THAT

MIAMI

STYLE

AS THE DESIGN PALETTE IN SOUTH FLORIDA EVOLVES, SO TOO DO THE DESIGNERS,

ARCHITECTS, AND TRENDSETTERS OF MIAMI’S SOPHISTICATED NEW LOOK.

by MARCELLE SUSSMAN FISCHLER

Once a pioneer in the Art Deco movement, Miami for decades was considered little more than a sunny spot for vacationers that was mired in pink flamingos and pastels. Lackluster buildings had small windows and narrow balconies. Design was decidedly tacky.

Then Art Basel thrust the city into the global art and design limelight, bringing with it a discerning crowd of design aficionados. “Since the arrival of Art Basel, Miami has gone through 10 years of sophistication,” says Carlos Rosso, president of The Related Group’s condominium division. “Miami today is much more known around the world and a more desired destination, in part because of the association with art and design.”

Now, the second annual Maison&Objet Americas further adds to that vibe, when the preeminent French decorative arts trade fair returns to Miami Beach this month. “Maison&Objet put us on the map as a destination for design,” says Paris-born, Coral Gables-based interior designer Charlotte Dunagan.

Soaring, sophisticated new condo towers designed by world-famous starchitects blend art, architecture, and design while integrating public green spaces and infusing the natu-ral beauty of Miami. Accompanied by a blossoming arts and culture scene, and prolific luxury-brand shopping, Miami’s sun-dappled, casual elegance is wooing a local and inter-national mix of fashionistas and other connoisseurs of urban living. “Great designers have brought an eclectic, chic look,” says Design District interior designer Adriana Hoyos. “Miami is becoming a trendsetter to the world.” Translation? Adios, f lamingos!

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Brazilian swing

chair by Artefacto.

     

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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“Miami has changed its profile to that of a city of the arts,

design, and architecture.”—EDGARDO DEFORTUNA

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HOME IS WHERE THE ART IS“Modernism is back with a vengeance, and the Medi-terranean Revival style is on life-support,” says Miami-based architect Max Strang. The casual yet urbane approach to living that South Florida homeowners seek calls for clean-lined, uncluttered modern homes that “enhance the outdoor lifestyle,” give interior and exterior spaces “equal respect,” and accommodate the changing climate. Walls of sliding glass doors provide “interconnec-tivity with outdoor living areas”; zoned layouts create privacy for multigenerational living, while locally sourced Keystone and oolitic limestone “are often used as textural accents to an otherwise clean aesthetic,” says Strang.

A room “should embrace the views outside and the per-sonalities within, creating a feeling of being in a lush, tropical, glimmering water oasis,” says Paulo Bacchi, CEO of Artefacto USA, the high-end Brazilian furnish-ings brand. Bamboo and rattan with “eco-friendly features and natural colors that connect us with our envi-ronment” are in high demand in the Miami market.

The bleached wood blocks in Artefacto’s Canyon line, which Bacchi nicknamed “Miami Beach Blocks,” can func-tion as a table or stool depending on the orientation. From his first Artefacto collection for Miami, Jader Almeida’s modern Clad chair and Jardim tables are also favorites.

And less is more in the world of furniture, says Steven Gurowitz of Interiors by Steven G. Porcelain flooring, LED lighting, and art are all hot, while moldings, reminis-cent of Mediterranean or transitional styles, are out. “People want clean; they don’t want busy,” he says.

“I enjoy mixing the old with the new Miami style, meaning we keep it light, but it has a twist,” says interior decorator Deborah Rosenberg, whose designs are fre-quently eclectic, oftentimes featuring Artefacto’s “beautiful and calming” hanging Brazilian swing chairs. “I love throwing an old, beaten-up chair into a sleek Miami modern condo. A Miami look should have a beachy yet European feel to it.”

RAINBOW CONNECTIONColors that would be appropriate in Michael Wolk’s native New York don’t fly here. Instead of the more somber forest greens, burgundies, or plaids, Miami’s palette takes its hues from the sky, ocean, clouds, and the sun. “Those are happier colors,” says Wolk. Accent colors come from tropi-cal fruits. Rather than layering to make a room warm and comfortable, “here you want it to be free and open.”

“The cliché in Miami is that you should sell everything white,” says Roche Bobois’s US director of communica-tions, Julien Bigan. But in Miami, “we hardly sell anything white. South Americans are very into colors and fabric to match.” Roche Bobois’s best seller for the last three years is the Mah Jong sofa, a brightly hued sectional with game tile-like mix-and-match patterned fabrics. Black leather sofas are also popular.

Lalique’s lighting and Art Deco-inspired furniture with modern lines and construction and exquisite materials and craftsmanship seems tailor-made for the Magic City, says Lalique CEO Maz Zouhairi. The Lalique Maison collection

includes furniture, lighting, bed and bath linens, cigar boxes, and a $14,000 leather-printed black crocodile back-gammon set.

