Julia Amory has created a warm and cozy home inspired by her eclectic design preferences that blend brown furniture, chintz, majolica, and other vintage decor. She and her family proudly call Palm Beach, Florida, their year-round home. They have lovingly kept the spirit of the property’s previous homeowners, Minot’s aunt Chessy Rayner and renowned architect Jaquelin T. Robertson, alive while making it family-friendly and comfortable.
Julia Amory is a breath of fresh air in a world that often seeks the newest and trendiest. She is happily committed to her preferences, including brown furniture, chintz, majolica, and other home decor that make her feel safe and cozy. Her family-oriented approach is natural to her, like speaking her native language. With her husband Minot and two children, she has created a beautiful home filled with items that have crayon marks, shirred lampshades, and antique quilts that disintegrate with use.
Julia is proud to have spent her summers in Southampton, New York, and her school year in Palm Beach, Florida, where she runs a successful women’s clothing and textile business. She loves the thriving community of young families that have relocated to the city, making it an incredible place. Her kids are even her willing assistants decorating and shopping for items during the mornings.
Renowned architect Jaquelin T. Robertson initially designed the Mele’s home for Minot’s aunt and decorator Chessy Rayner. Julia aimed to keep her aunt’s legacy alive while making it more suitable for a family with two small children and a couple of dogs. She wanted the house to be open and inviting, which is why they often have friends over.
Julia Amory’s Inviting Library
Julia Amory’s Southampton home is an inspiring example of tasteful design and artful decor. The living room, for instance, celebrates the original yellow walls with a vibrant blue painting as the centerpiece. Julia replaced some of the delicate antique furniture with vital pieces that gave the room a sense of warmth. The library is incredibly inviting, with its green ticking and chintz softening the atmosphere. Overlooking it all is the iconic painting of Chessy, whose presence is still felt in the notes left from her legendary parties scattered around the desk. Indeed, it truly feels like she is watching over the space with her beautiful apron dress.
Every garden party at the Amorys’ is complete with Julia’s unique table linens, which she created after her wedding. Set against the exuberant majolica and glassware, the breezy-chic block prints bring a sense of charm to the outdoor setting. Julia has carefully chosen the scale of her chintzes to echo that of the flowers in the garden, particularly the Limelight hydrangeas exploding around the borders in summer. Green is used as a neutral hue, with dark green as its counterpart to black. This creates an inviting atmosphere that celebrates the house and the garden.
Southampton Style with a Local Twist
Julia Amory’s Palm Beach Cottage is a true vision of classic elegance, with the perfect blend of old-world charm and modern sophistication. Inspired by Julia’s family roots in the area and her childhood memories, the 1940s Island Colonial was updated to include hints of Southampton style and a unique local twist. The living room and kitchen walls are adorned with pale conch-pink grass cloth, while the floors have been stained a subtle pink hue. Adding to the classic look, Julia chose a pink variation of the Colefax and Fowler Fuchsia pattern for the living room chintz, bringing cohesion to the design.
She also commissioned Manuel Canovas to reissue the cherished Joy print from her grandmother’s era, creating a cozy atmosphere in the family room sectional. Mary Meade Evans’ cabana-striped ceiling of the kitchen sitting room brings an airy, beach-house feel. With Phillip Jeffries’ hemp grasscloth wallpaper and Amy Berry‘s oversize sectional, Julia has created a timeless home that honors her grandmother while looking to the future.
Julia proudly channels her creative mentors, such as Nancy Lancaster, Lee Radziwill, Tom Scheerer, Mimi McMakin, Chessy, and Mica Ertegun, with their signature style influencing the home.
However, instead of viewing her home as a design project, she sees it as simply the way to live. Her wise decision to prioritize living over design allows for the passage of time to become an ally. Julia loves using chintzes in places that get a lot of sun, remarking on how they get better with age and acquiring a nostalgic patina unique to a happy place. She chooses to embrace it rather than fight it.
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By creating a warm and inviting home, Julia Amory and her family have successfully combined the beauty of antiques with modern family life. Their mix of brown furniture, chintz, majolica, and other vintage pieces creates a comfortable and sophisticated atmosphere. An extension of the legacy left by Minot’s aunt and decorated by renowned Jaquelin T. Robertson, this vibrant modern family breathes newfound life into it while maintaining the spirit of its past. Judging by the success of Julia’s own business, one might say she has created something much more than a house—she created a safe and cozy home for her kids, husband, and friends.
