Chicago-based designer Jessica Lagrange is well-known for sophisticated interiors from the Midwest to the Gold Coast, but the tastemaker also knows how to have fun. Nowhere is this more evident than at the Lake Worth Beach residence she shares with her husband.
When the couple purchased the 1936 Colonial Revival by noted architect Gustav Maass Jr., just before the pandemic, Lagrange wholly embraced Palm Beach’s signature tropical vibe and the home’s lakefront location. She added a side-entry canopy, a grotto-inspired, shell-encrusted powder room, and, yes, a pagoda-shaped cabana with a scallop-trimmed, hipped copper roof, and pergola—with bells. “Every house needs a folly, right?” she says. “If you look up the description of folly, you’ll see it’s an expensive, useless building that looks beautiful! This being Palm Beach, the preservation commission loved it.
How could they not? The space features a faux-painted checkerboard floor, a circus-tent ceiling, and walls trellised in matching celadon with bubbly vertical trim boasting antique mirror insets. A custom chandelier, wrapped in rose and mossy silk cords, hangs from the peak. Prominently positioned is an ogee-arched, king-sized sofa bed with a pair of antique ceramic parrots mounted above. Drapery and accent furnishings feature paisley and Moroccan motifs. And the color scheme is Lagrange’s homage to the classic Palm Beach combination, muted slightly to add sophistication: “It’s not your typical pink and green,” she notes. “It’s not Lilly Pulitzer.”
The residence’s overall renovation also benefited the property’s other alfresco features. The dated pool was reborn with a streamlined, rectangular shape and understated limestone coping that helps ground the surrounding fanciful architecture. The adjoining loggia was updated with retractable screens, hurricane shutters, and a swirling custom cornice. Black wicker, soft pink upholstery, sisal rugs, and a backgammon table with Moroccan tiles enhance the space’s retro glam vibes.
Lagrange and her husband christened their new backyard by hosting a “Pirates and Castaways” costume party, at which the setup included a temporary bridge over the pool, a live mermaid, and, of course, pirate waiters. It was the perfect way for Lagrange—a redhead who dressed as Ginger from Gilligan’s Island for the occasion—to welcome neighbors to their “tropical island nest.”
Story Credits:
Text by Betsy Riley
Photography by Richard Powers
Styling by Anita Sarsidi
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