don’t have hot water or any water at all. Drink bottled water, not tap water. Most of all, be ready to dance, laugh and make new friends. ❂

WINTER 2018 Tropical Home

Cuba_THJAN18_DNO.indd 95

95

12/8/17 4:51 PM

96

Tropical Home WINTER 2018

Historic Naples_THJAN18_DNO.indd 96

12/8/17 4:53 PM

Cottage Style, Redux Mark and Di Koestner have filled their classic Naples beach cottage to the beams with Old Florida charm.

WRITTEN BY JOIE WILSON â?‚ PHOTOGRAPHY BY LOUIS VENNE

N

aples is known worldwide for its stunning beaches, cosmopolitan ambience and captivating architecture. Residences range from waterfront high-rises to multi-million-dollar mega mansions to a collection of architecturally significant historic cottages. The beauty of these cottages, of which fewer than 50 remain, comes from an intrinsic simplicity. Crafted in a vernacular style that is a unique combination of unadorned Victorian and Florida cracker, these charming homes resonate an approachable hospitality.

Cole & Son’s palm tree wallpaper enhances the safari theme of the guest room, with its collection of black and white African animal photography.

WINTER 2018 Tropical Home

Historic Naples_THJAN18_DNO.indd 97

97

12/8/17 4:53 PM

these guest rooms were rented out in peak season and guests could come and go without entering the family’s private space. “The Guest House,” a petite cottage on the property, is adjacent to a separate old-fashioned wash house, the equivalent of a modern laundry room.

N

The front porch, with its Benjamin Moore Hydrangea Blue shutters and high-gloss Diginity Blue front doors, exemplifies the multiple entrances many historic Naples cottages had so seasonal visitors, often renters, could access guest spaces from the outside.

Alamanda Cottage, one of Naples’ most recognized cottages, is nestled on the town’s iconic Beach Road and is the home of Di and Mark Koestner. Di purchased the circa-1930 cottage in 1995. Recalling the day she first saw the house, she says “I saw this house and didn’t want to live anywhere else.” Di’s mother, Virginia Fox Uihlein, had often visited the house in the 1950s when she was a young woman. This Naples landmark has a quintessential picket fence, tropical gardens and a magnificent orchid collection. The cottage is named for the brilliant yellow allamanda flowers that cover the entry trellis.

Alamanda Cottage is a beautiful example of a twostory vernacular cottage. The pine board-and-batten exterior walls, pecky cypress interior walls, pine floors and fireplaces on both levels are original. Unique to Alamanda Cottage, the front porch has three entry doors; one opens to the living room, one to a bedroom, and the third to what was once the estate office. Many Naples historic cottages had exterior doors to bedrooms. Often 98

aples’ historic cottages predated insulation and air conditioning. Porches, high ceilings and numerous windows enhanced indoor circulation of the Gulf of Mexico breezes. Interior wood floors, ceilings and paneling were allowed to darken with age, creating shaded interiors that provided relief from Florida’s brilliant sunlight. Many of the cottages were used in the winter season, and fireplaces were the principal and often only heat source.

The majority of the cottages in Naples share defining architectural elements. Among the most identifiable are front porches, double-hung windows, high-peaked gable roofs, shed roofs on porches and dormers, and wood siding, including vertical board and batten, lap siding or decoratively trimmed siding. The exterior siding on Alamanda Cottage is lap siding. Roof overhangs are deep to allow for ventilation, even in the frequent Florida rains.

Originally settled in the late 19th century, this resort town is one of the Sunshine State’s first “planned communities,” with the Old Naples grid of streets laid out in 1885. Naples is constantly recognized as one of the nation’s top growth areas, and, as a result, the original beach cottages — most built between 1895 and 1950 — are threatened by development and new construction.

The Uihlein family has a significant place in the history of Naples. Di’s grandfather was William B. Uihlein of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, president and chairman of Schlitz Brewing Company. Mr. Uihlein designed and directed the construction of Naples’ first water treatment plant, bringing fresh water to the city. He also purchased the bonds to build the plant, and he would not let the City of Naples pay interest on the bonds. In 1946 he was recognized as honorary mayor of Naples. Di spent many spring vacations in Naples at the senior Uihlein’s summer home on Gordon Drive, which sadly was demolished in the 1980s. Mr. and Mrs. William Uihlein’s estate was built in 1937. The home, including a pool house and guest quarters, was designed by renowned architect Russell Thorn Pancoast, who designed The Hub at the University of Florida and the Bass Museum of Art in Miami Beach.

