11751 Elina Court | Old Palm

In most minds, Palm Beach’s architecture is inextricably connected to Addison Mizner, who began designing there around the end of the First World War. By mixing sources from Moorish Spain, Renaissance Italy and 18th Century France, he created a style that was all his own.

For this house, both the architect and clients looked not so much to Mizner’s exuberant houses as to the more restrained work of Maurice Fatio, the Swiss-born American architect who designed numerous local houses in the 1920s and 1930s for such clients as Harold S. Vanderbilt and Joseph E. Widener.

The owners wanted it to be elegant but not opulent, with rooms that have both warmth and grand proportions. As is typical of Palm Beach houses, there are cast stone columns, balustrades and urns. They wanted to make sure they respected both authenticity and good design.

The Elina House was formerly owned by avid art collectors with fabulous taste. As you enter the two wooden entry doors, one glance to the left reveals their taste is art. This replica of  Charles Bell’s 16 Candles, renamed ‘Marbles’, is the prized possession of the father of ‘photo-realist art’, Louis Meisel.

The furnishings are done by an award-winning interior designer. They are all brand new and at retail would run in excess of $200,000. High-end manufacturers such as Hickory, Century by Larry Laslo, Swain, and Kravet adorn the interiors, and Brown Jordon the outdoor, pool and entertainment areas.

Entering the living room, one is immediately drawn to a wonderful clock sitting on the stone-clad fireplace. As your eyes move forward, the exquisite tropical landscaping and the pool and water features in the rear of the home become apparent. These water features cost the owners in excess of $150,000 when the home was built in 2006. One notices the perfect balance the furnishings add to this open floorplan.

The whimsical nature of the owners is evident in their library with matching desks, his with his passion for his mythical mistress, ‘Wonder Woman’, and her with her perfect husband, ‘The Man of Steel, Superman’.

Continuing into the master bedroom, overlooking the tropical pool and water features, the owner’s whimsical taste turns romantic, with a print of movie econ Marilyn Monroe by Andy Warhol directly above the headboard of this 4-poster bed. The elegantly-appointed marble master bathroom and closets make this master suite perfect.

As one exits the rear onto the loggia, you can see how grand the outdoor area truly is. The large pool, lounge areas, and rear water features truly make this a spectacular family/entertainment area.

Overall, this single-story Elina house has a footprint of 4,888 square feet, 4 bedrooms and 5½ baths. There is a covered loggia area immediately off of the family room, French doors throughout, impact glass, 3-car garage and a circular paver drive. All of the living spaces have Saturnia marble and each bath has both marble floors and countertops. The kitchen has granite countertops and a world of space for the gourmet chef of the house. There is an exterior kitchen as well for outdoor BBQs.