A Palm Beach Landmark Restored to its Former Glory

Designed by legendary architect Addison Mizner, Casa Amado (Spanish for “beloved”) was built in 1919 for Charles Munn Jr., a social arbiter known as Mr. Palm Beach. When the current owners purchased Casa Amado in the early 2000s, it was in a state of disrepair and little of its original splendor remained. A third of the roof was gone, there was mold everywhere, the layout was problematic to modern living, the interior had already been gutted, and a fox the size of a German Shepherd had taken up residence.

Determined to bring Amado back to life, the owners hired contractor Joe Brennan to restore the the landmarked residence to its former glory, bringing it into the 21st century while preserving the mansion’s romantic exterior. Over the next few years, a plethora of drawings were implemented – led by Manhattan designer David Easton – to guide the renovation of the house and its grounds. Easton stripped the structure to its skeleton and created a series of what he calls “satisfyingly classical” rooms designed to meld the indoors with the outdoors facilitating a more relaxed flow appropriate for a vacation home.

Casa Amado was featured in the November 2014 issue of Architectural Digest and in the book Palm Beach Chic last year, which I reviewed here. Images below by Pieter Estersohn for Architectural Digest and Jessica Klewicki Glynn for Palm Beach Chic.