Checkered flooring, unlacquered brass and elegant marbles marry with vintage, new and custom-designed furnishings and finds for a timeless look and feel in a forever second home.

Urban Electric sconces dot the front facade of this Jupiter residence, whose idyllic entrance alludes to the timeless interiors inside the home. Photographed by Carmel Brantley Styled by Rachel Shortt

THE PROJECT

Just because a house is located near the beach doesn’t necessarily mean it has to be a beach house. Such was the case for a 6,000-square-foot new build in Jupiter belonging to empty nesters from the Midwest with a growing family of grandchildren. Rather than having a coastal getaway, the owners desired a home away from home—a true forever second residence that would foster years of memory-making. “Our creative process always starts with a deep dive into understanding the land, the architectural intent, and the client, of course,” says Chicago-based designer Brynn Olson, principal of Brynn Olson Design Group (brynnolson.com), who designed an inviting home for her clients that defines Classicism and celebrates craftsmanship. “We began by exploring materials hands-on with the client in the field to understand their tastes. We had many meetings touching and feeling finishes such as door hardware and tile and walking stone yards to find the perfect slabs for key areas in the home. Once we develop a deep understanding of the client’s aesthetic needs, we move to functional needs and spend a great deal of time space planning to ensure the flow, layout and behavioral interaction in the home are attuned to the client.”

Tumbled marble flooring in the foyer from Waterworks and Exquisite Surfaces makes a grand first impression. Photographed by Carmel Brantley Styled by Rachel Shortt

A seamless collaboration with Bill Bickford, Garrett Harabedian and Gwen Sutton of Northworks Architects + Planners (nwks.com), builder Dan Wilberding of F & D Wilberding (fdwilberding.com), and landscape architect Bert Krebs, partner at Innocenti & Webel, ensured a successful, turnkey project.

A Formations console from Holly Hunt tucks into a foyer nook Photographed by Carmel Brantley Styled by Rachel Shortt

FIRST IMPRESSIONS

This forever home boasts a formidable entry: a prominent foyer with hallway wings to either side, each grounded in black-and-white checkered tiles made of tumbled marble, and a grand staircase. Here, the home’s narrative begins, mixing one-of-a-kind items with old and new. “You’ll find collected antique olive jars from Italy under the stairwell and midcentury vintage sconces climbing up the stairs, for instance,” Olson says. “Throughout the home, the client wanted to procure art by up-and-coming artists, and we worked to secure pieces from all over the nation—and even overseas. Creating a timeless backdrop for the artwork to shine was important.”

The dining room features chairs in Donghia and Kravet fabrics, a chandelier from Visual Comfort & Co., and a Baker table base with a custom top from Michael-Cleary Photographed by Carmel Brantley Styled by Rachel Shortt

THE DETAILS

Mindful materials travel through the house to create a classic contemporary aesthetic that balances comfortable luxury with enduring style. “The materials you see throughout the house—metals like unlacquered brass, marble for a sense of history, and a crisp, tailored palette of black, white, blues and grays—focus on timelessness rather than trend,” Olson says. “The clients are based in the Midwest, so they have an affinity for cozy, warm textiles. We focused on using all performance and outdoor fabrics with a soft hand and, in some cases, thicker piles, like outdoor velvets. The client absolutely loves blue, so we wanted to cater to that throughout the home for a soothing note. We mixed in some porcelain and ceramics in areas where our client wanted low maintenance, but we opted for marble for the prominent areas of the home, such as the kitchen and living room fireplace.”

Century Furniture stools in Wolf Gordon vinyl encircle the island in the kitchen beneath a bronze ceiling lamp from Eichholtz. A lofty breakfast nook features a table and stools from Ballard Designs, with a custom table top by Brynn Olson Design Group. The custom upholstered banquette from Lee Parker dons Holland & Sherry trim. Photographed by Carmel Brantley Styled by Rachel Shortt

THE OUTCOME

Olson and her firm design by the mantra, “Interiors that illuminate,” an approach that is evident throughout the home. “Our ethos is rooted in a love of laying down timeless roots and layering with a healthy dose of antiques, vintage pieces, and new items—many custom designed,” she says. Just look at the customized tête-à-tête bridging the dining room and living room, the custom-designed dining table crafted from birdseye maple wood with brass details, and almost all custom furniture for the primary bedroom to deliver a most comfortable fit. “Our design philosophy tends to sway toward a classic yet contemporary aesthetic,” she says. “The crisp, bright palette adds an airy, ethereal feeling while the marbles and cozy blues bring a sense of classicism to the home. Our goal for this new build was to create a home away from home that still made our clients feel as though they were indeed ‘home’—with no detail overlooked. We hope they find this is their luxe respite that reinvigorates their soul and senses and shares the joy of sunshine with family and friends.”

The living room is anchored by lacquered cabinetry. A Highland House sofa joins custom swivel lounge chairs fabricated by Brynn Olson Design Group and an open-back loveseat in Kravet fabric. The 19th-century gilded mirror above the fireplace was found through 1stdibs. Side tables are by Noir and Alfonso Marina. Photographed by Carmel Brantley Styled by Rachel Shortt

DESIGN DETAILS

TYPE
House

LOCATION
Jupiter

DESIGN
Brynn Olson Design Group
brynnolson.com

ARCHITECTURE
Northworks Architects + Planners
nwks.com

BUILD
F & D Wilberding
fdwilberding.com

LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE
Innocenti & Webel
772.546.9650

The primary bedroom layers a Highland House chair in Holly Hunt fabric, a console from J Marshall Design, mirror from Chairish, Coraggio draperies, and custom pillows fabricated by Urban Workroom Photographed by Carmel Brantley Styled by Rachel Shortt

RESOURCES

ACCURATE MARBLE & GRANITE
Statuary honed marble island and Negresco leathered granite backsplash in the kitchen
accurate-marble-granite-inc.business.site

EICHHOLTZ
Light fixture in kitchen and living room
eichholtz.com/usa

MECOX
Centerpiece bowl in dining room
mecox.com

Phillip Jeffries’ wood veneer parquet wallcovering contrasts an antique gilt mirror from Chairish in the powder room. Photographed by Carmel Brantley Styled by Rachel Shortt

VISUAL COMFORT & CO.
Metal sconces in living room, table lamps in foyer, lighting in powder bath, fireplace sconces in living room, antique brass picture lights in foyer, dining room chandelier
visualcomfort.com

WATERWORKS
Kitchen and powder bath faucets
waterworks.com/us _ en

WATSON SMITH
Stair runner, dining and living room rugs
watsonsmith.com