Ocean Blue at The Colony Hotel

By Gabrielle Echevarrieta
Mark D. Sikes' Villa Aralia
Villa Aralia is a pop of blue in the rose-hued resort. Photo by Carmel Brantley

Mark D. Sikes, AD100 interior designer and author of the bestselling books Beautiful and More Beautiful, lends his expert eye to Palm Beach’s iconic Colony Hotel, colloquially known as Palm Beach’s “Pink Paradise.” Sikes brings a pop of blue to the rose-hued resort’s all-new Villa Aralia, an 1,100-square-foot sanctuary with a private entrance. The new suite features two beds and baths, an open concept living and dining area, plus an adjacent kitchen. Sikes has elevated the apartment by incorporating tranquil blue-and-white cabana stripes reminiscent of the hotel’s cafe awnings, and furnishings, accessories and lighting fixtures from his eponymous collections with Chaddock, Hudson Valley Lighting and Valley Drapery. Here, Sikes tells Purist about executing his vision for the new space. 

Mark D. Sikes' Villa Aralia
Carmel Brantley

PURIST: How did you capture the beauty of Palm Beach in the design of Villa Aralia?

Mark D. Sikes: Palm Beach is so stylish and timeless, it plays its own music. I think our villa exudes that same essence with the stylish mix of things, the timeless color palette of blue and white, all set to the sounds of stripes playing harmoniously in unison.

PURIST: You have been a regular guest of The Colony over the years. How did your love of the hotel inspire your design of the space?

MS: I’ve been staying at The Colony for years because it’s happy, buzzy and comfortable. I think our villa feels the same.

Mark D. Sikes' Villa Aralia
Carmel Brantley

PURIST: What is your favorite detail of the villa’s new design?

MS: The blue and white stripe. We took a classic Brunschwig & Fils awning stripe, that was inspired by the awnings outside the Pink Paradise Café, and used it throughout the villa in several ways. I think it’s not only a nod to the hotel’s DNA but feels innovative and once again, timeless and stylish.

Mark D. Sikes' Villa Aralia
Carmel Brantley
Mark D. Sikes' Villa Aralia
Carmel Brantley

PURIST: How does the villa’s new interiors elevate a guest’s experience and promote relaxation during their stay?

MS: I think it will make the guests feel happy, just like the rest of the hotel does, and who do you know that truly doesn’t love blue and white? I’ve never met anyone that doesn’t.

PURIST: How was the furniture from your collection with Chaddock incorporated into the villa’s new look?

MS: A few years ago we started working on this new Chaddock collection and one of the themes was coastal. The theme is played out in finishes, textures and silhouettes. The collection found the perfect home and a great place to be showcased in Villa Aralia.

Carmel Brantley

The Colony Hotel, 155 Hammon Ave., Palm Beach.  thecolonypalmbeach.com; markdsikes.com