Epic Parisian Art Deco Style in Delray Beach Home

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Talk about the right setting. The massive footprint of a 22,000-square-foot estate somehow feels right at home amid the small yet sophisticated charm of Florida’s quaint Delray Beach. Designed by Boca Raton architect Stuart Brenner, president of Brenner Architectural Group, the resort-style luxury home might just as well stand out as a flagship among the firm’s global projects portfolio. The exterior’s regal Neoclassical influences draw inspiration from Chicago’s renowned Waldorf Astoria Hotel, composing a dramatic overture for the Art Deco glamour awaiting inside.

“Every detail in this home was custom designed,” says Michael DeLao, president of Michael Gray Interiors, who collaborated with Brenner and his team on the exterior and interior architecture. “The aesthetic is classic and timeless, and the interiors embody a fresh modern take on Parisian Art Deco style.”

Celebrated for his decades of experience designing transcendent luxury properties for a high-profile clientele throughout South Florida and across the country, DeLao consistently walks the walk of his self-described philosophy: “We don’t just design homes—we change lives.” Through his long-standing partnerships with esteemed trade professionals and artisans, he deftly choreographs a streamlined and seamless design experience for every client. His impeccable eye for authentic period style becomes immediately apparent upon entering this home’s foyer. The resort-worthy entrance stuns with an opulent white marble staircase—its steps aglow and bordered by high-gloss Macassar ebony, creating a “runway” effect. Backdropped by a beveled three-dimensional mirror, its faceted reflections amplify the shimmer. In lieu of a traditional chandelier, DeLao opted instead for an ethereal art installation displaying an 18-foot-long-by-8-foot-wide flock of hand-blown Murano glass birds in flight.

“This is the only home in the United States where all the millwork features a high-gloss Macassar ebony yacht finish,” says the designer. “The client previously lived on a yacht and enjoyed the elegant sheen of the surfaces, including this dramatically striped ebony woodwork and plenty of polished nickel.”

The dining room at the opposite end of the foyer reiterates this aesthetic in nearly every detail, from the high-gloss ebony dining table and French antique Jules Leleu console to the custom screens outfitted in polished nickel with an Art Deco pattern inspired by the ubiquitous Hermès chain link. Echoing this design, DeLao also custom-designed the front doors with a Cartier watch-link design.

Remarkable works of art accentuate nearly every space in the home, including the Fernando Botero sculpture poised at the helm of the foyer and the living space. Taking design cues from the majestic entry, the great room’s soaring proportions and glistening pool views steal the show. But the true stunner hangs overhead—a massive, tapered, pyramid chandelier dripping with 200,000 Swarovski crystals. Below, a dynamic zebra-esque area rug anchors a chic seating area backdropped on one side by a sweeping marble fireplace surround and on the other by Matt Devine’s colossal blue Trestles wall sculpture.

A playground unto itself, the glitzy club room holds a veritable gallery of coveted artworks, including Paul Rousso’s mixed-media and hand-sculpted acrylic 100 Grand hovering over a pedestal display of Roman Feral’s Gold Bullion, a solid bronze, gold-plated replica of Federal Reserve gold bars. Robin Austin’s electrifying photo mosaics of Mick Jagger, Elvis Presley, and Johnny Cash dominate the bowling alley, along with a Beatles-inspired painting, All You Need is Love, by artist Robert Robinson. “Designed with a Casino Royale vibe, the space creates the ultimate playroom,” says DeLao. “Integral to the look, we incorporated two amazing lighting installations, including a series of overhead gold halo rings and Baccarat crystal-inspired beaded pendants suspended along the bar area.”

When fresh-air pursuits beckon, a five-star resort-style outdoor oasis takes one’s breath away with its unbelievable sunsets against a plush tropical landscape. In the evenings, flames dance from the fire pits sprinkled among the glistening two-tiered pool, and a covered seating area carries the yacht aesthetic outside with elegant teak wood furniture and finishes.

“My clients are extremely private people,” notes DeLao, “but I can reveal that they absolutely love entertaining friends, family, and business associates at this spectacular new compound. Undeniably, we delivered the wow factor they were seeking.”

Story Credits:

Interior Design by Michael Delao, Michael Gray Interiors, Boca Raton, FL

Architecture by Stuart Brenner, Stuart Brenner Architectural Group, Boca Raton, FL

Text by Jeanne Delathouder

Photography by Katya Popovych/Lifestyle Production Group, Miami Beach, FL

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