This project in the Highland Park was a fun surprise. My team had just designed the exact same house for another client. They loved it, moved in, and the husband was transferred to New York a few months later. It seemed like such a shame when I learned that they wouldn’t get to enjoy everything we created for them. The property was put on the market and sold. By chance, the couple who bought it liked the way the house was designed and asked who had done it. Just like that, my team was back at work in precisely the same location, adapting the property to a new aesthetic. We had so much fun rethinking what was possible in that space.

Though the house was quite finished when they moved in, they wanted to make substantial changes that we knew would transform the project into something altogether different. They started with additions to the house—closets, a screened porch, and a pool with a beautiful outdoor area that feels very Palm Beach, an aesthetic the homeowners adore.

The entry underwent a dramatic change. The wife knew she wanted a more impactful floor, and we used gray and white honed marble, which instantly made the entry look stunning. The homeowners wanted to put a wine cellar under the stairs. I had never seen such a thing done before, and it’s fair to say that I was uncertain about it, but, once it was installed, I was impressed and delighted at how well it turned out. It creates so much depth and interest in an area that, in other homes, can sometimes feel empty and disused. The vintage Venini chandelier is one of the best I’ve ever found, and the pale blue walls set it off so elegantly. In a way, this is a perfect entry. It gives you lots to look at and enjoy, and it gives you a great feel for what’s to come.

The living room has excellent proportions, so we were able to have two seating areas. Here, we were able to create an effect that is so visually pleasing and interesting. On one side of the room, we kept things extremely balanced and structured, and on the opposite side of the room, we did just the opposite. In front of a bank of windows, we placed a blue sofa with green chairs, a coffee table, and matching lamps and end tables. There’s something very satisfying about these symmetrical settings. But there’s something equally satisfying about the other end of the room, which is completely asymmetrical. There, we created a second seating area with a banquette, balanced on the other side of the room with a piano. You never want a room to look like a mere collection of pairs. Every part of the home should feel unexpected.

Every room is a standout in this house: the dining room with its stunning vintage Baccarat chandelier, the cozy library where the couple enjoys drinks before dinner, and the large casual dining area in the Christopher Peacock designed kitchen, which was made possible by the removal of a wall.

I love the way the Bamboo Fret fabric by Kravat echoes in the tailored, draped table, and the window coverings of both the kitchen and the adjoining living room. The adjoining sun porch looks both bold and timeless papered and filled with vintage ratan furniture and an Italian bar we found on a Paris buying trip.

The primary suite is a particular standout to everyone who sees this house. It might be impossible to find another monochromatic pink and ivory bedroom that looks more sophisticated, romantic, and luxurious than this one, with its custom-made bed and stunning Jansen coffee table. It was a real experience witnessing such a vast transformation from the room I had designed just a year before. I adored it then, but I love it even more now.

A project like this is a testament to my favorite part of interior design—the way in which every new collaboration opens up a world of fresh, unexpected possibilities.