Crisp Modern Spaces Invite in Palm Beach

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When designers Allison Paladino and Zita Rudd approached a 19,000-square-foot residence nestled into a 3.5-acre oceanfront lot in Palm Beach, it was game-on! Collaborating with the architectural team from Bridges, Marsh & Associates, they took their client’s wishes for a modern departure to heart, giving them a sophisticated environment in which to gather family and friends. The ground-up build that took three years to complete is one of Paladino’s proudest accomplishments to date, a labor of love from start to finish. 

Intent on complementing the aesthetic of the exterior architecture, Rudd and Paladino approached the interior layout and design as a serene backdrop for the vacation home, which is the fourth the duo has realized for the clients. They were given explicit instructions to steer clear of the traditional interiors filled with antiques they’d designed for them in the past. 

The designers’ main goals for the clean, crisp environment was to select furniture that would leave the expansive views to the Atlantic Ocean unencumbered and to choose materials that could weather tremendous levels of activity. “Our clients entertain all the time,” says Paladino. “With eight guest bedrooms, they constantly have [company]. They also have a big family, so we created spaces that could handle having a ton of grandkids running around the house.”

Some of the moves taken to accommodate the liveliness bound to ensue when the clan was gathered included an ample kitchen in which multiple cooks can work with ease, a game table for cards and such, and an upholstered ottoman that serves as the cocktail table in the family room. “The game table was especially important for the grandkids to work on their puzzles and coloring books,” notes Paladino. “The seats of the chairs around it are covered in leather for easy cleaning.” While the white upholstery in this room was a gutsy move, Paladino knew the performance fabric would hold up well no matter what. 

The designers chose the Perennials rugs throughout the home for durability: “The clients told us that one of their grandchildren drew pink polka-dots on one of the rugs with a marker, and, thank goodness, every bit of it came out.” The club room is another space in which ample play is the order of the day, although it was designed for the adult ideal of enjoyment: “The clients were adamant about having this room. It is a wonderful space for watching sports events with its hidden bar opposite the television behind bifold walnut doors.” All of the club chairs in this space swivel for maximum interaction when rooting for a favorite team. This offers yet another example of the designers’ talent at turning rooms built for fun into sophisticated and serene retreats.

“We design for comfort,” says Paladino. “I think this is more the norm now because people want to spend time in all of the spaces in their homes. It is the way we live and the way our clients live.”

Story Credits:

Interior Design by Allison Paladino & Zita Rudd, Paladino Rudd Interior Design, Palm Beach Gardens, FL

Architecture by Mark Marsh, Bridges, Marsh & Associates, Palm Beach, FL

Builder Hedrick Brothers Construction, West Palm Beach, FL

Text by Saxon Henry

Photography by C.J. Walker, West Palm Beach, FL

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