Tropical Home WINTER 2018

Historic Naples_THJAN18_DNO.indd 98

12/8/17 4:53 PM

The color scheme of the master bedroom was inspired by an oil painting, one of the first items Di acquired when she purchased the home in 1995. Raoul hand-blocked textiles add a floral kaleidoscope pattern to the pillows and seating.

D

i and Mark continue to renovate and restore their charming home, a true labor of love.

The kitchen was remodeled in 2007, and the Koestners just restored the side porch pine floor in a natural finish. A favorite gathering spot, the side porch has a bit of a Key West feeling with Victorian post brackets and a trellis ceiling designed by Di and Mark. A previous owner added a wing to create the master bedroom and a garage.

The new stairway to the master suite soars to over 24 feet high, with a trademark cottage framed ceiling painted sky blue. A precious small oil painting at the base of the stairs depicts a fox with an owl on its back — a tribute to the Uihlein name, which means owl, and Di’s mother’s maiden name, Fox. The master bedroom and bath were updated in 2015.

The spring green walls were inspired by the modern art piece over the bed. Vintage furnishings have been in the house for decades and were updated with pops of color from the art, lamps and woven cotton rugs. The beamed

ceiling is covered in raffia-colored grass cloth. A modern driftwood chandelier is a focal point in the enticing master bath, with its white tile floor, beadboard chair rail, dormer window and sky blue walls.

On the ground floor, the living room was updated in 2015 with a new artisanal mantle and new upholstery. A stunning oil painting of a Lipizzaner stallion that was discovered in a Sarasota art gallery hangs on the wall, and the red reins in the painting established the color scheme in the living room. A coral Raoul basket weave was used on the sofa, and a Malabar red, coral and turquoise woven stripe highlights the pull-up chairs. A custom leopard print in coral and red was applied to two petite ottomans.

Family heirloom antiques, including the secretary and sideboard, speak to the historic essence of the home. Several paintings in the living room are commissioned oils by renowned Naples artist Paul Arsenault.

A leopard print wool carpet brings a modern touch to the antique furnishings in the dining room, where the bay

WINTER 2018 Tropical Home

Historic Naples_THJAN18_DNO.indd 99

99

12/8/17 4:53 PM

Family antiques in the dining room were given tropical flair with a monkey print on the host chairs and a leopard pattern carpet.

window is the perfect spot for growing enduring orchids.

On a practical note, leopard carpets are ideal for dining areas as they disguise stains, and the wool fibers are easy to clean and will last for years. The chairs are accented with a Raoul orange chevron print, and the host chairs sport a wild monkey with a champagne flute in his hand.

The kitchen is truly the heart of the home. The Koestners have dinner there most evenings with their five dogs — three King Charles cavaliers, a Bernese mountain dog and a poodle. An ocean blue painted ceiling gives a big sky feeling to the graciously high ceiling, and a pair of basket chandeliers add an old Florida touch.

The first floor guest bedroom received a facelift in 2016, with a Cole & Son palm print in jungle green. The fresh white background of the paper is contrasted with dramatic dark ceiling beams and original wood floor.

Black and white photographs of African animals creates a safari feeling, and a vivid Dash & Albert striped rug ties all the colors together.

The cozy den, adjacent to the guest bedroom, was the original estate office and features one of the exterior doors to the front porch. The board-and-batten interior 100

walls date from the 1930s, when the home was built, as do the original bleached floors.

Each room in this charming cottage has an element of surprise. The powder room features a large-scale coral wallpaper, and coral motif wall sconces flank the white pedestal sink. Ceramic hand-painted koi are attached directly to the wall, another whimsical design accent.

Across the courtyard is the guest house, which has a water-colored interior in shades of soft blues and greens.

Many of these adjacencies were built to accommodate staff members that would travel with the family for the Naples season in earlier decades. A small kitchen, lilachued bath, petite sitting room and happy yellow bedroom make this the perfect retreat for visitors.