The iconic nest-like chocolate upholstered chair from one of the 10 collections at Adriana Hoyos’s Furnishings in the Design District is comfortable, timeless, and sophisti-cated. At Wynwood’s Iniva African Concept Boutique, functional ethnic-chic art includes colorful fiberglass stools and masks. Metal bookcases and drawers are crafted from recycled oil barrels.

Tui Pranich, the architecture-trained international designer and owner of Tui in the Design District, prefers “clean, elegant, sophisticated design” using classical ele-ments such as Ludwig Mies van der Rohe’s Barcelona chair or Corbusier’s chaise lounge. Says Pranich, “Good design should be long lasting.”

REACHING THE SKYYou couldn’t count the cranes east of I-95 if you tried, but these aren’t your father’s buildings. Wealthy interna-tional buyers and savvy New Yorkers are collecting trophy properties at places like the late Pritzker Prize-winning architect Zaha Hadid’s sinuous, 63-story One Thousand Museum “as if it is a piece of art rather than a building,” says Gregg Covin, one of the developers. Drawn by the striking architecture, downtown environ-ment, and cultural attractions like the neighboring Herzog & De Meuron-designed Pérez Art Museum Miami, “these wealthy global buyers expect a higher level of product than we had in the past in Miami.”

TASTEMAKERS

The influencers who

put the final touch on

Miami.

PAULO BACCHI: The

CEO of Artefacto, Bacchi

creates some of the most

sought-after products in

the world and is a leading

source for contemporary

and enduring classic fur-

nishings. 4440 Ponce de

Leon Blvd., #1600, Coral

Gables, 305-774-0004;

artefacto.com

RICARDO BRITTO: Britto

designed the common

areas at Bay Harbor

Island’s Casa Verde and

worked with Fendi Casa

for the Luxury Living

Group at the Mansions at

Acqualina in Sunny Isles.

Britto Design Studio Inc.,

90 NE 39th St., Miami;

brittodesign.com

CHARLOTTE DUNAGAN:

The Paris-raised, Coral

Gables-based interior

designer specializes in

timeless, sophisticated

designs for high-end,

large-scale residential

and boutique commercial

projects. 2100 Ponce de

Leon Blvd., #920, Coral

Gables, 305-438-0130;

charlottedunagan.com

STEVEN GUROWITZ:

The owner of Interiors

by Steven G designed

model units for Turnberry

Ocean and St. Regis

Bal Harbour, as well as

public spaces at Prive

in Aventura and Marina

Palms in North Miami.

18288 Collins Ave., Sunny

Isles, 305-621-5550;

interiorsbysteveng.com

ADRIANA HOYOS: A

designer for Bijou Bay

Harbor, Downtown Doral,

and iconic hotel chains

worldwide, Hoyos has a

Design District show-

room and 10 timeless,

warm, and sophisticated

furniture collections. 4100

NE Second Ave., #105,

Miami, 305-572-9052;

adrianahoyos.com

DEBORAH ROSENBERG:

The founder of Dimare

Design offers custom

interior-design services

that include design ther-

apy, wellness, humane

design with cruelty-free

spaces, and sustainable

sourcing. 500 NW 165th

St., Ste. 100, Miami,

786-629-9581; dimare

design.com

MICHAEL WOLK: A

designer of corporate,

residential, and hospital-

ity interiors, furniture, and

furnishings collections,

Wolk has a client roster

that includes Brickell

500 and Platinum

Condominium. 31 NE 28th

St., Miami, 305-576-2898;

wolkdesign.com

Two-tiered gold-luster-gilded Orgue chandelier by Lalique.

OPPOSITE PAGE: (CLOCKWISE FROM TOP) A glass-and-marble Armani/Casa kitchen in the Cesar Pelli-designed Armani Casa tower in Sunny Isles; 1276 Biscaya by Max Strang Architecture incorporates an outdoor lap pool into its overall design; the Benedict residence with interiors by Miami-based Michael Wolk.

     

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Miami has changed its profile to that of a city of the

arts, design, and architecture,” says Fortune International

President and CEO Edgardo Defortuna, and it is “the

perfect location to display the talents of world-renowned

architects and designers. The current movement in archi-

tecture displays an artistic flair while allowing for a

timeless, casual elegance.”

With large undertakings from Brickell City Centre to

Auberge Residences & Spa Miami on Biscayne and the

Regalia in Sunny Isles (not to mention hundreds of other

projects globally), Coconut Grove-based Arquitectonica’s

bold modernism is synonymous with the renaissance in

Miami’s urban landscape.

Meanwhile, David Martin, president of Terra Group—

the developer behind OMA Rem Koolhaas’s Park Grove

in Coconut Grove and Renzo Piano’s 87 Park in North

Beach—says new boutique-style projects are designed for

the “place and location.” According to Martin, they are

much more understated, with less environmental impact

and more of a connection to nature. Set in a five-acre park,

Park Grove has a palette that comes from the ocean, palm

trees inspired its faceted concrete columns, and walls of

glass maximize bay views. Says Martin, “It’s simple, ele-

gant but with huge functionality and very strong details.”

