W
W ELLINGTON at Home
The Axelrods Have Turned Their Central Wellington Townhome Into An Artist’s Paradise Story by Deborah Welky Photos by Susan Lerner
Steve and Sandy Axelrod bought their first home in Wellington — a model home in Park Place — 27 years ago. They have since lived in Greenview Shores and “on the road” in a Winnebago doing six months of art shows. But 13 years ago, with son Brian grown and married, they purchased a townhome that they have slowly converted into an artist’s paradise. “Many people think of resale when decorating their home,” Steve said. “But we’re not leaving this place, so we decided to make it like we wanted it.” The Axelrods started by gutting the place right to the studs. Steve did much of the work himself with Sandy as his cheerleader. “He’s so handy,” Sandy said. “When we bought this place, it had four different wallpapers in the foyer alone. We scraped the popcorn off the ceilings and put in our own moldings and fixtures.” Upon entering, one is greeted by a cheerful hallway and, just to the right, a powder room painted gloss black. You’d think the color would be dark and smothering in such a small room but, decorated in a beach theme with plenty of seashells and a pair of flip-flops off to the side, the room actually seems big. Holding pride of place is a 24-carat gold-plated pedestal sink with matching fixtures. “We got that at Adam & Eve Architectural Salvage for $160,” Sandy recalled. “It had been pulled out of a home in Palm Beach. But later we saw it in a designer showroom, new, for $2,700.” Halfway down the hall, a lighted glass display cabinet holds the couple’s
(Left) Steve Axelrod painted the coffee table in the colors of the house, while Sandy’s collage of their travels is wall-mounted to the right of the kitchen passthrough. (Inset) The Axelrods stand in the middle of their living room. (Right) The dining room table is cemented to the floor, and its glass block pedestals allow the light of the living room to reflect and shine. WELLINGTONTHE THEMAGAZINE MAGAZINE••september september2010 2010 WELLINGTON
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