This Insanely Glamorous Old Florida Estate Is on the Market

This expansive estate is more than a piece of property—it’s a piece of South Florida’s storied past. Designed by architect Addison Mizner, the same man who transformed the look of the Gold Coast with his Mediterranean Revival–style architecture, this home is a rare find in Palm Beach’s Estate Section … and it’s for sale.

Mizner, known for Spanish-style accents like barrel-tile roofs, stucco walls, wrought-iron accents, and tile floorings, designed this particular estate (dubbed Villa Tranquilla) in the 1920s, when resort towns Palm Beach and Boca Raton were coming into their own as luxe vacation destinations for the wealthy. Known as the architect of Palm Beach’s society villas, Mizner also had a role in designing the storied Boca Raton Resort & Club, and his role in shaping Palm Beach’s distinctive style is explored in the upcoming biography Addison Mizner: The Remarkable Life and Architectural Legacy of Addison Mizner by Stephen Perkins and James Caughman, out February 2018. His influence on the area is plain enough, though, on a drive along the sunny roads of Florida's Gold Coast or during a stay in Boca Raton—and now a monument to his legacy is up for grabs.

Villa Tranquilla is representative of Mizner’s flair for Old World splendor, and its original elegance was left intact by a recent four-year-long restoration that both preserved and enhanced Mizner’s vision. The almost-12,000 feet of interior living space combines standard Mizner accents like moulded ceilings and a generous use of classic tiles with modern updates like the gourmet chef’s kitchen, which boasts granite and stone countertops.

The estate also has luxuries like Mizner’s original “pub,” a home theater, a library, and a large (heated!) pool surrounded by ample outdoor living spaces, such as the pool-facing loggia. It offers eight bedrooms—spread across a five-bedroom primary residence, a one-bedroom guesthouse, and the two-bedroom staff quarters—nine full baths, and three half baths. Villa Tranquilla's location on Palm Beach’s illustrious South Ocean Boulevard places it right across from the water, so many of its rooms enjoy clear views of the sparkling sea. The estate also enjoys 175 feet of ocean frontage, with deeded beach access to the soft sands of Florida's Atlantic coast.

Villa Tranquilla is listed for $42.9 million by Cristina Condon of Sotheby’s International Realty’s Palm Beach Brokerage.

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All photos by Andy Frame