Located on the waterfront of Biloxi’s Back Bay, the beautiful development of Destiny Plantation is home to Cindy and Mike Kennedy. Referred to as the “Robin Hood Castle,” the stunning Tuscan-style home features intricate ironwork on the front doors and the gated courtyard, as well as arched doorways and soaring windows throughout the home. After purchasing the home in 2020, the Kennedys immediately reached out to their designer of over 30 years, Debbie Batia of d.batia Interiors. Batia worked closely with the couple on the design of their previous home and knew their styles and desires for the new spaces.
The couple wanted a fresh look for the home’s interiors, and Batia started from scratch with colors, furnishings, and accessories. “Since they live on the waterfront, we chose colors and designs that would look updated, serene, and beautiful for years to come,” Batia notes. “The whole house has a flow of continuity with colors and styles chosen for the home, but each room has its own identity.” Each large space features furnishings and accessories custom-designed by Batia to highlight the home’s natural surroundings and accentuate the Italian chateau style. Traditional upholstery in neutrals and soft blues is accentuated by lovely wood tones, heavy stone, or mixed metals. Subtle patterns in fabrics and a well-curated art collection add personality to each room.
With the completely fresh appearance of their overall design, the Kennedys also needed a new plan and color scheme for their holiday décor to accentuate their new surroundings. “The holiday design is more modern since everything was created for this new home and installed in time for their first Christmas season,” the designer adds. To emphasize the magnificent collections from their travels over the years, Batia worked to create an updated and unique Christmas décor approach. From bright and exciting traditional Christmas hues for the exteriors to a brilliant range of blues, silvers, and gold in the interior spaces, each design is perfectly appointed. She called upon Jeanne Brackin, owner of Sadie Jane’s of Gulfport, to craft the holiday wonderland. Jeanne and her daughter Ashley fabricate each of the custom-designed holiday vignettes, and each is more impressive than the next, all filled with items such as Santas, seashells, and loads of sparkle. The creative duo places centerpieces throughout the living and dining spaces, including a gorgeous angel and white magnolia arrangement for the formal dining room. Kept carefully in climate-controlled storage, these pieces are displayed year after year.
The entrance of the home features a stone breezeway and is festooned with an abundance of garlands filled with shimmering ornaments and colorful ribbons. A tall pair of nutcracker soldiers flank the front door and bring both light and motion when guests arrive. The towering double doors open to the musical sounds of holiday tunes by favorites Frank Sinatra, Bing Crosby, and Johnny Mathis. Under the great hand-painted domed ceiling, an impressive wrought-iron banister is enveloped with greenery that has been loaded with silver and gold balls as well as wide textural ribbons of velvet and silk. A white marble Santa sleigh complete with reindeer graces the adjacent drum table, while on the opposite side stands a shimmering silver cone tree in a porcelain planter.
The lofty 10-foot tree in the living room stand takes center stage as the holiday centerpiece, and Batia curated a unique and extraordinary assortment of ornaments by Mark Roberts Company. The oversized, hand-painted ornaments are encrusted with jewels and chosen specifically for this space, and the tree is crowned with a massive feathered-topper. “Since the living area is so large with such high ceilings, we knew the tree had to be something extravagant,” adds Batia. The room’s mantel, tabletops, and balcony railing coordinate flawlessly with the tree, featuring pine garland, turquoise jeweled ribbons, and an additional scattering of precious Mark Roberts Co. ornaments. A beloved piece in the living space is the Italian nativity scene displayed on the glass and iron console table.
Each interior space offers unbroken views of the swimming pool and the bay beyond, and vibrant blues infuse each room to inspire the color palette. The screened porch off the breakfast nook is an ideal resting spot for Cindy and Mike, and a vintage tabletop tree filled with silver balls sparkles in the sunlight. An outdoor courtyard lit by torches showcases a water feature flowing down a marble-tiled wall flanked with fresh Christmas flowers.
When the entire home is decked for the holiday season, the Kennedys graciously welcome friends and family to share and enjoy their retreat. Christmas morning is a treasured event for a dozen overnight guests and features a menu of casseroles, fruits, and pastries served while opening gifts in the pool house. After a leisurely day at the home, a late afternoon lunch of roasted turkey and praline glazed ham is served in the formal dining room. The spread of delectable desserts is complete with Mother Mary’s Divinity fudge, Strawberry Banana Christmas gelatin, and Croatian pastries. Cindy sets the elegant table with gorgeous holiday linens, silver, and the couple’s wedding china.
Batia has flawlessly infused a traditional coastal style the Kennedys desired for their bayside respite and was able to highlight each space with a fantastic seaside holiday flair. With yards of lush, ornamented garlands, treasured collections, and sparkling sentiment, the home is perfectly primed for the cherished holiday season to celebrate with all.
