Designer Eddie Lee first worked with Michelle and Cary Coltun in 2016 for their Jersey Shore residence—“their beachy moment,” as he calls it. Next, he says, came “their city moment”: an Upper East Side apartment with a modern, Art Deco-inflected aesthetic. Then, after years spent visiting South Florida, the couple was ready for a new moment. “We wanted something comfortable and cozy but still sophisticated,” Michelle recounts— and, of course, they brought Lee along for the ride. Instead of the optic whites and stark modernism often seen in the area, this house would be softer and warmer, perfect for family gatherings but still suitable for entertaining—essentially, Lee says, “the tropical version of their Manhattan place.”
Home Details
Architecture:
Benjamin Schreier, Affiniti Architects
Interior Design:
Eddie Lee, Eddie Lee Inc.
Home Builder:
Scott Mustapick, Mustapick Homes Inc.
Landscape Architecture:
Paul S. Catania, Parker-Yannette Design Group, Inc.
Another team of frequent collaborators, architect Benjamin Schreier and general contractor Scott Mustapick crafted the perfect backdrop for Lee’s interior design. “It’s transitional,” Schreier observes of the Jupiter residence, pointing to the columns with pared-down capitals framing the entry and raised center mass. At a single story, the structure “is efficient for Florida living,” Mustapick adds. Two wings flank the abode’s central portion—one for the primary suite, the den and a pair of guest rooms; the other for the kitchen, another guest suite and the loggia. “It’s designed to be multigenerational,” the architect explains. “Everyone can have their own space, and entertaining can go into the evening without disturbing anyone.”
The central mass holds the home’s heart: an expansive great room that includes the living and dining areas, bar and kitchen. “We wanted to keep it all consistent but for each space to have its own unique feeling,” Lee says. At one end, in the kitchen, a creamy white stone with golds and browns defines the walls and countertops. On the opposite side of the great room, a dark charcoal fireplace is surrounded with gold veining and framed by mirrored panels. “The monolithic nature of the fireplace pumps up the drama,” the designer muses. As visual anchors for the vast room, these materials—along with cream-colored flooring and the kitchen island’s ebonized oak base—set the stage for the charcoal, whiskey, soft white and warm metallic palette that unites the spaces.
Perhaps the most dramatic element of the great room is the 24-foot-tall ceiling above the living and dining areas—which amplifies that sophisticated vibe the clients desired but also made fulfilling their wish for coziness more challenging. Lee’s solution was to choose sculptural furnishings that fill the spaces. “They feel like art,” he says, pointing to the contemporary dining table composed of a pressed-glass top on a pair of faceted bases and the living area’s retro wing chair. The designer further imbued intimacy and comfort by weaving in luxurious texture: dining chairs in a Chanel-like tweed, a deeply tufted sofa, a pair of velvet-covered 1950s armchairs.
This mix of textures plays into Lee’s design philosophy. “The best interiors are layered over time, like in an English country house, to make things more dynamic and exciting,” he muses. For this property, much like the Coltuns’ Manhattan home, the designer opted for vintage and antique pieces with midcentury and Art Deco styles. The 1960s glass side tables with tubular brass legs in the living area and an Italian sideboard of the same decade in the dining area bring mod and glam flair. Contemporary touches also have a throwback presence, such as the midcentury-like bar paneled in gleaming olive wood and the nearby settee.
Not to be forgotten are the tropical details. “We nod to them without being overly cliche,” Lee says, noting the windows in the kitchen and primary bathroom that frame views of plantings by landscape architect Paul S. Catania, including palms and orchids. “The kitchen’s upper cabinets look like they’re floating due to the window backsplash,” the designer continues. The illusion of a lush jungle also underscores Cary’s request that the grounds feel natural and “not look like Edward Scissorhands.” Subtle palm motifs appear inside: The great room’s Murano chandeliers are composed of crystal leaves, the cheeky laundry room wallpaper features exotic birds and the mudroom boasts sherbet-hued walls.
Tropical yet sophisticated. Sexy yet comfortable. Dramatic yet cozy. “The house is a paradox,” Lee muses. And it’s perfect as the Coltuns’ Florida moment. “They send photos when they are there and say, ‘We’re back in our happy place, and it’s beyond what we imagined,’ ” he reports. “That’s the best kind of compliment.”
