Palm Beach loggias aren’t merely an architectural flourish; they are a way of life. Winter in the South Florida enclave means open windows and alfresco living, and these elegantly columned, sheltered sanctuaries are as vital as any room, offering a special allure where the boundary between house and garden becomes wonderfully porous.
At their finest, loggias are an artful combination of functionality and seductive, sophisticated style. That balance is achieved to near perfection at the waterfront Palm Beach home of Wilbur Ross, the former U.S. Secretary of Commerce and a veteran of private equity, and his wife, Hilary Geary Ross, author of the books Palm Beach People and New York New York, both created with photographer Harry Benson.
“When we bought the house more than two decades ago, the loggia had been enclosed, so we opened it up to bring it back to its original self,” says Geary Ross of the area off the dining room of their 1939 Georgian Revival villa, Windsong, designed by noted Palm Beach society architect John L. Volk. “Our family was growing with grandchildren, and we wanted more indoor-outdoor space.”
Following the initial renovation, which earned architect Thomas Kirchhoff the Preservation Foundation of Palm Beach’s Ballinger Award in 2004, Mario Buatta added covered terraces on either side. The late designer, who worked on multiple residences for the couple, tented the expanses in pale blue and white stripes, with tables for dining or cocktails. All of it overlooks the gardens and waterfront pool terrace in an extension of the home defined by comfort and refinement.
Recently, the pair decided it was time for a refresh, so they called on designer Scott Snyder, who oversaw the interiors of their former Washington, D.C., home and possessed a thorough grasp of their vibrant aesthetic. “Hilary has this wonderful way of mixing classic pieces with unexpected finds,” Snyder says. “She’s always impeccably turned out, and she surrounds herself with interesting people of all ages. I wanted the loggia to have that same energy.”
To that end, Snyder covered the seating in sky blue fabric and installed a Greek key-pattern rug by Stark, complementing the mix of vintage blue- and-white Chinese export porcelain. Sprinkled throughout are glamorous vintage elements such as a Karl Springer mirror over the fireplace and a pair of spiraling plaster-finished lamps by Christopher Spitzmiller…