When Lawrence and Linda Reeve moved to Vero Beach from Miami in 1986, it was primarily so they’d have a home dock where they could park their boat after spending months at sea. Access to the Fort Pierce Inlet was vital in preparing for those trips, which became an annual routine with their daughter, whom they schooled onboard as they sailed through the Caribbean and up the East Coast to Maine and Canada.
During these nautical treks, the family amassed an extraordinary collection of purple sea fans, fossilized sea urchins, and Bahamian pink queen conch shells, and after years of travel, their home became a reliquary for this memorabilia, reflecting their love of sailing, history, and adventure.
“We collected treasures from every journey, and they all hold wonderful memories,” says Reeve. “But when my husband passed away in 2022, our daughter, Kate [Losee], and I set out to freshen the home he and I built when we were young.”
That decision prompted them to enlist Virginia designer Elly Poston Cooper, who, coincidentally, had met Losee while they were both studying abroad in the South of France during their junior semester of college. They also hired the owner of Della Porta Construction—a lifelong Vero Beach neighbor—to complete the renovation, and for the kitchen and bathrooms, Losee brought in her colleague, Tracie Annase, owner of Select Design Center in Palm City.
“Kate encouraged her mom to embrace the joy that comes from fresh surfaces, new happy colors, and curated furniture plans,” says Poston Cooper. “But we also made sure to preserve the home’s key elements, like the pecky cypress ceiling and the terra-cotta floor tiles laid by the owners themselves when they built the house.”
Hailing from an old American family from Pennsylvania with historic presidential ties, Reeve’s late husband had inherited a slew of early American antiques from previous generations. With her family origins in Florida, Alabama, and Iowa, she brought both Southern and Midwestern influences. Eschewing the norms of modern Florida living, they embraced their antiquities, creating an interior backdrop based on texture, layering, and patterns. After many years of boat living, Reeve dreamed of a well-curated, storied family home with feminine details to enhance her family heirlooms. “Linda gravitated toward the sherbet-colored hues of Florida and the islands,” notes Poston Cooper, “and this spirited palette worked beautifully to both balance and liven up the formality of her cherished antiques.”
As the renovation progressed and she became more involved in the process, Reeve fell in love with color, wallpaper, fixtures, and textures. When it came to selecting new decorative features, her daughter encouraged her to say “yes” and keep an open mind. “Things I couldn’t have imagined came to life with my enthusiastic approval,” says Reeve. “That included putting ship models in a bookcase, creating a butler’s pantry, and completely redesigning the primary and powder bathrooms.” She even welcomed a slight edit to her antique furniture arrangements and lots of new upholstery to host parties with friends and cozy gatherings with her family.
“Elly made sure to incorporate our treasures in a fresh new setting, leaving room for my daughter, son-in-law, and grandson to add memories of their own down the line,” says Reeve. “Our stories will continue to grow in this house, always with good cheer, and the very best of Florida.”
Story Credits:
Interior Design by Elly Poston Cooper, Elly Poston Interiors, Richmond, VA
Text by Jenee Destin
Photography by Carmel Brantley, Delray Beach, FL
Stylist Page Mullins
Open to see Interior Design Sources:
Sources
Entry
Console and sconces – Homeowner’s collection
Mirror – Bunny Williams Home
Star lighting – Vaughan
Wallcovering – Schumacher
Dining Room
Table, chairs, and chandelier – Homeowner’s collection
Wallcovering – John Rosselli & Associates
Area rug – Rush House
Living Room
Moss green sofas and palm fabric chairs – O. Henry House
Stripe armless chairs – Chaddock
Sofa back table lamps – Visual Comfort & Co.
Chandelier – Julie Neill
Leaf floor lamps – The Canvas Nursery
Powder Room
Floating shelf – Select Design Center, Palm City, FL
Shell vessel and mirror – Homeowner’s collection
Sconce – Coleen and Company
Dining Room Seating Area
Banquette – Hallman Furniture
Chairs – Highland House
Cocktail and drink tables – Homeowner’s collection
Primary Bedroom
Poster bed – Bunny Williams Home
Club chairs – Homeowner’s collection
Ottoman – Hallman Furniture
Bedside lamp – Vaughan
Floor lamp – Visual Comfort & Co.
Loggia
Sofa and seating – One Kings Lane
Dining chairs – Ballard Designs
Throughout
Builder – Della Porta Construction, Vero Beach, FL
Tile, plumbing, and cabinetry – Select Design Center, Palm City, FL
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