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Out with the old and in with new. For better or worse, there’s some truth in the adage when it comes to West Palm Beach’s “South of Southern” neighborhood, or “SoSo” as it is referred to by locals, where older homes are often razed in favor of new builds. Luckily, the saying didn’t resonate with one young couple, seasoned real estate professionals who could see past the “so-so” to the historic charm in one particular hundred-year-old home and decided to embark on a full renovation.
An antique pedestal table serves as both dining table and center hall table. “It’s just as beautiful set with fine china and flowers as it is with a stack of books and an urn brimming with greenery,” notes the designer.
Carmel Brantley
Wildwood’s Fontana sconces flank a wooden inlay mirror sourced on Etsy. The antique Gustavian chair wears a stripe by Jane Churchill and Samuel & Sons velvet trim. The painted console was found at auction.
Carmel Brantley“My clients were drawn to the old-school architecture of the area and, in particular, the Mediterranean Revival-style cottage they now call home,” says Bedford, New York–based designer Kate Ives Marshall (a 2024 FREDERIC It List honoree). “When they purchased the 1920s stucco structure, the thought of demolishing it was off the table, but updating and upgrading it was essential for their growing family.”
A new addition with a family room, breakfast room, and primary bedroom suite across the back of the house allowed them to preserve the history and integrity of the original house by retaining its existing interior footprint. They restored the original arches, columns, and ironwork, and commissioned reproductions where needed to forge a sense of cohesion between the old and new spaces.
The homeowner found the hand-painted wall tiles in Turkey and designed the floor tiles to complement them. The sink is a converted outdoor fountain that was outfitted with a Moroccan brass faucet.
Carmel Brantley
“With the open floor plan, wall space was at premium, so we had to use it wisely,” says Marshall. “We needed a bar, and this antique secretary provided the perfect solution.”
Carmel BrantleyFor the furniture and finishes, Marshall devised a plan that not only felt authentic to the architecture, but also to each of its owners’ distinct points of view. The husband, who grew up just a few blocks away, envisioned a relaxed, beachy vibe, whereas the wife, a northern Virginia native, leaned towards a more refined, traditional aesthetic. The designer married the two styles by composing a thoughtful mix of materials, textures, provenances, and patterns.
In lieu of a crown molding, the breakfast room walls are adorned with a hand-applied seashell border designed by the wife. Custom-colored bistro chairs from Maison Drucker and a scalloped-skirt banquette in a Jean Monro stripe surround a resin pedestal table that’s extra-durable for everyday use.
Carmel BrantleyRattan chairs, a verdigris end table, and a bamboo étagère are among the easy, breezy finds Marshall scored at local antique and vintage shops along famous Dixie Highway. Adding layers of texture and patina, these pieces bask in the light of sun-drenched rooms and the glow from contemporary lighting like the scalloped wicker pendant in the breakfast room and a pair of palm-inspired wall sconces in the hall. With the wife in mind, Marshall integrated centuries-old heirlooms (both purchased and passed down) into the scheme. An antique secretary, pedestal dining table, and wardrobe anchor rooms wrapped in whisper-soft hues like Benjamin Moore’s White Dove, a warm off-white, and Farrow & Ball’s Borrowed Light, a pale blue.
Black-and-white photos of old Palm Beach hang above a bamboo director’s chair in a corner of the breakfast room that serves as a makeshift mudroom. The homeowner rescued the antique birdcage from the curb.
Carmel Brantley“We prioritized balance and didn’t overdecorate,” explains Marshall. “This meant using restraint in order to keep the focus on the impeccable details woven throughout the design.” The flouncy scallop-edge skirt on a structured banquette, dainty velvet piping on sculptural Gustavian dining chairs, and gathered candy-striped fabric sconce shades are among the small decorative moments that make a major impression.
But perhaps the greatest impact hails from more personal elements. The wife has a business creating custom shell art, and Marshall incorporated her craft in a subtle, elegant way with a shell frieze that forms a crown molding around the breakfast room.
Vaulted ceilings give the cozy primary bedroom a loftier feeling. Its exposed beams and paneled ceiling offer a coastal counterpoint to the refined furnishings and elegant antiques. Canopy bed, Oly Studio, with Matouk bedding. Jean Monro fabric on curtains; custom rug by From Jaipur With Love. Walls in Farrow & Ball’s Borrowed Light.
Carmel BrantleyAnother special element is the custom tile work woven throughout the house. In addition to the hand-painted Mexican tiles framing the living room fireplace, show-stopping Turkish tiles make the powder room a work of art, and luminous green Turkish tiles color the primary bath. “The wife’s mother is Turkish, so she travels there often,” Marshall says. “On a trip to Kütayha, she discovered a manufacturer where she unearthed and hand-selected every single piece. The artistry of the tile work pays homage to her roots and is a testament to their colorful, well-traveled lifestyle.”
Soane’s Scrolling Fern wallpaper hangs above the shimmering green Turkish tile wainscoting. “My client had her eye on this print for years and was thrilled to finally find a place for it,” Marshall says. “Fun red-striped sconce shades keep it from reading too formal.”
Carmel Brantley
