Jon Carlos, the production designer behind the new series Palm Royale on Apple TV+, dug into the history of late-’60s Palm Beach to create the show’s pitch-perfect sets. These are 10 of the real places in Palm Beach that inspired the show’s look.
Less“Worth Avenue is home to Palm Royale’s storied Ceil Chapman dress store, where Grayman (Dominic Burgess) outfits the grandes dames of Palm Beach. There were a few historic stores that inspired me architecturally, including the Moorish facade of Maus & Hoffman (providing classic sportswear since 1940) and the exterior of Ralph Lauren. The view out the windows of the dressing-room set onstage features a lush, private courtyard reminiscent of those that exist behind the Lilly Pulitzer store.”
“While the Worth Avenue Clock Tower was not technically present in 1969—the year that Palm Royale is set—as a hurricane had destroyed it decades before, it’s a romantic and iconic monument that show creator Abe Sylvia loves. He envisioned that had the tower remained intact, it would have been a frequent stop for Maxine Simmons (Kristen Wiig) following her shopping sprees, resting on a bench, reading the Shiny Sheet. The impressive clock tower that exists today was rebuilt as a restoration.”
“The Breakers—the historic Palm Beach luxury hotel—was originally the only oceanfront resort in Palm Beach when it was opened as the Palm Beach Inn in 1895. The noteworthy architectural masterpiece as it stands today is the third version, rebuilt in 1926 after its second fire. On Palm Royale, the hotel plays host to the prince of Luxembourg, who takes up residency there, and to the opulent Havana Nights gala in episode 4, hosted by Cuban heiress Raquel Kimberly-Marco (Claudia Ferri).”
“When we scouted Palm Beach and saw this magnificent midcentury-modern condominium tower, we knew that it had to be the inspiration for Destiny Vistas, where Norma Dellacorte (Carol Burnett) and Skeet (Bruce Dern) reside while under medical care. The decorative concrete patterned railings offered an incredible design motif, which we replicated on our stage build. While the interiors were built onstage, the actual exterior of this building was used for the establishing shots.”
“The Bath & Tennis Club serves as the rear exterior of our fictitious Palm Royale Club, with its Spanish architecture, pristine pools, and tennis courts showcased beautifully in the show’s sweeping aerial photography. The club’s proximity to the ocean is ideal: Sitting poolside with views of the Atlantic beyond is a perfect backdrop. The green and white striped canopies decorating the balconies tie perfectly to the custom-made umbrellas we used in our Palm Royale Club courtyards.”
“The Everglades Club is one of Palm Beach’s most exclusive clubs. While we didn’t scale bougainvillea-clad walls like Maxine (Kristen Wiig) does to get into the Palm Royale Club, director and executive producer Tate Taylor and I attempted to do some research by visiting the club, and we were politely reminded of the members-only access. Regardless, the exterior facade, designed by Addison Mizner in 1919, is worth visiting to admire, and views from the public sidewalks won’t disappoint.”
“The Colony Hotel offered inspiration for some of the color palettes and furniture settings of our fictitious Palm Royale pool. Historically, this hotel hosted numerous poolside fashion shows, photographed by Slim Aarons, which were key reference images for us. The more feminine color palette and softer textures of this establishment inspired set decorator Ellen Reede and me when selecting the textiles and decor for the Palm Royale’s poolside environs.”
“The Ocean Course at The Breakers was the inspiration for our golf course in episode 5. The views of the towering Breakers hotel behind it are magnificent. Photographer Gray Malin captures the retro-cool recreational lifestyle of this iconic course in The Golfers, The Breakers Palm Beach, which is reminiscent of Palm Royale’s 1969 and a tonal inspiration for us.”
“This prolific Gilded Age estate, originally built for Henry Flagler in 1902, is now a museum open to the public. Our visit here inspired portions of the Dellacorte mansion—especially Norma’s (Carol Burnett) bedroom, which we built on a sound stage. Here we gleaned much of the history of Palm Beach’s early construction, took note of the marbled and gold-gilded finishes, and glanced at the collections of antiquities that spanned centuries to create the style we applied to Norma’s house."
“Establishing a relationship with the Foundation was important to us, as we wanted to recreate the architecture and environs of Palm Beach as accurately as we could. We gleaned so much information about the architectural history of Palm Beach, as well as some tasty insider period gossip, from our visit. And the Foundation’s archivist provided us incredible references throughout the season, from periodicals, historical photos, and more, which inspired costumes, set dressing, and set design.”