Interior designer Scott Sanders helps a young couple turn their guest house into a luxury experience.
Villa Primavera’s west facade designed in 1937 by John Volk with the new guest pavilion to the right
Even for well-known interior designer Scott Sanders, any chance to be involved in the renovation of a landmarked iconic home from 1937 by society architect John Volk was an opportunity he wouldn’t think to pass up. Sanders, who has done homes all over the world and is beloved for his bespoke residential interiors, jumped at the chance to be a part of a dream team of experts hired by the home’s new owners to help get their Adam-style home and one of Palm Beach’s iconic estates back into shape through total restoration. “They knew how important it was to the dignity of the house to remain intact,” says Sanders. “Our challenge was to bring it into the now. I think we accomplished that by ‘listening’ to the house’s original voice, while doing everything we could to flood the interiors with light, and more importantly, lightheartedness.”
The breakfast terrace features McKinnon and Harris furniture and boasts blue accents to correlate with the main house and mirror the waters on the adjacent Lake Worth.
As a result of the home’s landmark status (it has a landmarked tree on the property so rare it has its own arborist), the exterior and original footprint could only be altered in accordance to the statutes of the Town of Palm Beach Landmarks Preservation Commission. Instead the owners added two outbuildings that provided more space; one became the quintessential guest house the owners actually lived in during much of the renovation of the main house. According to Sanders, “The owners wanted to give their guests a five-star hotel experience, so we broke down every little detail that makes hotels extraordinary and applied them to this guest experience.”
The guest room features a Palecek bed and carpet from Serena & Lily.
Varying hues of ocean blues were highlighted throughout the house, mirroring the beautiful nearby Atlantic Ocean and Intracoastal Waterway, and creating a relaxing palette. Sanders collaborated with Serena Dugan of Serena & Lily fame on custom wallpapers and fabrics, ensuring the utmost in luxury comfort. “The entire guest house is so comfy, the owners actually joke that they might have a hard time getting anyone to leave,” jokes the designer. There is no question we agree!
Photography by: Nick Sargent
