Sometimes, a little daydreaming can bring about a big idea. At least that’s what happened when Tracy Stinnett spent time scrolling through design sites online. “Combing through the internet, I saw a black-and-white marble floor in a tile brand’s new video,” says the longtime Stuart resident. “It was beautiful, and I just knew I had to have it.”
That, she says, was just the beginning of the plans that led to the 3,600-square-foot, three-bedroom, four-bath pink house that would become the home where Tracy and her husband, Tony Stinnett, would spend their retirement on activities like golfing, boating, and community-minded philanthropic activities. The problem was, they hadn’t found the house yet.
“That didn’t stop me from picking things out,” says Tracy, who collected bits and pieces of furnishings, fabrics, and colors she came across. What started as a mental mood board eventually began to jell, and she put her thoughts to paper. “I cut and taped the whole thing together.”
One real-world place that captured her attention was The Colony Hotel in Palm Beach. The Stinnetts had never stayed at the hot spot, but Tracy admired the aesthetic from afar (and even tracked down some of the specifics used in the hotel to add to her wish lists).
In early 2020, the unexpected happened. A lot across the street from Tracy’s parents became available for sale. It seemed like a perfect vantage point to lend a hand should the older couple need it. There was just one problem: Tracy’s parents’ home was painted a peachy pink, and in her mind’s eye, she envisioned her dream home in a similar color. “I had to have pink,” Tracy says with a chuckle, “We had to ask their permission to make sure they didn’t mind that we stole their color.”
A few years earlier, the Stinnetts bumped into Kerry Allabastro in a restaurant and learned she was an interior designer. “I said I was going to build a house and might call her,” Tracy recalls. And she did.
“I’d call us the dream team,” Allabastro says. “It was so much fun because Tracy isn’t afraid of color like so many people are.” The two began talking about the design for the home even before architectural plans were drawn. Community requirements dictated that the home’s exterior be traditional in style, and the Stinnetts and their architect, Mark Corson of M.A. Corson & Associates, came up with a West Indies–inspired structure. Construction began in August 2022, and then the real fun began.
“Tracy had vision, and she let me go a little wild with it,” Allabastro says of the design that has a Carlton Varney/Dorothy Draper feel. “She let me bring it to life.”
Allabastro used a vibrant palette and wide-open vision lines. The Stinnetts wanted a home that felt connected to the outdoors and embraced a great room that offers a view of the pool from the front entryway. White oak floors and a neutral color on the walls and kitchen cabinetry made the most of the natural light that floods the space, while green patterns and accents make the transition to the outdoor patio and pool seamless.
Flamingos, monkeys, lizards, and even a peahen are the Stinnetts’ companions when they head to the patio for their morning coffee. Allabastro commissioned a custom mural by Stephanie White and Nina Norris, artists from Chicago, to create the whimsical tropical scene that cocoons the outdoor space. A pagoda-style fireplace is a focal point, and Tracy says, “It’s very comfortable, especially when there’s a cool breeze.”
Where you’ll find the Stinnetts most often, however, is in Tony’s “bourbon room”—a cozy, masculine den near the rear of the house that reminds him of Kentucky, where he grew up. “It’s filled with things I’ve collected over the years,” he says. “The rug was in my bedroom when I was a kid.” He also points to a refurbished trunk, which originated on an Iowa farm, that his grandfather brought to Kentucky. The Audubon-inspired oil paintings were made for the room by Tony’s mother. What does he do most in the room? “Enjoy bourbon and watch sports,” he quips. Tracy adds that the space is perfect for quiet evenings.
The home’s bedrooms, bathrooms, and working spaces are where the interplay of color and pattern explode. The primary, with its voluminous tongue-and-groove ceiling, was intended to have a wallpapered accent wall behind the bed, but plans changed to cover all the room’s walls with the vibrant paper, while the primary bath’s walls are adorned with a geometric wallcovering that gives the effect of a garden trellis. “We have no regrets,” Tracy says.
The couple says they don’t host many overnight guests, but the two guest bedrooms stand ready—one outfitted in beachy blues inspired by the ceiling wallpaper and finished with fish paintings they purchased in Nantucket five years ago that just happened to be a perfect accent. The second guest room is outfitted in apple green and pink. “I wanted a very girly room with twin beds,” Tracy says. From the upholstered headboards, Allabastro took inspiration, which carries to the adjoining bath with its custom-made scalloped pink vanity and green leopard-print wallcovering.
That aesthetic is executed to a whimsical extreme in the laundry room, prep kitchen, and hallway, which features black furnishings against pink patterned wallpaper and leopard runner. “This space was going to be a wall of built-in cabinets originally,” Tracy says. “We abandoned that idea and I’m so glad that we did.”
The entire process, from groundbreaking to the December 2023 move-in, took 16 months. The Stinnetts proudly opened their doors last December to 500 members of the community as a stop on the Women’s Club of Stuart’s Holiday Home Tour, which raised more than $100,000 for collegiate scholarships for Martin County students. “It was a beautiful day that went off without a hitch,” Tracy says. Allabastro stood at the door to greet guests during the tour. “People were hunting me down as they left, commenting that the house was such a happy place.”
Last April, the couple finally headed to The Colony Hotel in Palm Beach to celebrate their twentieth wedding anniversary and lay eyes on the property that provided so much inspiration for their home. Their impression? “Our house is better,” Tracy says. “It’s like we have our own private resort.”
Pattern Play
The hallmark of the Stinnetts’ Stuart home is the interplay of color and pattern that creates an interesting, layered design. To incorporate this strategy into your home design, Kerry Allabastro offers her tips on pulling it off with style.
- Know what you’re going for. “There has to be an underlying theme,” Allabastro says. The Stinnetts’ whimsical vibe was achieved by combining traditional patterns in playful ways, such as the addition of the outdoor mural or bold wallcoverings.
- Consider color. A neutral base, as demonstrated in the Stinnetts’ great room, gives pattern and bright pops of color a chance to sing. Having related colors—contrasts or gradients of a common color—can lend cohesiveness.
- Work with scale. Consider the size of your space and the patterns you’re choosing. The Stinnetts’ powder room has a large-scale leafy wallcovering that creates an intimate feeling in an already small space, while the primary bedroom, which has a large-scale pattern, feels more open with the expansive light ceiling.
- Accessorize (and then repeat). “Our house felt so beautiful,” Tracy Stinnett says, “and then Kerry came in with accessories, and it got even better. Accessories are like punctuation.”
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