Houzz Tour: Miami Penthouse Gets a Jackie O-Inspired Look

Photos by Sargent Photography

Condo at a Glance
Who lives here: A retired couple
Location: Hollywood, Florida
Size: 2,800 square feet (260 square meters)
Designer: Sarah Schmidt

A soft and sophisticated take on modern design was what these retired homeowners who had recently moved from Hawaii wanted for their newly built penthouse in Hollywood, Florida, a suburb just north of Miami. As they told their designer, Sarah Schmidt, “We want a Jackie O-inspired look,” referring to the legendary refined style of former First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis.

The newly built penthouse was a blank box of a space, with white walls and wood floors, waiting for a designer’s touch. The main living area features two walls of glass that open to a wraparound balcony and views of the Atlantic. Schmidt added floor-to-ceiling pleated sheer curtains to help filter light. The new furniture in the living area features midcentury-inspired lines. A side table with a peacock-shaped base is a favorite and adds a whimsical note.

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The dining area, which is open to the living area, includes a large ebony-stained table with seating for eight. The dining area wall is covered in a hand-painted wallpaper depicting the blossoming branches of a plum tree. The blue midcentury-inspired dining chairs and blue crushed velvet pillows on the dining settee pick up the hues in the wallpaper.

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The kitchen came equipped with new appliances, white laminate cabinets and white quartz countertops. The designer selected the trio of pendant lights above the island. “The pendant lights blend into the kitchen, but if you look closely they have these little bows that add a touch of femininity to the space,” Schmidt says. Meanwhile, the trio of distressed brown leather counter stools add a smidgen of ruggedness.

The media room walls are painted a dark gray called Down Pipe from Farrow & Ball. “The TV across from the sectional blends into the wall thanks to the dark paint,” Schmidt says. The sectional is upholstered in blue velvet that matches the blue Bugatti car featured in the vintage framed posters on the wall above it. “We ordered about a dozen blue fabric samples to find the perfect match,” the designer says.

Schmidt devised an affixed floor-to-ceiling curtain of crushed blue velvet to create a backdrop for the bed in the master bedroom. “The velvet backdrop adds drama to the space and helps to anchor the bed,” she says. A contemporary tufted leather ottoman at the foot of the bed is a convenient spot to put on and take off shoes.

The wall opposite the bed in the master bedroom is covered in a light blue-gray silk. A pair of framed hand-painted wallpaper panels featuring a chinoiserie design add color to the room.

The master bathroom includes a double vanity, a freestanding tub and a walk-in shower (not pictured). The floor and wall behind the tub are covered in marble-look quartz. Above the tub, Schmidt hung a custom chandelier that mimics the look of a tree branch. “I wanted to hang the chandelier even lower for dramatic effect, but building safety codes don’t allow it,” she says.

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