Welcome to a true 1925 Spanish Eclectic Historic Experience! This beautiful luxury space is reminiscent of days long gone, -the sound of the trains in the distance, bringing a sense of nostalgia to your stay. Every appointment has been thoughtfully designed with luxury and ambiance as well as practicality and functionality. I painstakingly and personally designed this special space for not only my guests but for my own pleasure, as I also want to feel like a guest in my gorgeous historic gem.
I'm your host, Christina. I have owned, hosted and managed several different properties, from entire places to shared spaces. However this property is one I am super excited about and that is why I have spared no expense in its design. I want for my guest to be able to experience the unique and gorgeous property that I must call my favorite of all time. Let me take you on a tour, but first a little history about the neighborhood.
When you arrive, you will be driving down a beautiful tree lined street, passing a huge and iconic historical banyan tree in a "secret" historic neighborhood on the north side of downtown West Palm Beach and Northwood Village. I call it secret, because it's hidden and most folks have never heard of it or know that it exists. This nationally and locally recognized historic community is called Historic Northwood Hills and many of the homes are known as "castle homes". In fact, the neighborhood does indeed have a castle rumored to have guided rum runners from sea to shore during prohibition, as the neighborhood itself is the highest elevation in ALL of South Florida, yet also quite near the ocean and the intracoastal waterway. Some of the homes still have hidden underground cellars rumored to once house liquid gold. It is also home to the very fist mango tree successfully planted and fruited in the USA! The main entrances to the neighborhood are marked with a huge "Mango Moire" as a tribute to its history, where the base of the sculpture is contextual to the turret of the castle.
Today, the neighborhood is a plethora of 1920's Spanish Mission Revival and Spanish Eclectic style homes, with other architectural styles homes around and between them, many mid century modern, vernacular and even some simple design homes. There is even a picturesque and large Dutch colonial home. Each home in the area is unique and different, however it is the Spanish homes that are the highly prized gems.
You may be coming from an area yourself, of historical value. But a Spanish architecturally designed home is special. This is because while they can be found across the country, you will mostly only find them in Florida, California, New Mexico and Arizona-mostly states that were once under Spanish rule. Spanish missionaries in the late 18th to early 19th century began to build "revival" architecture emulating the simpler style of their churches, with exposed beams, smaller windows and clay roofs. These homes were technically called Spanish Mission or Spanish Revival. Today most people call all the Spanish homes Mission. But as the style evolved, it picked up elements of Mexican, Italian and Mediterranean architecture. So as the 1920s construction boom ensued, these changes became more ornate and Spanish Colonial and Spanish Eclectic architecture came on the scene, adding parapets, arcaded porches and walkways, larger spaces, larger windows and an overall more detailed sense of space.
Upon arrival at your 1925, two story, light coral colored Spanish Eclectic, you will enter first through an old curved pecky cypress large wood door entering into the orchid garden of the Mexican tiled arcaded porch adorned with three Spanish tile tables, hand made by an artist in Orlando, a one of a kind treasure. There are several types of orchids, some rare, and hopefully some or most will be in bloom during your stay. It is a lovely place to have your morning coffee and since you are close to the highest elevation here, you will often get breezes not available to the area neighborhoods.
Entering through the French doors and into the formal living room, a working and recently tested and maintained wood burning fireplace takes center competing for your attention from the fine silk and wool Tabriz Persian rug below your feet above the original wood floors. Beautiful and colorful seating for entertaining include swivel club style chairs and mid century modern seating. A step up into the formal dining room you will be greeted with a 3/4 " artisan cut, chiseled edge, glass custom made dining room table, with rich hued fabric seating for 6 against the backdrop of a stoned stacked wall and a gorgeous chandelier. This is where you will want to enjoy the fancy cuisine you may try your hand at as you don your chef's hat tooling around in the gourmet kitchen sans a 48" Italian ILVE Nostalgic gas range and "true" convection oven, equipped with griddle. Plenty of space in your 64" wide, 34 cf, Fisher Paykel refrigerator and freezer and a coffee and tea station with a serious Brevel espresso machine, a French press, and the neatest electric kettle you've probably ever seen. You will love the new but vintage looking microwave-even dinnerware, flatware, pots and pans are all high end, chefs level, crystal or of fine quality.
Next descending down a step and near to the rear, you will find the family room, aka theater room with a brand new 75" Samsung Neo QLED 4k smart TV with Dolby Atmos surround sound, two theater style reclining uber comfortable Italian leather seating and two custom made fabric relaxing chairs with foot rest. Perfect for watching the latest 4k movie while enjoying a bottle of wine that you will grab from the artistic, metal standing base wine holder.
Heading upstairs, you will find the bedrooms and office space.
The huge Master suite dubbed "The French Boudoir" will remind you of New Orleans Ritz Carlton, outfitted in an extremely well made and heavy, French Provincial 4 poster king sized bed (ask me how we got that up there!) topped with 100% bamboo sheeting and duvet, 100% goose down comforter and 100 % duck and goose down pillows, very comfortable PLUSH, cloud like, pillow top, high end mattress, matching furniture, a beautiful French styled area rug on top of gorgeous wood flooring, a down and feather chenille couch, beautiful artist paintings meant to imply romance, and a fabulous ensuite bathroom, equipped with rain shower the size for a king, double separate sinks and a gorgeous view outdoors into the Zen garden. When you just want to laze around in bed and watch a movie, you will love the brand new 55" OLED 4k LG smart TV with LG sound bar.
In the hallway, is the second full bathroom with marble flooring and walls with a bathtub for use by guest in the other bedroom.
The second large bedroom dubbed "The Elephant" is also outfitted with a king size bed sporting 100% bamboo sheeting and down feather comforter and pillows, with an eclectic mix of mid century modern white well made wood furniture, surrounded by touches of "good luck" elephants and tastefully designed. This room sports a cedar lined closet, a new Beautyrest hotel commercial, black label, made to order FIRM mattress and a 4k ROKU Hisense TV with ROKU sound bar.
The office doubles as the third bedroom. The office has an extraordinary, stunning designer made desk with $3k multi functional leather office chair that is adjustable in every way for ergonomics. There is also a carved wood trundle day bed that doubles as a seating area, with a single sized mattress also fitted with 100% bamboo sheeting and down and feather pillows.
Into the backyard, you will enter a zen oasis bamboo garden soaring high up into the sky. Bamboo cleans and refreshes the air and the sounds they make when the wind blows is calming and relaxing. Three resort style cast aluminum loungers and tables make for a relaxing afternoon in nice weather, Turn on the 5' high massive fountain to add to the sound of serenity, or enjoy a beer under the gazebo while grilling on your special edition Weber gas grill with IREADY smart app that allows you to put a sensor on the meat and tells you when your meat meets temperature or choose the matching Weber charcoal grill with automatic igniter system, your choice! There is a table and seating as well as a Castelle cast aluminum and fire glass propane fire pit with additional seating all of which are located on authentic Chicago brick.
Please note the following as I always want my guest to really enjoy the time they spend at my properties and be fully informed:
The property is ideal for two couples. The single bed in the office is better suited for a teenager perhaps or if my guest do not plan on working from the office. On the other hand, it is a great office space with a printer. A single adult could certainly sleep there, but it would not give the comfort as the main bedrooms.