Homeowners such as Di and Mark Koestner keep the history of Naples alive with their devotion to cottages like Alamanda Cottage. Their efforts are enjoyed by all who drive by or are lucky enough to be invited to experience this special type of Old Florida hospitality. There is a resurgence of cottage architecture in the new homes of Naples, which are inspired by the enduring cottages in the small area known as Old Naples. â?‚

Tropical Home WINTER 2018

Historic Naples_THJAN18_DNO.indd 100

12/8/17 4:53 PM

The Source For Luxury Properties In Vero Beach

Real Estate Registry WINTER 2018

Historic Naples_THJAN18_DNO.indd 101

12/8/17 4:53 PM

500 Bay Drive 5 BEDROOMS ❖ 5 FULL BATHS, 2 HALF BATHS RIOMAR BAY, VERO BEACH ❖ PRICE AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST CHARLOTTE TERRY REAL ESTATE GROUP CHARLOTTE TERRY ❖ 772-538-2388 KAREN SMITH ❖ 772-559-1295

A perfect combination of iconic elegance and geographic location has come together in the exquisite residence at 500 Bay Drive. Spectacularly sited between the bridges on nearly 1.5 acres and offering a rare 556± linear feet of river frontage, this exceptional estate is like no other on the Treasure Coast of Florida. 500 Bay Drive is the home for the most discerning buyer who wants the best of all that venerable Vero Beach has to offer. For more information, please visit 500BayDrive.com.

102

Tropical Home WINTER SUMMER2018 2017

listingSpreads.indd 102

12/8/17 4:30 PM

SUMMER WINTER2017 2018 Tropical Home

listingSpreads.indd 103

103

12/8/17 4:30 PM

1462 River Club Drive 4 BEDROOMS ❖ 4 FULL BATHS, 1 HALF BATH RIVER CLUB, VERO BEACH ❖ $1,750,000 ARTHUR RUTENBERG HOMES NICKI GENONI ❖ 772-492-4018

As soon as you enter this home, you are struck with the perfect balance of open and inviting spaces combined with modern and luxurious touches throughout the home. The open great room and dining room are light and bright and complemented by rich cognactoned wood trim entryways and wood-beamed ceiling details. The 10-foot glass sliders to the outdoor lanai and cabana open up to greet the outdoor kitchen, which truly is an extension of the living and entertaining spaces. To be constructed.

104

Tropical Home WINTER SUMMER2018 2017

listingSpreads.indd 104

12/8/17 4:31 PM

1456 River Club Drive 4 BEDROOMS ❖ 4 FULL BATHS, 1 HALF BATH RIVER CLUB, VERO BEACH ❖ $1,875,000 ARTHUR RUTENBERG HOMES NICKI GENONI ❖ 772-492-4018

With this impressive to-be-constructed home you have an expansive great room concept wide open to a well-appointed kitchen. The living and dining areas flow seamlessly to the outdoor entertaining space with completely unobstructed views. This multi-purpose space is Florida living at its best! From the cabana you have access to a spacious casita with an elegant yet comfortable design offering a true retreat for any guest!

SUMMER WINTER2017 2018 Tropical Home

listingSpreads.indd 105

105

12/8/17 4:31 PM

1019 Gayfeather Lane 4 BEDROOMS ❖ 4 FULL BATHS, 1 HALF BATH EAST END, VERO BEACH ❖ $2,895,000 BERKSHIRE HATHAWAY HOMESERVICES FLORIDA REALTY DAN DOWNEY AND ANNE WALLACE ❖ 772-713-6314

Beachy, yet, sophisticated 4 bedroom, 4.5 bath oceanfront townhouse. End unit with southern exposure. Built in 2015. Exquisite finishes, walnut floors, elevator, gourmet kitchen, high-end appliances. Courtyard, heated spa and extended oceanfront covered patio.

106

Tropical Home WINTER SUMMER2018 2017

listingSpreads.indd 106

12/8/17 4:31 PM

319 Live Oak Road 3 BEDROOMS ❖ 3 FULL BATHS CENTRAL BEACH RIVERFRONT, VERO BEACH ❖ $1,999,000 BERKSHIRE HATHAWAY HOMESERVICES FLORIDA REALTY LUCY HENDRICKS AND JANE SCHWIERING ❖ 772-559-8812

Award-winning 2012 architectural jewel box with Intracoastal access in Central Beach! Control 4 “smart home” scaled to fit the lovely almost half-acre lot.

