I grew up in palm beach,” says Jacquie Tractenberg, by way of explaining why her apartment in the Village has always looked so Floridian. But when she decided to renovate, the Palm Beach look her new designer (and old college friend) Jonathan Adler had in mind was quite different from the stuffier Palm Beach aesthetic a designer had given it before. “This is more Palm Beach in the sixties and seventies,” says Tractenberg, who owns a PR agency. “It was very familiar to me,” even if it’s not at all what her parents’ house looked like. “But … ”—her voice trails off—“I was nervous to do it.
“I mean, I am not really kitschy and wacky. I’m very matchy-matchy—that’s just my style. When I first saw that each lamp by the bed in the master bedroom is different, that pained me. But that is the stuff I have to give in to.” Adler soothed her nerves and talked her down from the pain with his bold patterns and relentlessly cheerful resolve. His new book, My Prescription for Anti-Depressive Living, is out this fall. Among his advice: “Don’t be afraid to live in squishy splendor—hotelish comfort is hip.” And mix periods. Here he zapped classical furnishings with eye-popping color. “Before, it was a different iteration of Palm Beach. It’s much more crisp and graphic now.”
The Second-Floor Landing
An often overlooked space in duplexes, this landing has become a kids’ playroom—and a graphic ode to Adler’s design heroes, Alexander Girard and Bonnie Cashin.
(1) The mirrored map
From Jonathan Adler (just like the sofa, the pillows, the rug, etc.).
(2) The Bertoia chairs
They’re vintage.
(3) The beanbags
From beanbag.com.
The Living Room
(1) The walls
Adler covered them with grass cloth from Aztek (in California)—all part of his “happy chic” master plan for the apartment.
(2) The paintings
By Jim Oliveira, available through Mondo Cane.
(3) The coffee table and vase
Both from Jonathan Adler.
(4) The sofa
By Adler, with yellow trim (also on the pillows) from Houlès.
(5) The child
Eight-year-old Zachary.
The Kitchen
(1) The family
Jacquie (who’s since given birth to James) and Joel (who owns his own advertising agency) with 4-year-old Alexander and Zachary.
(2) The marble-topped island
From St. James Kitchens.
(3) The fabric
From Decorators Walk, it’s called Harmon Manor II (Tangerine) and it covers the lamps, banquette, and high chairs.
Dining Alcove off the Living Room
(1) The chandelier
From Todd Merrill, it’s fifties Italian.
(2) The green curtains
From Valley Forge, trimmed in vintage crewel fabric.
(3) The zebra
Found in a Palm Beach thrift shop. (4) The chairs
From Troy, they’re Hans Wegner.
The Master Bedroom
(1) The side tables
Vintage, they were lacquered with Benjamin Moore Lime paint.
(2) The sheets
From Leontine linens.
(3) The floral crewel fabric
From Decorators Walk, it covers the curtains, bed trimming, and headboard, which was built by Furniture Masters.
(4) The wall-to-wall carpet
From ABC Carpet & Home.
(5) The chandelier
It’s sixties Italian.
(6) The profile portraits
By Carter Kustera, they can be commissioned through Adler’s stores.
(7) The mirrored chest of drawers
By Adler.