A Classic Georgian Home with a Modernist Twist in Palm Beach

Ferrer envisioned erecting a daring, contemporary structure in its place, but faced resistance from his parents, who were used to living in a more traditional home. After much back-and-forth, they happily compromised on a Georgian-inspired design, a period to which Ferrer has always responded for its sense of optimism and timelessness. “But I didn’t want it to be too delicate or ornamental,” he notes. “I wanted a modernist vein running through it to temper the traditionalism.” So they enlisted the services of Fairfax & Sammons, a firm specializing in classical architecture with offices in both New York and Palm Beach. Led by principal architect Richard Sammons, they conceived a “house as courtyard” scheme, wrapping the architecture in a serpentine shape around a terrace with a pool. “We had to create our own views since it wasn’t a beachfront property,” says Ferrer. “Not much is revealed from the street, but once you’re inside, you discover this whole self-contained world.”

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