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Chic and Comfortable Florida Condo With Ocean Views
Designers choose decor with sparkling details and layer in neutrals and blues
High up in a slim tower just north of Miami, this family of four found its forever home. While some of the existing finishes in the new building were beautiful, the owners hired the team at DKOR Interiors to make it functional for their lifestyle and suit their personal style. The designers took their inspiration from sparklers and large, flower-shaped firework bursts and incorporated elements such as glass, metal, interesting shadows and repeating lines. Then they layered the rooms in neutrals and blues to complement the spectacular views of the Atlantic outside the home’s floor-to-ceiling windows.
The living room is open to the kitchen. “This room serves as both the living room and the family room, so we wanted it to be very comfortable but also look elegant,” Ronderos says.
The room may be elegant, but it’s also practical. “We chose this rug because it’s very forgiving and durable for this high-traffic era,” Ronderos says. “The color palette is a little darker than typical Miami. We used blues, grays, taupes and camels and then used lighting to spark it up.” The champagne-colored window treatments, which are fully motorized, also liven up the space and add a little shimmer and a hint of gold.
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The room may be elegant, but it’s also practical. “We chose this rug because it’s very forgiving and durable for this high-traffic era,” Ronderos says. “The color palette is a little darker than typical Miami. We used blues, grays, taupes and camels and then used lighting to spark it up.” The champagne-colored window treatments, which are fully motorized, also liven up the space and add a little shimmer and a hint of gold.
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The family’s lifestyle meant a TV was a must in here. So the design team surrounded it with beautiful built-ins, with a mix of concealment and display. A console hides media equipment, while lighted shelves and cabinets with tinted glass doors provide space to show off favorite objects. To the right, the door to the homeowners’ bedroom is hidden within a slatted wall. One of the slats even conceals the door handle. “Because it’s located off such a public space, this made their bedroom more private,” Ronderos says.
“When we work within a mostly monochromatic palette, we make it interesting with a wide variety of textures,” she says. “This keeps things from feeling too busy.” The swivel chair and details along the back of the sofa bring in leather, and the table surfaces mix polished stone, glass, wood and matte finishes. “The leather tubes we added to the back of the sofa were inspired by a luxury car,” Ronderos says.
“When we work within a mostly monochromatic palette, we make it interesting with a wide variety of textures,” she says. “This keeps things from feeling too busy.” The swivel chair and details along the back of the sofa bring in leather, and the table surfaces mix polished stone, glass, wood and matte finishes. “The leather tubes we added to the back of the sofa were inspired by a luxury car,” Ronderos says.
The wall features stone, wood, glass and painted surfaces. Zaha Stone by Neolith adds texture and depth. With the help of a talented carpenter and stone professional, the stone was extended behind the shelves. LED strip lights recessed into the shelving illuminate the stone and the displayed objects.
Tip: “Make sure the LED strip lights are diffused. Otherwise you see the dots of light inside,” Ronderos says.
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Tip: “Make sure the LED strip lights are diffused. Otherwise you see the dots of light inside,” Ronderos says.
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The kitchen is also within the open plan and the existing finishes were beautiful. A monolithic island and bookmatched cabinetry without pulls create a sleek backdrop. There’s an induction range on the island and the reflective metal fixture overhead is a stylish vent hood.
The sink and dishwasher zone on the left gave the design team an opportunity to add a large abstract painting to the space.
The sink and dishwasher zone on the left gave the design team an opportunity to add a large abstract painting to the space.
The designers added antiqued-mirror herringbone tile to the niche to bring in texture and shimmer. And they added a cabinet with tinted glass doors to create a connection to the media wall. They also added the eat-in area off the island and the light fixture over it. The texture of the pendant’s shade casts shadows that pick up on the fireworks inspiration, seen here on the ceiling.
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Find the right pendant light for your space
In the master bedroom, channel tufting on the headboard and the pattern on the rug add repeating lines to the space. The champagne-colored drapes bring in some shimmer. While the room is monochromatic, the designers used the same strategy of mixing textures that they did in the living room. The texture palette includes leather, velvet and silk.
The bedroom also has direct access to a balcony that runs the width of the condo.
The bedroom also has direct access to a balcony that runs the width of the condo.
A custom headboard extends behind the nightstands for a sleek look. This photo provides another good look at how the various textures work together, from the distressed leather bench to the high gloss on the nightstand. The blue shams tie into the blue rug. And a gold vase and lantern-like table lamp add sparkle.
Ronderos laid out the bedroom built-ins with painter’s tape so her clients could visualize them. This also allowed her to test the scale and make sure it worked nicely in the room.
The new built-ins include a dressing area with a mirror that has integrated lighting, additional storage and a workstation.
In the daughter’s room, the designers continued the fireworks-inspired theme with sparkly gold dots on the wall. They also removed one of the room’s two closets and converted it into a built-in workstation. Other special touches include a dressing table with a Hollywood-style mirror and a trundle for sleepovers. “And she really wanted a hanging chair,” Ronderos says.
In the son’s room, they painted the headboard wall in two tones of blue. They based the diagonal line that separates the two on the way the sun casts a shadow on the wall at a certain time of day. He loves YouTube, so his parents had some YouTube awards made for the wall over the nightstand.
Out on the balcony, the team separated the area off the homeowners’ suite, at the back of the photo, with furniture and plant placement. The lounge area in the foreground is off the family room.
In the outdoor dining area, the designers sourced a dining table with a durable porcelain top. The chairs are woven from marine-grade rope.
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House at a Glance
Who lives here: A family of four
Location: Sunny Isles Beach, Florida
Size: 3,635 square feet (338 square meters); three bedrooms and 3½ bathrooms, plus an office
Designer: DKOR Interiors
“One of the homeowners had a job where the family had to move to a new country every two years,” principal designer Ivonne Ronderos says. “It was hard for them to make friends because everyone knew they’d be leaving soon. They were ready to find their permanent home and put down roots near Miami.”
The main gathering spaces feature floor-to-ceiling windows and 12-foot ceilings. The chandelier puts the fireworks inspiration front and center, making a strong statement over the dining table.
The itinerant family still managed to make many friends around the world, and it loves to entertain them when they’re in town, so the dining table seats 10. “They wanted really comfortable chairs so they could sit here with guests for hours,” Ronderos says.
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