A curated combination of well-crafted furnishings, sculptural lighting and sophisticated details mark a refreshing renovation in Palm Beach.
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Rebecca Ward’s “Beast” takes center stage in the dining area along with a Lariat pendant by Apparatus Studio. Colette chairs by Artistic Frame in Jane Churchill’s Lennox mink fabric surround a table by Wüd and soften the scheme. Dinnerware is from Mary Mahoney. Photographed by Carmel Brantley

THE PROJECT

When your clients entertain out-of-town guests almost every weekend, there’s only one thing you want to do as a designer: put the dining table in the middle of the living room. And so, Christina Sugathapala and Caroline Rafferty of Caroline Rafferty Interiors (carolinerafferty.com) did just that as they embarked on a renovation of this 3,700-square-foot Palm Beach house with an open plan living and dining area leading to the lush backyard and pool outside. Walkable to the ocean and set back from the street on a charming lot, the house provides a true retreat for the Connecticut-based owners and their guests. “Coming into the project, our client knew that she wanted a tailored interior, a grown-up space for her and her husband and their friends,” Sugathapala says. “As a big golf family, she wanted something light, fresh and modern—a retreat from the cold and gray northeast where they primarily reside.”

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Holly Hunt’s Fuzzy Wuzzy Paddington Bear mohair dresses the Dmitry & Co. sofas in the living room. Artworks by Ellen Lesperance from Derek Eller Gallery splash color above cabinets by Wüd in Brooklyn. The Rosemary Hallgarten drapery fabric was fabricated by John Gonsman, and MGH Studio fabricated the custom waterfall coffee table, covered in an Edelman Leather textile. Photographed by Carmel Brantley

Originally designed and built by Dailey Janssen Architects (daileyjanssen.com), Janssen Construction (janssenconstructioncorpfl.com) and Parker-Yannette Design Group (pydg.com), the classic home offered good bones. So Sugathapala honored that timelessness and gave it a modern edge with shapely furnishings and a sweet palette of soft colors and luxe materials. Existing red cherry wood floors were refinished to a dark espresso that pops against the light scheme. “We also resurfaced the kitchen, making all of the marble a honed finish, and upgraded the cabinetry,” Rafferty says. “Every wall surface was treated with either a Venetian plaster or a wallpaper. And we reworked the stairwell, took away some awkward angles and added a more classic bronze banister.”

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Caroline Rafferty Interiors gave the kitchen a makeover with Benjamin Moore Blue Springs Color 1592 in a satin finish. Saarinen Executive stools from Design Within Reach pull up to the island beneath pendants by Apparatus. Photographed by Carmel Brantley

THE PALETTE

In this vein, Sugathapala wrapped the interiors in sumptuous textiles, taking cues from the aesthetic of Brad Ford to create a quiet luxury that exudes a relaxed, light and sophisticated feel. “We loved the lightness of Brad’s work paired with timeless case goods,” says Sugathapala. “We knew we wanted to add a dressy element and honestly looked at many midcentury modern interiors.” The homeowner had an existing purple and pink artwork by Rebecca Ward from Peter Blum Gallery that was to make its way into the design. “It had been in a traveling show, so neither of us had seen the piece in person,” Sugathapala says. “We designed the open-plan living and dining room to have a quiet color palette. When the art piece was delivered and installed, we were thrilled with the subtle texture, the contemporary pattern and the richness in color. It lifted the entire perspective of the room.”


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The family room opens onto an alfresco dining area on the pool terrace. A B&B Italia sofa wears Holly Hunt fabric with leather welting, and the ottoman wears Weitzner leather in navy blue Photographed by Carmel Brantley

THE CRAFTSMANSHIP

The house is chock full of custom furnishings. Sugathapala turned to trusted vendors, a carpenter with whom she has a longstanding relationship, and furniture makers who could execute the style and quality they desired. MHG Studio in New York created a leather-wrapped coffee table in the style of Paul Dupré-Lafon. A pair of bar cabinets in the living room and a coordinating dining table with bronze and resin came to fruition thanks to New York-based design and fabrication studio Wüd, led by Corey and Keren Springer. Dining chairs don a whipstitch detail from Artistic Frame. And the Lariat pendant by Apparatus grounds the dining space as a statement maker—one of many handsome fixtures that add a sculptural element throughout the home.

