VIEW TIMES TWO

IT'S A LESSON IN ‘TAKE YOUR PICK' FOR A PALM BEACH COUPLE WHO ENJOY A SPECTACLE IN EVERY DIRECTION THEY LOOK

- KRISSA ROSSBUND

An oceanic water view greets designer Jack Fhillips' clients no matter what angle of the house they're looking from. The new build rests on a narrow sliver of land on the Florida island of Palm Beach.

From the back, it looks out to the Intracoastal Waterway, where boaters pass by on land-bordered voyages and dwellers who live across the way in West Palm Beach exchange waves. From the front of the house, the vista shows off beachgoers basking in the sun and splashing in the Atlantic Ocean as the water drifts into the horizon of eternity.

Whichever view Fhillips' clients choose, it is among interiors that pay homage to the tropical destination but in a lighter spirit, sparked perhaps by the shift to a younger population.

"This town has changed," says Fhillips, who operates his design firm from Palm Beach. "The heaviness of old Palm Beach is no longer as relevant, as people want more casual and relaxed lifestyles. I approached this project with a lighter hand."

The interior palette took cues and took shape from the home's bright white exterior veneer. Fhillips knew the best way to establish a gentler hand throughout the luxury property was to bathe the home's foundation in white.

The walls in most rooms were painted in the basic neutral and made more interesting with the addition of traditional millwork. Glossy white marble of various designs caps the floors in the rotunda-like foyer, breakfast area, and primary bathroom. Ivory-color carpets layer lightness wherever dark oak wood floors were laid.

With the shell of the home in place, it was time to add color.