Inside an Enduring Art Moderne Home in Palm Beach

July 30, 2024

A lodestar of mid-20th-century architecture, Art Moderne brought the world an aesthetic more streamlined than its opulent cousin, Art Deco. The style distinguished itself with a generous use of glass, steel, and concrete; low-slung flat rooflines; horizontal, often-symmetrical silhouettes; rounded corners; smooth white walls; and wraparound, glass-block, and porthole windows. That this aesthetic—practically epitomized by this 4,848-square-foot home built in 1940 on the lakeshore in Palm Beach—remains appealing is a testament to Art Moderne’s enduring, timeless nature.

Palm Beach, Florida | The Cregan Team, Sotheby’s International Realty – Palm Beach Brokerage

Painstakingly renovated in recent years, the landmark residence boasts an array of light-flooded spaces, including an open living and dining room, a semicircular sitting bay, a spacious family room, and six versatile bedrooms—those on the upper level enjoying terrace access. Throughout, oversized windows offer views of the surrounding greenery and the sparkling waters of Lake Worth, creating spaces where sophisticated living and entertaining can unfold with utmost ease. Cooks will relish the marble-clad kitchen, equally bright and featuring an island and top-caliber stainless-steel appliances.

Known locally and fondly as the Boat House, the residence lives up to its name with a footprint that recalls a seagoing vessel, its “prow” facing the water and cinematic sunsets. Interior details continue the theme: hardwood floors laid like ship decking, porthole windows—a modernist calling card—and on the balconies and terraces, pipe railings that bring to mind those on an ocean liner. Contemporary comforts and conveniences include air conditioning—even in the multicar garage—a superior water filtration system, a wine and beverage chiller, a secluded infrared sauna, an electric awning providing shade for the dining terrace, and a smart home system.

In addition to the numerous view-centric interior spaces, the home’s enviable rooftop deck affords a breathtaking panorama. The location—a palm- and lawn-studded site near the water’s edge in the enviable Mockingbird neighborhood—exemplifies the luxurious coastal lifestyle. From a verdant backyard with a refreshing pool and spa, a gate leads through emerald privacy hedges to the Lake Trail and a lengthy private dock with a boat lift. Exceedingly rare and diverting is the deeded access to the sand and surf of the Atlantic Ocean, granted via one of the exclusive neighborhood’s beach cabanas.