Forget the design center: Palm Beach’s most exciting new showroom is in a movie theater. Or, a former one, at least—the Paramount, the historic onetime theater where DLN Member Sarah Magness has collected a group of like-minded creatives to create a jewel box of a design outfit in a corner studio with a sprawling terrace space. Dubbed Palm Beach Atelier, it’s a labor of love resulting from Sarah’s decampment to Palm Beach following its boom in transplants (including many of her own clients) over the past few years.
Set in a second-floor suite of the 1926 Moorish-influenced Paramount building designed by Joseph Urban, the Atelier is removed from the hustle of Worth Avenue but conveniently located just off of North County Road. Its transformation to its current iteration involved a dramatic overhaul of the space, where Sarah’s team removed a drop ceiling and beige walls to make way for intricate molding, stone baseboards, and tall ceilings that complement the original Gothic windows.
“It’s a way to bring a new caliber of craftsmanship to the Palm Beach audience,” says Valentin Goux, president of Rinck, the family-owned French studio whose exquisite millwork is on display in the Atelier, along with its recent forays into textiles. Alongside Rinck’s offerings sits furniture from Liz O’Brien, stone baseboards by DLN Partner Marmi Stone (with a fireplace coming soon!), plaster by Hyde Park Moldings, and carpets from Sacco Carpet, whose founder, Kim Steube, pops in during our visit to drop off fresh flowers, a fitting example of the kind of community-mindedness that sets the tone for the Atelier.
“It’s not a showroom—it’s an experience,” proclaims Valentin, who has stopped in before heading over to see the Kips Bay showhouse. Though he says this with playful bravado, the sentiment rings true; there are no sample trays or order forms visible, and the Atelier’s floor plan encourages casual conversation over straightforward shopping.
Sarah tells me I’m welcome to stay in the space long as I like—but stipulates that laptops are not allowed. “That was something we decided early on,” she says. “Because we didn’t want it to feel like a workspace.”
Instead, the Atelier is a meeting place for creatives, a backdrop for conversations and events celebrating design, and a setting in which Sarah can show the capabilities of her partner brands—all of whom have been longtime collaborators on her own projects. She plans to change up the interiors often, making place to show new ideas and ensuring each visit will bring new discoveries.
In its first month in business, the terrace has already hosted one boisterous party, and Sarah has plans for many more events to tie in with both design and historic preservation happenings in the town.
Want to visit? Reach out to Sarah next time you’re in town.