Beautiful live oaks, views galore, dock. Outstanding materials, craftsmanship, three bedrooms, three bathrooms in main house and detached workshop which might be a possible fourth bedroom/bathroom.

Unique, sophisticated, not to be missed!

SUMMER WINTER2017 2018 Tropical Home

listingSpreads.indd 107

107

12/8/17 4:31 PM

2 Dolphin Drive 3 BEDROOMS ❖ 4 FULL BATHS, 1 HALF BATH VERO ISLES, VERO BEACH ❖ $3,200,000 BERKSHIRE HATHAWAY HOMESERVICES FLORIDA REALTY LUCY HENDRICKS AND JANE SCHWIERING ❖ 772-559-8812

Sparkling Intracoastal panoramas grace this magnificent riverfront home, including views of both of Vero’s bridges!

A blend of minimalist style and enveloping comfort, this inspired design was built in 2009 on 50 pilings by one of Vero’s finest home builders. Finished with superior materials, every detail exudes quality. The home offers three bedrooms, private elevator and a library that could potentially serve as a fourth bedroom. The property features southeast exposure, riverfront pool, patio and outdoor fireplace, a private dock, seawall, poolside BBQ, advanced security, a 35 kw built-in generator and more.

108

Tropical Home WINTER SUMMER2018 2017

listingSpreads.indd 108

12/8/17 4:31 PM

SUMMER WINTER2017 2018 Tropical Home

listingSpreads.indd 109

109

12/8/17 4:31 PM

1804 Ocean Drive 6 BEDROOMS ❖ 5 FULL BATHS, 2 HALF BATHS OLD RIOMAR, VERO BEACH ❖ $5,900,000 DALEY & COMPANY REAL ESTATE SALLY DALEY ❖ 772-538-4503

The best address on Vero’s barrier island — coveted Old Riomar. This 2012 oceanfront residence with guest house on 0.63 acres has 100 feet of frontage on an accreting beach. The home feature s 6,732 square feet of fine finishes, exquisite millwork and built-ins, walnut and marble flooring. Main and upper masters, den with fireplace, ocean room, kitchen with 10-foot shell stone island and Wolf gas range, new pool and dune crossover.

Walk or bike to Ocean Drive shops and the weekend farmers market.

110

Tropical Home WINTER SUMMER2018 2017

listingSpreads.indd 110

12/8/17 4:31 PM

SUMMER WINTER2017 2018 Tropical Home

listingSpreads.indd 111

111

12/8/17 4:32 PM

21 Dove Shell Lane 4 BEDROOMS ❖ 5 FULL BATHS JOHN’S ISLAND, VERO BEACH ❖ $3,250,000 JOHN’S ISLAND REAL ESTATE COMPANY 772-231-0900

Privacy is paramount! Sited on a rare, oversized 0.39± acre lot, this desirable courtyard home is conveniently within steps of the ocean, tennis and squash courts, and gate. Lavish, tropical gardens with a fountain and sparkling pool provide a peaceful respite from life’s demands. This 4,255± square-foot retreat features custom millwork, ceiling details, French country kitchen, sunlit lanai, living room with fireplace, luxurious master suite, cabana and a two-car garage.

112

Tropical Home WINTER SUMMER2018 2017

listingSpreads.indd 112

12/8/17 4:32 PM

692 Ocean Road 5 BEDROOMS ❖ 6 FULL BATHS, 2 HALF BATHS JOHN’S ISLAND, VERO BEACH ❖ $12,500,000 JOHN’S ISLAND REAL ESTATE COMPANY 772-231-0900

Nestled on a quiet cul-de-sac on one of the largest oceanfront lots in J.I., this luxurious estate enjoys breathtaking ocean views. Privacy is paramount. Designed for indoor and outdoor entertaining, this impressive and notable retreat features 14,574± gross square feet, doubleheight living room, gourmet island kitchen, first-floor master wing, handsome library, wine bar, elevator, secondlevel master suite with seaside balcony, guest en suites with private balconies, and a four-car garage.

