No Reservations

Author:Abigail Stone

Alison Palevsky shoulders the renovation of Casa Fortuna in Punta Mita, envisioning it as a resort-style getaway that rivals the glamorous area’s multi-star hotels

Situated on a peninsula jutting out into the Pacific Ocean just 550 miles west of Mexico City are the St. Regis and Four Seasons hotels— confirmation of Punta Mita’s beauty and exclusivity. Located just next door, in one of the original communities called Punta Mita Estates, sits Casa Fortuna, one of the first homes built almost a decade ago that was in need of an overhaul to align it with its recently built brethren. “It didn’t work well for how he envisioned it,” remembers interior designer Alison Palevsky of the first time she saw her client’s property. “It felt very chopped up and dark, the finishes felt dated and there were a lot of built-ins and heavy furniture.”

Palevsky began by painting the beige walls inside and out as well as the red-brick ceilings in the office and the bathrooms a bright, crisp white. The warm-toned woods on the window frames, doors and cabinetry received a cool, deep espresso stain. “Just doing those things made all of the spaces feel more modern,” says Palevsky.

With the backdrop upgraded, Palevsky turned her attention to how the spaces functioned. Five separate bungalows and a main entertaining pavilion cluster around a central pool, overlooking the surf. “My client kept telling me that he wanted it to feel like a small boutique hotel,” Palevsky notes. “At 15,000 square feet, it’s definitely a house that’s created to be used by multiple groups.” Togetherness is one part of that equation; architecting spaces that guests would feel comfortable retreating to was also key. “There’s the main space where everyone congregates and then these little structures on the side that needed to be clearly designated.” Palevsky reimagined them as luxurious separate suites with areas for sleeping, lounging and working.

In keeping with the client’s desired resort vibe, Palevsky reconfigured the central pavilion to fully support multiple groups congregating, whether communing over meals or just enjoying the view and the pool. A sunken sectional and two chairs are positioned around a large mirrored coffee table by Mexico-based brand Milanka. To one side of the upper level there’s a bar with sparkling brass accents lit by custom pendants from Neptune Glassworks. On the other side, a custom digital collage of famous artworks by CopyLab hangs over a long dining table. “We thought it would be kind of whimsical and playful there,” says Palevsky. Overhead a large multi-armed fixture, also by Neptune Glassworks, seems to echo the form of the constellations seen in the night sky.

Fixtures by Neptune Glassworks also illuminate the outdoor bar, which Palevsky envisioned as another shared space. “He really wanted to have this place outside where everyone could hang out,” she explains. “There’s not a lot of shaded areas where you can also be outside. So if you’re getting sunburned or just don’t want to be in the full sun, you can sit there and have your margarita and still be part of the group and the pool scenario.” A television is perfectly centered on the book-matched slabs of black-and- white marble. “There are many times when they want to watch sporting events and the main area didn’t have a television,” she says.

A library, situated toward the front entryway but away from the pool, offers another retreat. “It’s the only other place with a television,” Palevsky points out. “We wanted to fill it with books so if you forgot to bring one with you, you could go grab something there.” A sloped grass patch leads you to a strip of sand that overlooks the rock-strewn beach, where a handful of lounge chairs look out over the water. “The whole place is really about kicking back and relaxing and looking at the sunset and the ocean and hanging out.” Mission accomplished.