Start with a white canvas

"Deciding to do all white was really hard for me," says Susan, who loves color but explains that going with a seamless neutral keeps the house from feeling segmented.

Except for a blue wall in two of the bedrooms, and palm-motif wallpaper in the master suite, the home's all-white walls and floors serve as a backdrop for a repeated palette of tropical colors: citron, tangerine, lime, and cobalt. "If we also had color on the walls, it would be a little frightening."

Style secret: In high-traffic areas, vinyl upholstery trumps leather. It’s easily wiped off with a spritz of all-purpose cleaner.

Ingredients: Extra White wall paint (7006) by Sherwin-Williams; Glace Glass Sticks in Ice by Ann Sacks; Ardex SD-T concrete flooring in beach sand (custom color) by Ardex.