A Brunschwig & Fils pattern covers the office’s walls and Avery Boardman sofa, which holds pillows in a Pierre Frey textile. The Charles Stewart chair harmonizes with the Christopher Spitzmiller lamps atop the Made Goods side tables. Hudson Valley Lighting sconces frame Eleanor Scott Davis art.
A Dainty Palm Beach Villa Maximizes Charm In Every Corner
Leslie and Sam Dashiell didn’t have to search far to find their new home in South Florida—just take an elevator ride down from their apartment. On the ground floor of their boutique building, the couple discovered a residence with untapped potential: a petite villa with a private outdoor area, giving the feel of a secluded house right in the middle of town. “We’re used to walking everywhere and being two blocks from the ocean,” Sam says.
Amid the vibrant surroundings, the Dashiells envisioned an abode as breezy and welcoming. “I wanted a Palm Beach look but not Lilly Pulitzer,” Leslie describes. Transforming the blank space into a comfortable place to work and entertain would require a skilled eye. Enter designer Cece Bowman, whose artistry turned the modest property into a layered, livable home brimming with character and charm.
Bowman, who has since launched her own firm, had a clear mission: Maximize every square inch while creating an environment that is equally usable and captivating. For Leslie and Sam, this wasn’t just about clever storage or efficient layouts; it was about making each corner of their home come alive. “I needed to consider functionality, of course,” the designer points out, “but I also wanted to give you a reason to cross to the other side of the room—because something special catches your eye.”
Nowhere is this philosophy more evident than in the heart of the villa: the combination kitchen, dining and living area. To harmoniously link the spaces, Bowman wrapped the room in a hand-painted mural wallcovering that depicts native flowers and trees, mirroring the natural beauty outside. From there, she introduced eye-catching moments to give each zone a distinct presence, like the living area’s sculptural pink armchair, paired with a patterned sofa. The dining nook received a cozy green banquette, placed at a strategic point against the tropical wallpaper, “as though you’re eating under a tree,” the designer muses. The most dramatic of all is the kitchen’s custom range hood, painted an unexpected shade pulled from the mural: a vibrant flamingo pink. “I like to compare the hood to a fireplace—a focal point full of personality,” Bowman says. “The goal was not to have the kitchen look utilitarian.” Contributing to this characteristic is a woven cane inset on the island’s front, a classic Palm Beach detail. “It was one of the first things we showed the clients, and they loved it so much, it became a starting point,” she notes. “It adds interest to essentially a big white block.”
Benjamin Moore’s Pink Flamingo accents the kitchen, by Jim Dove Design Studio. A Newport Brass faucet punctuates the island beneath Hwang Bishop flush mounts. The Sub-Zero and Miele appliances are from Fuse Specialty Appliances.
Mr. Brown London’s Elizabeth chair gathers with a Paul Schneider Ceramics stool and Visual Comfort & Co. lamp in the living area. Cowtan & Tout fabric draperies line the windows. A Mainly Baskets Home console and custom rug complete the scene.
An Aqualille mural enlivens the dining nook, where Artistic Frame chairs join a banquette with pillows in Alice Sergeant Textiles linen from Hive Trade Showroom. A Julie Neill chandelier floats above the table.
While the open spaces reveal the designer’s ingenuity in large rooms, the smallest area—the entry hall—showcases her ability to transform an assuming site into a radiant first impression. To brighten the windowless corridor, Bowman enveloped it in an intricately patterned white treillage, setting an elegant, airy tone for the rooms beyond. This includes Sam’s office, a handsome yet cheerful reprieve that answers the Dashiells’ call for sunny colors that pay homage to the locale. “It’s a guilty pleasure to work there every day,” he says. Citron lamps bookend an aqua-toned painting, while a sandy brown dotted pattern swathes the walls and sofa—a clever visual tactic. “Having the sofa match the walls is a trick to make the room appear more spacious,” the designer explains.
Scale and proportion were also top of mind in the primary bedroom, where a towering hand-carved bed takes center stage. “The bed is in charge,” Bowman describes, “and everything else is a supporting player.” She emphasized its grand presence with an eyelet canopy that nearly reaches the nubby grass-cloth ceiling. “It feels like a big hug,” the designer muses. Countering this texture is a lacquered sky-blue wallpaper that cocoons the room in a reflective shine—a watery feel strengthened by the wave-bordered drapery panels that nod to the nearby ocean.
No space was overlooked, including the area that had initially drawn Leslie and Sam to the property: the front courtyard. By adjusting the placement of the plantings, Bowman created a luminous retreat adorned with cheerful blue upholstery. “It effectively gives us a second living room,” Sam points out.
Like a pink linen shirt and a pair of khakis, the home accommodates the owners’ buoyant lifestyle, from morning coffee in the courtyard to large gatherings in the living area. “This villa reflects their personalities: sunny, bright, beachy and delightful,” Bowman sums.
Two wallcoverings—Jeffrey Michaels on the ceiling and Robert Crowder on the walls—surround the primary suite’s The Raj Company bed, flanked by Visual Comfort & Co. lamps. A Bunny Williams Home armchair complements Kravet draperies.
In the courtyard, Amalfi Living sofas, ottomans and coffee table from Kolo Collection mingle with Made Goods’ Grady side tables. “We kept the colors and styles consistent so the outdoor space would not distract from the living area just inside,” designer Cece Bowman says.