SUMMER WINTER2017 2018 Tropical Home

listingSpreads.indd 113

113

12/8/17 4:32 PM

21 Marker Way 5 BEDROOMS ❖ 6 FULL BATHS, 1 HALF BATHS JOHN’S ISLAND, VERO BEACH ❖ $8,500,000 JOHN’S ISLAND REAL ESTATE COMPANY 772-231-0900

This impeccably renovated estate showcases 8,220± gross square feet of exceptional architecture, 165 feet of direct Indian River frontage and endless views. Unmatched features include walnut flooring, living room with fireplace, gourmet island kitchen, family room, covered loggia with automatic screens, saltwater pool, stunning master with sitting room and luxurious bathroom, guest wing with kitchenette, study, wine room, audio-visual components, water filtration system, air-conditioned three-car garage and new dock with lift.

114

Tropical Home WINTER SUMMER2018 2017

listingSpreads.indd 114

12/8/17 4:32 PM

60 Dove Plum Road 3 BEDROOMS ❖ 3 FULL, 2 HALF BATHS JOHN’S ISLAND, VERO BEACH ❖ $2,650,000 JOHN’S ISLAND REAL ESTATE COMPANY 772-231-0900

Located on a coveted, tree-lined street sits this beautiful 5,238± gross square foot lakefront home.

Enjoy 234 feet of panoramic lake views and desirable southern exposure throughout this residence. Sited on 0.85± acres on a cul-de-sac, features include a voluminous living room with fireplace, island kitchen, family room, dining area, study, studio, private master suite, pool, outdoor living, new roof and a two-car garage fitted with Tesla-compatible car charging unit.

SUMMER WINTER2017 2018 Tropical Home

listingSpreads.indd 115

115

12/8/17 4:33 PM

192 Spinnaker Drive 3 BEDROOMS ❖ 3 FULL BATHS, 1 HALF BATH THE MOORINGS, VERO BEACH ❖ $1,350,000 THE MOORINGS REALTY SALES CO. MARSHA SHERRY ❖ 772-231-5131

This jewel of a home is located in the guard-gated neighborhood of the Anchor. You’ll enjoy one-story living, wonderful water views and your private deepwater dock with a 12,000-lb. lift. The kitchen boasts a center island, granite counter tops and opens to the cozy family room with fireplace and wet bar.

Featuring three bedrooms with en suite baths plus a powder room and office/hobby room.

116

Tropical Home WINTER SUMMER2018 2017

listingSpreads.indd 116

12/8/17 4:33 PM

153 Anchor Drive 3 BEDROOMS ❖ 4 FULL AND 1 HALF BATH THE MOORINGS, VERO BEACH ❖ $2,750,000 THE MOORINGS REALTY SALES CO. MARSHA SHERRY ❖ 772-231-5131

This magnificent custom-built three bedroom, four full and one half bath home offers endless river views!

Featuring exquisite custom millwork with special moldings, built-ins, high ceilings, walls of glass, fireplace, artist studio and wet bar. You will enjoy the private deepwater dock with lift, lap pool, security system and generator. Perfectly sited on a grand lot in the guard-gated community of the Anchor.

SUMMER WINTER2017 2018 Tropical Home

listingSpreads.indd 117

117

12/8/17 4:33 PM

738 Grove Place 3 BEDROOMS ❖ 3 FULL BATHS ORCHID ISLAND GOLF & BEACH CLUB, VERO BEACH ❖ $1,050,000 ORCHID ISLAND REALTY SCOTT OBERLINK – HEIDI LEVY ❖ 772-388-3888

A maintenance-free residence with spectacular lake and golf views is located on a lush and spacious corner homesite. This island-inspired retreat is brimming with attractive finishes such as beamed cathedral ceilings, mahogany doors, tile and wood floors. The central kitchen with Corian surfaces and subway tile backsplash overlooks the grand gallery. Large, bright windows fill the home and make it ideal for entertaining. French doors lead to the equally appealing outdoor living area complete with private covered lanai, summer kitchen, pool and spa.

