Mimi McMakin Decorates a Palm Beach Maisonette

Mimi McMakin of Kemble Interiors is one of my absolute favorite designers… not only is she incredibly talented, but she is also incredibly gracious and kind. You may recall I had the pleasure of interviewing her earlier this year, when I featured her work at Gasparilla Inn, Boca Grande, Florida.

Mimi McMakin’s style positively exudes Old Florida/Palm Beach charm, and it is no wonder considering her family is one of the oldest in Palm Beach. Her great-great-grandfather came to Palm Beach in the late 1800s from Brooklyn, and he had a house built and shipped down on a barge. Duck’s Nest, named after his wife, whom he called Ducky, is the second oldest house in Palm Beach.

While images of grand castles and casas immediately come to mind when one thinks of Palm Beach, the island also has its fair share of delightful bungalows and sleepy little beach homes. Another of Palm Beach’s gems is Major Alley, two rows of Bermuda-style, attached residences built in the 1920s by Howard Major, an esteemed architect who was one of the pioneers of Old Palm Beach style.  These homes on Peruvian Avenue are tiny compared to Palm Beach standards, but they are landmarks and considered town treasures.

Let’s take a look inside this 640 square foot jewel box, decorated by Mimi McMakin and her former partner Brooke Huttig for a client who uses it as extra dining space, a guesthouse, and a respite where she can have time to herself to read, relax, and nap.

I would like to have one of these charming Major Alley homes as my own personal respite too please, decorated by Mimi McMakin, of course! What a wonderful little retreat from the craziness in Miami this would be. 🙂 A girl can dream, right?

Unless otherwise noted, images and captions above are from House Beautiful. Click here to see more and to read a Q&A with Mimi McMakin.