F E AT U R E
C
ombining a showcase for a spectacular collection of artworks with comfortable living spaces was the challenge for interior designer Annie Santulli of Annie Santulli Designs when she was commissioned by a couple who had purchased a home at Mirasol in Palm Beach Gardens. The home is a winter getaway for the pair, who also have a residence in the Northeast. “They’re very passionate about their art, and they wanted to create the vibe of a gallery, but they also wanted a home that was cozy and comfortable,” Santulli says. “They like to entertain, and their adult children visit often.” Santulli, who has an office in Palm Beach Gardens, has been designing for more than 20 years in South Florida and the Hamptons. She uses a creative process that blends form and function with insight and whimsy. “I am inspired by each of my client’s individuality,” she says. “It’s not about my style, it’s about their dreams. I identify with every detail with as much care, sensitivity, attention and joy as my clients do.” For Santulli, interior design is not just a profession. “It’s my personal passion and purpose,” she says. “Once I accept a project, I live and breathe the work.” The existing décor in the 3,500-square-foot, three-bedroom, 3.5-bath home overlooking a golf course was Mediterranean. The couple wanted something more contemporary with a gallery feel. To create a backdrop for the owners’ often colorful paintings and sculptures, Santulli chose a neutral palette of soft, dove gray for walls and gray and white porcelain tile flooring, along with pure white molding for contrast.
GALLERY AMBIENCE
The ambience of a gallery begins with a large, vertical painting hanging just past the front door. The space offers a view through the home to the pool and patio out back. In the hallway beyond, a
90
JANUARY 2019
The homeowners didn’t want a dining room, so Santulli turned the space into a dramatic, speakeasy-style bar.
tall, arresting crimson sculpture of a human figure in dance creates instant drama. Curved walls add architectural interest. A STUNNING BAR
Because the couple didn’t want a dining room, Santulli used the space allotted for it to design a stunning bar area. “I wanted to create the feel of a speakeasy,” she says. A wall unit with glass shelving framed in dark mahogany is set against a window that offers a view of the outdoors. A small painting placed against the glass provides a focal point at eye level for anyone seated on the stools, which have adjustable chrome pedestals and white leather upholstery framed in mahogany. The bar itself is topped with quartz. Large, colorful paintings on both walls flank the room, and a chrome starburst chandelier provides additional ambiance. LIVING ROOM
In the living room, ivory floor-to-ceiling
gulfstreammediagroup.com