118

Tropical Home WINTER SUMMER2018 2017

listingSpreads.indd 118

12/8/17 4:34 PM

40 Beachside Drive #202 3 BEDROOMS ❖ 4 FULL BATHS ORCHID ISLAND GOLF & BEACH CLUB, VERO BEACH ❖ $2,250,000 ORCHID ISLAND REALTY SCOTT OBERLINK – HEIDI LEVY ❖ 772-388-3888

Magnificent views surround this oceanfront residence with southern exposure. A private elevator opens directly into this pristine home with flowing Saturnia marble floors.

Features include a gas fireplace in the living room, ocean views from the kitchen, Wolfe gas range and Carrara marble surfaces; a well thought out study; two large guest suites with private balcony. Deep-sea dreams from the expansive master suite with dual baths. French doors open to an expansive wraparound stone terrace with a summer kitchen and majestic ocean views. An atmosphere controlled garage is complete with a golf cart and A/C storage.

SUMMER WINTER2017 2018 Tropical Home

listingSpreads.indd 119

119

12/8/17 4:34 PM

181 Seaspray Lane 4 BEDROOMS ❖ 3 FULL BATHS ORCHID ISLAND GOLF & BEACH CLUB, VERO BEACH ❖ $1,695,000 ORCHID ISLAND REALTY SCOTT OBERLINK – HEIDI LEVY ❖ 772-388-3888

Inspired by the stately Caribbean homes of the British West Indies, this elegant Georgian residence is the perfect environment for a gracious indoor-outdoor tropical lifestyle. Enjoy panoramic views of the lake and 7th green from almost every room. Stately Palladian windows and fine European craftsmanship express the uncompromising quality and classic appeal that is adaptable to any décor.

This estate features high ceilings with medallions and double-crowned moldings, a built-in fireplace, and two wet bars. The adjoining cabana house accommodates vacationing guests in style.

120

Tropical Home WINTER SUMMER2018 2017

listingSpreads.indd 120

12/8/17 4:34 PM

8 Beachside Drive 4 BEDROOMS ❖ 3 FULL BATHS, 1 HALF BATH ORCHID ISLAND GOLF & BEACH CLUB, VERO BEACH ❖ $1,725,000 ORCHID ISLAND REALTY SCOTT OBERLINK – HEIDI LEVY ❖ 772-388-3888

Enjoy the Orchid lifestyle in an exquisitely designed, West Indies-informed courtyard estate, just steps from the Atlantic Ocean and Orchid’s pristine beach. This expansive tropical retreat is clad with impact windows and doors that open to sounds of the rolling surf. A separate, wellappointed casita, complete with full kitchen, is ideal for visiting family and guests. French doors provide access to a covered lanai with custom gas fireplace and summer kitchen overlooking the private heated pool and spa.

SUMMER WINTER2017 2018 Tropical Home

listingSpreads.indd 121

121

12/8/17 4:34 PM

12760 Florida A1A 4 BEDROOMS ❖ 4 FULL BATHS, 1 HALF BATH AMBERSAND BEACH, VERO BEACH ❖ $2,600,000 TREASURE COAST SOTHEBY’S INTERNATIONAL REALTY JANYNE KENWORTHY ❖ 772-696-5110

Built in 2007, this captivating three-story oceanfront and riverfront home includes a gourmet kitchen, office, hardwood and travertine floors, 14-foot ceilings, two sunrise balconies, two sunset balconies, first floor artist studio, and an elevator. Enjoy a pool and spa, beach access and a private riverfront dock with 10,000-pound boat lift!

122

Tropical Home WINTER SUMMER2018 2017

listingSpreads.indd 122

12/8/17 4:34 PM

SUMMER WINTER2017 2018 Tropical Home

listingSpreads.indd 123

123

12/8/17 4:34 PM

10635 Wittington Avenue 5 BEDROOMS ❖ 5 FULL BATHS, 1 HALF BATH WINDSOR, VERO BEACH ❖ $3,595,000 WINDSOR PROPERTIES 772-388-8400

Shaped rafter tails and cream stucco walls accent the timeless elegance of this classical home set before the polo field. The covered entrance leads into a doubleheight foyer with arched passages to the private master suite on one wing and the living areas on the other. For entertaining, the kitchen, dining and sitting rooms can be opened to create a dramatic “great hall” with 12-foot, 8-inch ceilings. A fully-equipped kitchen with a quartz topped center island and accent glass tiled backsplash opens onto a covered loggia with fireplace overlooking the sunny pool courtyard.

