In West Palm Beach’s El Cid district, Kate Lubin and Glendon Sutton discovered a 1920s house with an interesting past: In the early 2000s, the Mediterranean- leaning structure was barged from Stuart to its current location on a waterfront corner lot. Although the couple relocating from Boston was drawn to the site, “The home needed love,” recalls their designer, Caitlin Kah. The layout wasn’t conducive to the open flow and connectedness they envisioned for their family with twin teenaged daughters, and the subdued interior didn’t quite reflect Kate’s enthusiastic personality. “I like stripes, color and wallpaper,” she says. “I want details that set it apart, versus the same look found in 20 other houses.” Determined to transform the abode, the owners took on an extensive renovation to create a bright, happy retreat for their family of four.
Partnering for the project, architectural designer Caroline Koons Forrest and builder Shannon Dudeck anticipated a significant undertaking but were still met with surprises, Koons Forrest recalls. “We increased the scope of work to resolve unforeseen structural issues, which were uncovered after interior demolition,” she says. In addition to overhauling the layout for improved circulation, the team replaced every window and door as well as the roof. “We essentially kept the bones of the house and worked within the envelope,” the architectural designer shares.
Home Details
Architecture:
Caroline Koons Forrest, MHK Architecture
Interior Design:
Caitlin Kah, Caitlin Kah Interiors
Home Builder:
Shannon Dudeck, Shapiro Pertnoy Companies
Landscape Architecture:
Keith Williams, Nievera Williams Design
“Our goal was to use every color in the rainbow. We had to weave the story and make sure every room didn’t feel separate and disconnected.”
–Caitlin Kah
Stefania Nazzal artworks and the decorative floor painting by Mary Meade Evans define the entry, where a door leads to a powder room. There, Coleen & Company’s Lexi ceiling fixture is colored Benjamin Moore’s Santa’s Suit.
A newly installed assemblage of cohesive materials—white oak floors, cypress elements and ceilings in white-lacquered shiplap—gave Kah a unifying backdrop against which to layer an explosion of hues. “Color was the main focus,” she notes. “Blue is Kate’s signature, which informed a lot of spaces.” For a personalized take, the designer paired the tone with white as a nod to the iconic palette of Nantucket, where the owners maintain a residence. The combination shows up in moments like the dining area’s tile-backed hutch, the living room’s grass-cloth-inlaid coffee table and the kitchen island, an anchor piece.
The breezy blue-and-white scheme dominates the living room, kitchen and primary suite, serving as a neutral connection. From there, the sky was the limit. “Our goal was to use every color in the rainbow,” Kah says. “We had to weave the story and make sure every room didn’t feel separate and disconnected.” Other playful tones make explosive splashes, giving each space a distinct character: Lime green electrifies the television room’s ceiling, coral in the mudroom evokes a vintage Floridian vibe and orange animates the built-in and grass-cloth walls in Kate’s office—a concept inspired by the bar at Lyford Cay Club in the Bahamas. “Most of our selections started with fabrics Kate found and loved,” the designer recalls. The most colorful of all is a first-floor powder room, which opens to reveal a custom wallpaper by artist Lia Burke Libaire—a close friend of the family—that mimics a matrix of paint swatches, each with a meaningful name representing a person, place or memory special to the clients.
Not to be outdone, the grounds—which include a loggia, a pool and an outdoor kitchen—exude just as much personality as the interiors. “I always take into consideration the architectural style and period of the residence,” landscape designer Keith Williams notes. “In this case, being more of a Spanish Revival-style home, we kept the exterior design more traditional and used floor tiles that resemble an aged, antique look.” Plantings such as jasmine, gardenia and bougainvillea add dashes of color and fragrance, while the team enhanced the property’s guesthouse to offer visitors a cozy place to stay.
All told, Kate’s fearless more-is-more preference led to a style of her own. “It’s influenced by Boston and Nantucket but interpreted for Florida: crisp, punchy, bright and happy,” Kah describes. Her client agrees: “My family trusted the vision and, in the end, we all love it,” Kate says. “I pinch myself that we get to live in this house.”
In the mudroom, Benjamin Moore’s Craft Room highlights Walfab’s Raffia Chalk wallpaper from Jack Walsh. Visual Comfort & Co.’s Frank flush mount crowns the scene. The cushion is made of Ferran’s Sakiori linen from John Rosselli & Associates.
Tour The Home:
Thibaut’s Calistoga grass cloth from Jeffrey Michaels and C&C Milano draperies cocoon the living room. Charles Stewart’s Heyburn chairs wear Schumacher’s Cambaya stripe. McGuire’s St. Germain lounge chairs and a Grafton Furniture sofa face a Dunes and Duchess coffee table.
The dining area’s hutch, fabricated by Porath Fine Cabinetry, displays New Ravenna tiles as well as Visual Comfort & Co.’s Halwell picture lights. Flooring from Absolute Hardwood Flooring runs underfoot.
With Phillip Jeffries’ cerulean PJ Color Splash on the walls, the entry is trimmed with Benjamin Moore’s Utah Sky. The brand’s Chantilly Lace brightens the dining area’s ceiling just beyond. Blue Leaf Hospitality chairs surround the Dunes and Duchess table beneath Made Goods’ Alondra chandelier.
In the mudroom, Benjamin Moore’s Craft Room highlights Walfab’s Raffia Chalk wallpaper from Jack Walsh. Visual Comfort & Co.’s Frank flush mount crowns the scene. The cushion is made of Ferran’s Sakiori linen from John Rosselli & Associates.
Stefania Nazzal artworks and the decorative floor painting by Mary Meade Evans define the entry, where a door leads to a powder room. There, Coleen & Company’s Lexi ceiling fixture is colored Benjamin Moore’s Santa’s Suit.
A Lia Burke Libaire wallcovering envelops the powder room, illuminated by Porta Romana’s Holden lights topped with Phillip Jeffries fabric shades. Made Goods’ Dara mirror joins the brand’s Isla vanity, which has a Waterworks faucet from MH Fine Hardware.
The tones of Korla’s Penico material on the primary bathroom’s shade echo the shower’s Allison Eden Studios tile. Walls in Benjamin Moore’s Chantilly Lace balance Thassos Marble flooring. A vintage stool stands by the tub, outfitted with Emtek hardware.
C&C Milano draperies from John Rosselli & Associates accent the primary bedroom’s Phillip Jeffries wallcovering. The Lee Industries bed counters Charles Stewart chairs in a Kravet fabric. A Jack Walsh rug flows below a chandelier by The Light Factory.
Bougainvillea climbs the home’s exterior, coated in Benjamin Moore’s Distant Gray. Coconut palms and green island ficus frame the Zoysia grass lawn. Grandin Road’s Nantucket outdoor rocking chairs stay cool under the loggia’s Quorum’s Monaco fan from Ferguson Home.
At the back exterior, pillows in Schumacher’s Morning Sunrise dress the Serena & Lily loungers. The design team modified the pool with hand-painted tile stripes by Dan Droney. Bougainvillea, beauty leaf trees and green island ficus create a lush environment.