Just before the pandemic, Chris and Linda Baldwin decided it was time for a new adventure and started looking for a winter family home in a sunny clime with a slower pace of life. They found the perfect setting in a waterfront lot on Jupiter Island with spectacular ocean views. The only problem: the lot included a dated existing house that lacked the qualities they needed for this new phase of their lives.
Still, the location was unbeatable, so they took the plunge and purchased the property. They would tear down the old house and build their dream home from scratch. “My husband and I fell in love with the area and wanted to design our home to take full advantage of the beautiful views of the Atlantic,” says Linda. The Baldwins enlisted local architect Mitch Miller of Village Architects in Tequesta to design an expansive five-bedroom house where they could relax, host guests, and entertain in a way that makes the most of the natural beauty outdoors.
Linda says they wanted the home to be “elegant yet livable,” and Miller set about crafting an 8,000-square-foot home that supports easy living, indoors and out.
With a focus on simplicity and an emphasis on maximizing views, Miller drew up a streamlined, tripartite, two-story stucco structure with classic features along the front facade including gabled standing seam roofs, painted timber-style brackets supporting shallow eaves, and a pair of dormers above the garage. Floor-to-ceiling sliding doors and picture windows take advantage of the extraordinary ocean views and provide seamless access to the outdoors, with a variety of comfy covered seating areas by the pool.
To finish the spaces with details and furnishings that would add dimension and warmth to the expansive rooms, the Baldwins brought Jupiter-based designer Jackie Armour of JMA Interior Design into the mix. “We hit it off with the client from the first phone call,” recalls Armour. “Our visions were very much aligned.”
“Aesthetically, we wanted a calm and comfortable interior that was relaxing from the moment you came through the front doors,” says Linda. “Part of that was just letting the views greet you immediately.” The couple also wanted the interiors to feel relaxed and livable. “My husband and I love to entertain, and we enjoy cooking,” Linda adds. With that in mind, an inviting and functional kitchen, multiple seating areas, and public and private rooms with access to the outdoors were also priorities.
While the Baldwins wanted easy-care spaces in neutral colors that would allow the stunning views to take center stage, Armour readily convinced them that the very large interior rooms could benefit from some character-building architectural elements and splashes of color. “They wanted a very calming space that wouldn’t compete with the views‚ and with a dog and lots of guests coming and going, they didn’t want anything to be too precious,” says Armour. Yet in every room, the designer could easily see opportunities to create moments of visual interest with materials and color in keeping with the context, starting at the double-height entrance foyer.
To complement the sunny setting, Armour opted for a light, limed cypress wood for the dramatic double entrance doors and repeated the material on the muntins and moldings of the windows. She also incorporated wide-plank French oak flooring, which continues onto the staircase treads and risers and extends into the inviting great room with its floor-to-ceiling glass doors that open to the pool and endless ocean beyond. Outside, she injected beach-inspired spirit by covering the ceiling with white-painted, nipple-joint poplar paneling.
Since the couple enjoy cooking, they wanted a big front-facing kitchen that would open to the family room with a separate serving, prep, and storage area out of view. “I like an uncluttered look, so having a prep area slightly hidden is perfect for me,” says Linda. In the kitchen area, Armour saw an opportunity to add punches of color and character by painting the paneling of the island a pale blue and introducing a millwork focal point on the ceiling that frames over-scale pendants above the island. She also extended the quartzite counter material to the backsplash and around the windows overlooking the side yard. “By painting the swath of built-in cabinets and millwork along the wall of the adjacent dining room a bold blue, we also added a wow factor here with color that’s almost identical to the ocean beyond,” says Armour.
To further complement the calm neutral base, Armour worked with the couple to introduce finishing touches with understated patterns and textures, along with a few more shots of color throughout the home. A waxy, reflective Venetian plaster finish, for example, adds subtle sheen to an inset in the foyer. A massive chandelier in the dining room composed of handblown glass balls echoes the bubbles in the waves of the ocean. And ultra-suede upholstery on a sectional and performance linen on chairs bring layers of soft texture to the great room.
Large, locally purchased watercolors in the dining room and a small work of art from the owners’ collection in the great room inject more lively pops of color, as does a bold floral
wallpaper in the mudroom. Similar touches bring dimension to the soothing private spaces on the upper level, including the painted paneling along a second-story bridge that links one side of the house to the other and marble tiles laid in a chevron pattern on the wall behind a freestanding tub in the master bath.
A mix of cozy seating areas indoors and out—loungers in and around the pool, a sofa, a cocktail table and chairs near the summer kitchen, and a settee swing on the covered lanai outside the main-level master suite—merge form and function in just the right measure. “When we are alone, we love to sit in our family room, where the swivel chairs just off the kitchen allow for great one-on-one conversation,” says Linda, adding that the thoughtful mix of furnishings offers a plethora of options for larger group gatherings too.
Says Linda: “The integration of the indoor and outdoor spaces has exceeded our expectations. From morning coffee in our family room or on the covered lanai, to entertaining with the sliding doors open, to the pool and ocean views, this home has met all of our needs and more.”
Since settling in earlier this year, the Baldwins and their extended families agree that their new dwelling marks the perfect start to a new chapter.
Local Vendors
Builder: Onshore Construction, Jupiter
Interior Designer: JMA Interior Design, Jupiter
Architect: Village Architects, Tequesta
Landscape Architect: Parker-Yannette Design Group, Jupiter
Kitchen Cabinetry: Downsview Kitchens, Juno Beach
Tile and Stone: Accurate Tile & Marble, Jupiter
Furnishings: Kravet, Jupiter
Accessories and Accents: Excentricities and Jupiter and Designers Buying Group, Jupiter
Finishes: A & B Master Painting, Jupiter
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