Cesar Pelli, the architect of the Adrienne Arsht Center

for the Performing Arts and the upcoming wide-shoul-

dered Armani Casa tower, says the “new buildings reflect

our changed aesthetic and take advantage of many tech-

nological developments. The new skyline enhances the

image of the city, making it vibrant and very much of the

21st century.”

DESIGNED TO SUIT

Like the shapes of these sculptural buildings, the five-

star-resort amenities prevalent in luxury hotels and

residences are designed to meld subtropical landscapes

with an urban setting. Luxe condominiums boast walls of

AVENTURA

Beyond the fashionable

shops such as Tiffany &

Co., Fendi, and Burberry at

its namesake top-tier mall,

Aventura is replete with

chic, high-end furniture

stores, from Artefacto’s

45,000-square-foot show-

room to Anima Domus,

Natuzzi, Addison House,

Kartell, and Roche Bobois.

Italkraft and Bo Concept

are newcomers at Aventura

Town Center.

BRICKELL

Nest Casa, Bojanini Art

Gallery, and Porsche

Design will be among the

luxury shops and premium

brands on five levels at the

Arquitectonica-designed

Brickell City Centre. Bo

Concept is across the

street. There are decorative

vases, designer candles,

and metal sculptures

among the orchids at

Blooming Flowers in Mary

Brickell Village.

CORAL GABLES

Luminaire’s and Roche

Bobois’s flagship Florida

stores have called Coral

Gables home for two

decades. Charlotte Dunagan

Design Group relocated

there from the increasingly

fashion-oriented Design

District last year, joining

galleries, showrooms, and

home décor boutiques

such as Artefacto, Artemide

lighting, Aragon101, Oroa

Eichholtz Furniture,

Violetta’s, and Maru’s Corner.

DESIGN DISTRICT

From Ligne Roset to

Jaeger LeCoultre and

Hermès, select furniture,

home accents, and luxury

fashion boutiques define

the Miami Design District.

Among the interiors

showrooms are Jalan Jalan,

Adriana Hoyos Furnishings,

Jonathan Adler, Luminaire

Lab, Internum, Bisazza,

Holly Hunt, Versace Home

Miami, Janus et Cie, Niba

Collections, and

Niba Home.

WYNWOOD

Edgy galleries, cool

eateries, and graffitied

walls draw crowds. At Iniva

African Concept Boutique,

functional ethnic-chic art

includes colorful fiberglass

stools and metal bookcases

crafted from recycled oil

barrels. Illimit’s rocking

chairs are comfortable and

stylish. Britto Charette’s

marble-topped console has

softly curved 3-D ellipses

with chiseled edges.

FEEL THE VIBE

Five bustling neighborhoods exploding with design sense:

glass, high ceilings, open kitchens, expansive balconies

with private pools and outdoor summer kitchens, private

elevators, and commodious bathrooms with rain show-

ers and separate soaking tubs.

“Building features that emphasize how an individual

lives, and relates to their surrounding environment, guide

the design process,” Defortuna says of Miami’s new edi-

fices, which are oriented to maximize views from all units,

be it the ocean, the bay, or a cityscape. “Each project allows

us to provide more than a home; it is a lifestyle.”

Developers across Miami have “been trying to outdo

each other,” says Gil Dezer, the president of Dezer

Development, whose portfolio includes the cylindrical

Porsche Tower, which features a statement-making glass-

enclosed car elevator that brings your roadster to a sky

garage by your front door. Built in conjunction with The

Related Group, Dezer’s upcoming Armani Casa sky-

scraper has interiors by global tastemaker Giorgio

Armani, including an oceanfront fitness center, a spa with

a Turkish hammam, an oceanfront restaurant, a cigar

room, a movie theater, and a children’s playroom.

Cascading gardens and a resort-style lagoon pool are

just the start on the sleek amenity deck planned for

Paramount Miami Worldcenter’s 60-story residential

tower. It also includes soccer fields, a half-kilometer run-

ning course, two tennis courts, a boxing studio, yoga deck,

and a “jam room.” Even in Miami, a fireplace in a well-

designed living or family room is a selling point, although

a television above the mantel is a no-no, says Ricardo Britto

of Britto Design Studio. “A digital-free living room which

will allow more family time and interaction is a must.”

Driving the demand is the expanding trend of families

and new residents making South Florida their new home

every day. To accommodate them, in the coming years, 132

new buildings with more than 13,700 units are scheduled to

go up. And with each new interior and exterior design, they

will continue to shape an ever-evolving Miami style. OD

Upholstered Caramelo chair by Adriana Hoyos.

OPPOSITE PAGE:(FROM TOP) Rendering of a living room in One Thousand Museum by Zaha Hadid; walls of sliding glass doors provide interconnectivity with outdoor living areas in the Wa Kee Na residence from Max Strang.

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