CW Stockwell’s Martinique Belgian linen in platinum from Harbinger LA continues the soft color scheme in the guest bedroom, but with a patterned twist, along with bedside tables by Chelsea Editions and a Schumacher grasscloth wallcovering. Photographed by Carmel Brantley
CW Stockwell’s Martinique Belgian linen in platinum from Harbinger LA continues the soft color scheme in the guest bedroom, but with a patterned twist, along with bedside tables by Chelsea Editions and a Schumacher grasscloth wallcovering. Photographed by Carmel Brantley

THE OUTCOME

While Sugathapala has a keen eye for mixing bold color and pattern, this home portrays a fresh and sophisticated restraint that embodies her design philosophy through attention to detail, timeless furnishings juxtaposed with interesting shapes, and an artisanal approach to quality and craftsmanship. But not to worry, she still got in her burst of chromatic motifs: “We convinced the client to use a powdery shade of our Caroline Rafferty signature gem-toned blue-green in the guest suites,” she says. Here, CW Stockwell’s palm frond Martinique Belgian linen window treatments signal to the owners that they have surely landed in Palm Beach.

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The outdoor dining table and chairs are from Brown Jordan Photographed by Carmel Brantley

DESIGN DETAILS

TYPE
House

LOCATION
Palm Beach

DESIGN
Caroline Rafferty Interiors

carolinerafferty.com

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Phillip Jeffries’ linen-and-silk wallpaper envelops the primary bedroom, where a Julian Chichester bench sits at the foot of the custom-designed bed. The light fixture is by Visual Comfort & Co. Photographed by Carmel Brantley

RESOURCES

BROWN JORDAN
Outdoor dining table and chairs

brownjordan.com

CAROLINE RAFFERTY INTERIORS
Living room coffee table, custom waterfall shape with bronze legs covered in leather; bed in primary bedroom wearing Rogers & Goffigon linen velvet

carolinerafferty.com

DESIGN WITHIN REACH
Bar stools in kitchen, bedside lamp in guest bedroom, bedside tables and lamps in primary bedroom, desk and Eames desk chair in study

dwr.com

GONSMAN CUSTOM DRAPERIES
Fabrication for coffee tables in family room and living room, family room pillow fabrication, bed in primary bedroom, and window treatments throughout the home

561.732.8841

GREG SCHMIDT
Wallcovering installation in guest bedroom

561.630.8577

HOME BOUTIQUE OF GREENWICH
Matouk bedding in guest bedroom

homeboutique.com

The study offers a cozy spot for reading thanks to natural sunlight or the glow from the Mattaliano lamp. The lounge chair is from Holly Hunt and the wallcovering is faux suede by Phillip Jeffries, adding soft texture to the room. Photographed by Carmel Brantley
The study offers a cozy spot for reading thanks to natural sunlight or the glow from the Mattaliano lamp. The lounge chair is from Holly Hunt and the wallcovering is faux suede by Phillip Jeffries, adding soft texture to the room. Photographed by Carmel Brantley

JC IRON ORNAMENTAL WORKS
Metalwork on staircase

jcornamental.com

PETER BLUM GALLERY
Artwork in dining room

peterblumgallery.com

ROSEMARY HALLGARTEN
Drapery sheers throughout

rosemaryhallgarten.com

SERENA & LILY
Bed in guest bedroom wrapped in Perennials fabric

serenaandlily.com

STARK
Stair runner and rugs in dining, living and family rooms, rugs in guest bedroom and primary bedroom

starkcarpet.com

STUDIO VAN DEN AKKER
Accent tables in living room

studiovandenakker.com

WÜD
Dining table, custom design in brushed brass and resin; pair of cabinets in living room made of resin, fumed oak and bronze

wudfurniture.com