Glamorous Beach Home

Betsy's demeanor and commitment to quality work and client satisfaction makes it a pleasure to work with her. I am a retired architect who, over a period of years, has collaborated with Betsy on several of her design projects. During our collaborations she was cognizant of and attentive to the clients time and budget constraints. Her on-the-job supervision of the work being done was an important factor which resulted in a completed project of the highest quality. Her demeanor and commitment to quality work and client satisfaction makes it a pleasure to work with her.

~ MHE | Lake Worth, FL

Glamorous Beach House Project Details

When you can't move to the islands, bring the islands to your home. It was with this motto that these clients had a property left to them by their parents to be used as a getaway home. We completely gutted it leaving only one original wall remaining (holding up the garage.) Keeping this wall was important in order to maintain their property tax filing status.

Inspired by the Galapagos Islands

Upon arriving home from a month long family excursion to the Galapagos Islands, my client wanted to evoke a true island lifestyle in their home complete with a total top to bottom interior and exterior renovation. Each and every room stayed true to the collaborated version of a beach home design, merging elements of nature and the sea in color and theme while paying homage to both.

Favorite Elements

One of my favorite elements of this project just might be the two custom designed and hand fabricated light fixtures, one over the dining room banquette and the second which hung in the two story staircase hallway. Both encrusted with hand applied seashells that elicit a seashore ambience. To complete the look, the custom fabricated steel handrail on the staircase mimics bamboo. I repeated the identical bamboo detail on the doors and trim in the living room around the face of the full height mahogany built-in wall to wall - floor to ceiling bookshelf. The entire living room floor surface was blanketed in a multi-colored 100% wool area rug - hand dyed, hand tufted, and bordered with a complex seashell ocean theme motif. Each individual rug yarn color was hand selected and strategically placed to accentuate the graphics in the seashells which are only found on the rugs border.

The master bedroom suite leaves nothing to the imagination. When it comes to the wow factor this highly styled contemporary antique mirror & brass bed says it all! The wall finishes, drapery fabric and chair upholstery were kept monochromatic so that the bed becomes the centerpiece in the room adding just the right amount of glitz and glamour.

Design Features

Other design aspects of the home speak to nature in various fashions - from the kitchen backsplash installed using a glass tile reminiscent of shimmering green sea glass, to chairs made of woven rattan and headboards made of the same. A bit of whimsy is found throughout especially in the kitchen where if you look up, you will find various sizes of star fish applied to the ceiling in no particular pattern, and one oversized star fish adhered to the center of the wood hood over the range. All of the artwork and accessories were color coordinated and well appointed to complete the circle of a home meeting nature, sea and island living.