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THE OWNERS OF AUTHENTIC PROVENCE BRING A EUROPEAN FLAIR TO THE PRESERVATION OF A HISTORIC FLORIDA COLONIAL

Wolfgang and Susan Hofherr practice what they preach. The website for their popular antiques shop, Authentic Provence (with locations in Palm Beach and West Palm), declares that the garden is "an external expression of an interior world." Likewise, their 1925 Florida Colonial and its surrounding gardens are expressions of the couple's fascination for timeless beauty.

"We wanted to maintain the original character of the house," Wolfgang says. "In fact, we think ours is a perfect example of how traditional interior architecture can be combined with modern furniture and accessories to create interesting surroundings."

With its finely crafted woodwork, the interior showcases a refined mix of contemporary furniture, antiques and fine art that the Hofherrs have combined with great success. This is due in part to Wolfgang's eye for quality, which he has honed during an aesthetically rich career. "I worked for many years in auction houses in Paris," he says. "Along the way, I collected many interesting items and have brought them together in our Florida home."

Wolfgang was born in Austria, and Susan studied fashion design in Hamburg and Milan. Their European background and continuing travels to the continent to acquire garden antiques has cemented their ability to mix periods and styles in that quintessential European way.