With 1,700 square feet of space, three bedrooms, and three baths, the standalone structure that two Manalapan homeowners call their guest cottage is the size of most starter houses. As such, it was a labor of love for all the professionals involved in its creation.
Constructed by builder Tim Benitz based on architectural plans by Roger Janssen, the house (mostly used by the aforementioned couple’s children and grandchildren when they visit) features a white tile roof, stucco, and terraces with wide limestone steps and columns. A covered breezeway flanked by Mario Nievera’s Florida-friendly landscaping connects it to the main residence. Inside, a vibrant white palette serves as the ideal backdrop for rooms marked by organic textures and happy colors crafted by interior designers Gil Walsh and Ashleigh Wilson.
“The overall look is white and bright, but it’s still user-friendly,” says Walsh. “The palette allowed us to raise the volume on the materials, accessories, and ornamentation.”
Among those ornamental touches are large canvases of underwater images by West Palm Beach photographer Chris Leidy, whose work the homeowners fell in love with. “Leidy’s photographs add color that sings,” says Walsh. “They offer the ideal counterpoint to all the white walls.”
Additional color hits come in coral and blue from pillows, throws, cushions, and other accents. Proving Walsh’s “user-friendly” statement, most of the furnishings are upholstered with durable fabrics that can withstand sandy feet and wet swimwear. In the living room, four wicker light fixtures help fill the volume of the vaulted ceiling while introducing texture to the space, as do the wool area rugs and white oak flooring found here and throughout the rest of the home. Every corner seems to hold a potted plant, from palms to birds of prey, to bring the outdoors inside. Glass doors that open to terraces let plenty of sun in, but their linen drapery is backed with blackout material that keeps light at bay when so desired.
“We relied heavily on shapes and textures to tell our design story here,” says Walsh. “Ultimately we wanted to create a soothing space, which is what a guest cottage is all about.”
Story Credits:
Interior Design by Gil Walsh and Ashleigh Wilson
Builder Tim Benitz
Architecture by Roger Janssen
Landscape Design by Mario Nievera
Text by Kelley Marcellus
Design Photography by Carmel Brantley
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