124

Tropical Home WINTER SUMMER2018 2017

listingSpreads.indd 124

12/8/17 4:35 PM

10795 Charleston Drive 5 BEDROOMS ❖ 4 FULL BATHS, 3 HALF BATHS WINDSOR, VERO BEACH ❖ $4,350,000 WINDSOR PROPERTIES 772-388-8400

This exceptional Village Fairway home offers an ideal village location and stunning sunset views. Superior quality millwork and character grade chestnut floors are hallmarks of this home’s fine detailing. At the home’s center is a large living room with fireplace that is open to the dining room. A series of French doors open to the pool terrace offering sweeping lake and golf views. The kitchen with sitting room features crisp, classic finishes, exposed trusses, a skylight and French doors that open to the entry loggia with fireplace and summer kitchen, creating an expansive area for informal entertaining.

SUMMER WINTER2017 2018 Tropical Home

listingSpreads.indd 125

125

12/8/17 4:35 PM

ADLIST

ARCHITECTURE 19 Moulton Layne P.L. 772-234-0445 www.moultonlayne.com

CONSTRUCTION 23 Beachland Homes Corp.

772-675-4646 www.arthurrutenberghomes.com 11 Reilly Construction 772-794-9799 www.building2last.com

FINANCIAL SERVICES 35 FBC Mortgage Lisa Amorosa 772-633-8477 www.lisaamorosa.com

INTERIOR DESIGN 15 Page 2 Design 772-492-9220 www.verointeriors.com

REAL ESTATE Back Cover Alex MacWilliam Inc. 772-231-6509 www.alexmacwilliam.com 2, 3 Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices 772-231-1270 www.bhhsfloridarealty.com 25 Coldwell Banker Global Luxury 772-231-4880 www.coldwellbankerluxury.com Inside Back Cover Daley and Company Real Estate Sally Daley 772-231-9938 www.daleyandcompany.com Inside Front Cover, 1 John’s Island Real Estate 772-231-0900 www.johnsislandrealestate.com 7 The Moorings Realty Sales Company 772-231-5131 www.themoorings.com 4, 5 Orchid Island Realty Scott Oberlink and Heidi Levy 772-388-3888 www.orchidislandrealty.com 35 Shamrock Real Estate Corp.

772-234-1688 www.propertyinvero.com 13 Treasure Coast Sotheby’s International Realty Janyne Kenworthy 772-633-1472 sbrown@tcsir.com 9 Windsor 772-388-8400 www.windsorflorida.com 126

Healthandwellness.indd 126

Tropical Home WINTER 2018

12/8/17 4:28 PM

HEALTH & WELLNESS

How to wake up with a positive attitude

BY BRIDGET WEBBER

Y

our attitude when you wake up in the morning has a bearing on your mood for the rest of the day.

If you worry as soon as you open your eyes, you set your mind toward negativity. Focusing on downbeat thoughts programs you to see additional reasons to be unhappy. If you want to wake up with a positive attitude, you need to set your mind to look for happiness.

The best time to set your mind to be positive is just before you go to sleep. When you are sleepy, you are more open to suggestion. What you think about influences your attitude and can even have an impact on your dreams. In turn, upbeat dreams affect how you feel when you awaken.

When you go to bed, develop a relaxation routine. Lie comfortably, and focus on breathing. Take deep, slow breaths, and be aware of how slow inhalation and exhalation helps

you unwind. When you are tranquil, pay attention to how relaxed your body feels for a few moments.

Next, turn your attention to what went well for you in the day.

Did an unexpected event turn out to be beneficial? Perhaps you laughed or had an experience that made you glad? Allow gratitude to expand while you concentrate on the blessings you encountered.

Now turn your attention toward wanting to wake up in the morning feeling as positive as you do now.

Picture the morning light flooding your bedroom and a bright smile on your face. Imagine enjoying stretching your body and taking deep breaths as you wake up. Then, go back to focusing on breathing as you drift to sleep.

Follow a positivity-boosting routine when you wake up. As soon as you open your eyes, take deep breaths and smile. Stretch your legs

and arms, focusing on how doing so feels good. Silently say a positive affirmation, such as “The world is my playground.” Or, “I handle whatever comes my way with ease.”

