Southern Charm Meets Island Style in This Tequesta Retreat

“Nothing is pretentious about this house. They wanted it to feel like a vacation home,” Miller says. “Because of our setting, 92% of our clients want color,” she adds. The Melendys were no exception, with blue becoming a predominant choice for numerous spaces. “Blue is a crowd-pleaser, and she loves cooler colors,” Miller explains. However, the designer also wanted to push the pair by incorporating green accents and even warm corals and pinks in the more feminine parlor. “I always like to have a mix of colors and establish a rhythm with a floor plan, noting what areas get color and which ones get wallpaper or a millwork treatment,” she says of the approach. “I like it when you can see these details peeking in from one space to another,” she says, pointing to selections such as the kitchen backsplash, which is visible from multiple vantage points.

All of this is tempered with shades of white, wood tones, and lots of texture. “It has Key West and British Colonial influences,” the designer says of her approach. “There’s a happy, fun-loving vibe, but it’s also collected; they wanted it to have a sense of history.” These elements are introduced in the front entry’s long hallway, where whitewashed pecky cypress, a material native to the area, flows from the doorway through to a light-filled family room and out to the water beyond. “I was adamant about using pecky cypress, and Kara was able to incorporate it in several different ways,” Melendy says. Rich mahogany wood shows up on built-ins, entry doors, and on the flooring. “Lighter woods are very of-the-moment, so I think it’s refreshing that they went with the darker tones,” Miller notes.

Aside from architectural elements and furnishings, they all note numerous personal touches that make the house theirs: historical books on the Sunshine State and a shell collection, scavenged by mother and daughter, on display in the parlor; collected artwork in the family room; and meaningful black-and-white photographs in the entryway. “They worked so hard for this, so it was an honor and blessing to be able to spearhead the design,” Miller says. “I think this is the best version of Sasha and Matt in home form.”

Having previously lived just across the street, they jumped at the chance to purchase this Tequesta property, which sits directly on the Loxahatchee River and has a dock for their boat. “It was a beautiful house but was falling into disrepair,” Miller explains. The Melendys, along with their two young children, lived in the home while saving up to rebuild, giving them time to fully envision the flow and organization that would work best for their family. “They are warm and inviting, and because they are very gracious people, they wanted a family-friendly floor plan and interiors that were conducive to entertaining,” says Miller, who worked with YRA Design Inc. on the architecture. The result is a one-story home that directs the focus to the water while celebrating all the things that mean the most to them in finishes and accessories.