Palm City Villa with Balanced Style and a Lively Color Palette

For an Alabama couple, it was time to upgrade their second home in Palm City. Avid entertainers and golfers Tim and Lynne Petro loved the community so much that they decided to build a permanent residence better suited to long-term living — namely for their children and grandchildren.

This change presented a new opportunity: they chose to rely solely on the trusted guidance of Tim’s talented daughter, designer Kelly Neely.

“She has furnished all of our houses and is incredibly talented,” Lynne said. “I don’t think I’ve ever said ‘no’ to a single one of her ideas.”

▲ Family Room

Sherwin-Williams’ Alabaster wall covering meets the white oak floors from D C Twin Company. In the family room, a Lindsay Von art piece, CR Laine armchairs, a Highland House sofa, and an Arteriors coffee table rest beneath a Currey & Company chandelier.

For the Petros, the design approach for this project is rooted in balance. “We have always loved a blend of modern and traditional styles,” Lynne recalls. “The biggest aesthetic inspiration here came from wanting to evoke a Palm Beach vibe through wallpaper, paint, and drapery. You can’t be in Florida without a great outdoor entertaining space,” she continued. “Tim is an avid swimmer, so his only request was a large lap pool.”

▲ Dining Area

In the dining area, Schumacher’s Menemsha fabric covers Century Furniture’s Copenhagen armchairs, which surround a Highland House Parsons table. Visual Comfort & Co.’s Ashton chandelier is balanced by Currey & Company’s Andre candle sconces. Kravet’s Tracy print complements the Pottery Barn rug.

To honor these preferences, architect Peter Stromberg designed a home with what he calls “West Indies-style character,” paying careful attention to symmetry and proportion.

“Of course, South Florida has intense sun and rain,” noted Stromberg, who worked with general contractor Bill Daly and builder Kenny Raposo, “so we kept the scale low, with deep porches where you can sit outside and stay cool.”

Stucco siding highlights the local character, while a hipped roof with extended overhangs helps regulate temperature and provide shade. To blend the building into its surroundings, landscape designer Paul Goulas introduced lush native shrubs and broad-leafed species to frame the backyard.

“On the sides, we used native plants like sabal palms,” he explained. “Then, as we move closer to the house and pool, we bring in more of a subtropical feel with foxtail palms.”

▲ Kitchen

Century Furniture stools align with Visual Comfort & Co. pendants in the kitchen. The backsplash and countertops from Accurate Tile & Marble Inc. pair with cabinetry from Rachel Eve Design, Inc. A Wolf range comes from Fuse Specialty Appliances; faucets are by California Faucets.

The home sits on the St. Lucie River, which further informed the plan, prompting Stromberg to orient rooms, terraces, and floor-to-ceiling windows toward the water. Meanwhile, Neely drew inspiration from the coastal golf course environment to shape the palette. “We wanted the surroundings to come inside,” she says, “so blues and greens were a perfect choice.”

▲ Primary Bathroom

Cabinetry from Rachel Eve Design, Inc. and a backsplash from Accurate Tile & Marble Inc. reappear in the primary bathroom, which is laid with New Ravenna flooring.

At more than 7,000 square feet, the six-bedroom residence presented a considerable challenge for the designer in creating a warm, inviting feel. Her solution came from millwork and architectural details, such as the sweeping railings at the entry and similarly styled archways throughout the home.

“To keep the house from feeling too stark and modern, I wanted to add features in different shapes,” Neely explained. To create a cohesive backdrop, she chose white oak for the ceilings and floors, layering blues and greens through wallpaper, tile, and textiles.

“My inspiration came from a feeling,” the designer mused. “I saw light wood tones, creamy paints, and tumbling linen panels. I wanted all the rooms to be unique in their own way, but to have a consistent flow.”

▲ Foyer

Arteriors’ Bilal chandelier is anchored in the foyer, with Visual Comfort & Co. lamps atop a Noir side cabinet.

▲ Bathroom

Barclay’s Melanie tub sits next to Waterworks’ Ludlow faucet, beside Serena & Lily’s Dipsea table and Schumacher fabric curtains.

Neely expressed this mood by transitioning from the neutral foyer and living area — featuring pops of color such as the green-toned brass chandelier at the entry — into the family room.

The family room is a more intimate space defined by a painterly blue palm wallpaper. The five bedrooms with en-suite bathrooms also possess distinct personalities through verdant schemes, with one bedroom’s floral wallpaper inspiring the room’s milky-green ceiling.

“Using modern prints mixed with florals and botanicals helps elevate the spaces,” the designer commented. “It gives them personality without being over the top, and without falling strictly into the traditional or modern category.”

▲ Bedroom

Inspired by the Kravet wallpaper in the guest room, a Farrow & Ball Vert de Terre ceiling provides a backdrop for Aerin’s Benit chandelier. A Visual Comfort & Co. lamp on a Currey & Company nightstand sits beside CR Laine’s Carson bed. A Prestige Mills rug echoes the Fabricut curtains.

▲ Loggia

At the back of the house, Serena & Lily’s clearwater chairs and patio tables furnish the loggia for open-air gatherings. Designer Kelly Neely chose neutral travertine flooring, allowing the nearby river view to take center stage.

The soft, breezy elegance of the interior merges with the loggia, a beloved gathering place that overlooks the river beyond the pool. This is the kind of relaxed, welcoming atmosphere the Petros envisioned for their fresh start in South Florida.

“I love showing the house to guests,” Lynne says. “Everyone is blown away and stops to take in every detail.”

▲ Shower

Altura marble surrounds the shower.

▲ Outdoor Garden

A pool by A&G Concrete Pools Inc. showcases Aqua outdoor lounges. Landscape Architectural Services, LLC and Lucido & Associates collaborated to integrate turf along the pool deck and arrange palm trees and large shrubs, creating a private, tropical atmosphere.