Thoughts of events you’ve planned for the day will occur. As they do, be mindful of those you allow to stick around. Don’t let negative thoughts flow. Instead of permitting them to continue when they arise, replace them with positive alternatives. For instance, “I hate morning traffic” might become “Traveling gives me the chance to relax as I listen to the radio.”

You can wake up with a positive attitude if you develop positive thoughts before you go to sleep.

Your dreams are likely to be pleasant, and you’ll feel happy when you awaken. Make positive thinking a habit in the morning, and you’ll be in an optimistic frame of mind throughout the day. ❂

WINTER 2018 Tropical Home

Healthandwellness.indd 127

Be happy for this moment. This moment is your life. – OMAR KHAYYAM

Rise — And Shine

127

12/8/17 4:28 PM

IN PERSPECTIVE Color Theory

Roomy Illusion Use color theory’s clever mysteries to enlarge your living space

S

ir Isaac Newton developed the first circular diagram of colors in 1666. Since

then, scientists and artists have studied modern color theory, amassing a vast collection of rules and formulas. So, what do those rules and formulas have to do with making a small room seem larger?

It’s all about optical illusion — one of color theory’s clever mysteries. With a few basic principals, you can improve that small space that always seems packed, even when it’s tidy.

Color enthusiasts have known for ages that colors create optical illusions, but it wasn’t until modern times that these effects were mapped out and documented in a scientific manner. Here is an example: if you place two squares — identical, except for the fact that one square is black and the other is white — side by side, the black square will appear to be smaller than the white square.

Now, take this concept of the squares into a living space. If a lighter color makes something seem larger than it is, a room can be “opened up” by painting the walls white or beige. This works the same way with other colors of a light tint; a room with powder blue walls will seem larger than a room with navy blue walls.

A single color will create an optical illusion on its own, but the human eye barely notices this until it can compare that color with another. Use two colors together to 110

enhance the illusion that you want to create. A low ceiling — or any ceiling, for that matter — will seem to open up if you paint it a color lighter than the walls. The ceiling can be painted a lighter version of the same color that you used for the walls (this will create color harmony), or you can use any contrasting combination that you like, as long as the walls are darkest in comparison.

So what about furniture, and how will its color effect the perceived size of your space? A color theory mantra is that warm colors advance, and cool colors recede. Warm colors, like red, brown and orange will decrease the size of a room. So, if you have sofa set and an area rug that are dark red, they will make the room seem smaller. Compare that to the opposite of this decor — a light green sofa set and area rug. The green items will open that room up.

Another optical trick is to work with the effect that a color has on the moods of it’s viewers. If that cramped room makes you feel a bit uneasy, add white, grey, blue, or green to it. These colors have a calming influence.

So you see, optical illusion in color theory is about how colors affect other colors and how they affect our visual perceptions. Arm yourself with this knowledge to expand your small bathroom, kitchen or living room.

Take these ideas into any room that seems confined, and you will see improvement. ❂

Tropical Home SUMMER 2017

128 TH_StyleSheet_JAN18.indd 110

12/8/17 6:54 PM

WE KNOW WHERE THE

TREASURE IS BURIED

Whether you’re a buyer searching for your dream home, a beachside pied-á-terre or a savvy investment property, or you’re a seller seeking the sale of your property fast and for top dollar, we’ll tap into our decades of marketing and industry experience to help you reach your real estate goals.

Visit our Listings Lounge to explore all MLS listings!

No fee, no pressure, no kidding!

At Daley & Company Real Estate, we simply get it done.

SALLY DALEY, BROKER/OWNER MOLLY DALEY • HEATHER DEAN • NATHALIE FRANKEL • ROGER FOX SUSAN HITT • MICHELE MACKETT • KIM MCCORRISON • BILL MICHEL CHERYL MICHEL • LOMA SPENCER • LAUREL WOOD 2855 OCEAN DRIVE, VERO BEACH FL 32963 WWW.DALEYANDCOMPANY.COM

Daley Real Estate_TH_JAN18.indd 1

772.23l.9938

12/1/17 11:02 AM

AlexMacWilliam_TH-JAN18.indd 1

12/1/17 10:57 AM