FOR ART`S SAKE I

FOR
ART’S
SAKE
An Extensive Art Collection
Dictates The Design In This
Miami Condominium Wrapped
In White, Warmed With Wood
And Opened To Spectacular
Ocean Views
DESIGN by David Miranda and Diana Uribe,
DIDA Home LLC, Coral Gables, FL
TEXT by Charlotte Safavi
PHOTOGRAPHY by Troy Campbell, Miami, FL
I
t’s not often that a redesign takes its
cues from curated art, but it is the case
for this 2,500-square-foot Miami condo
on Brickell Key. “The owner is young, but
comes from an old South American family of
big, multigenerational art collectors,” says
designer David Miranda, who collaborated
on the remodel with his business partner
Diana Uribe. “Our client branded Toys for
Boys and owns this gallery in the Wynwood
Arts District. The only wish list he gave us was
a list of his art, no furnishings ... nothing.
Art was all we had to work with — and a
white canvas.”
right:
A fox fur area rug from DIDA Home
pairs with a hand-knotted silk rug to delineate
the living area, where Artefacto’s white linen
sofa offers ample seating. Fuga, an opalescent
magenta sculpture by Rafael Barrios, floats on a
Lucite stand. Nearby, Artflex’s light coral-hued
“Hug” chair provides a muted pop of color.
72 FLORIDA DESIGN’S MIAMI H&D 11-1
Perched on a walnut
console, sculptor
Laurence Jenkell’s Red
Wrapping Bonbon from
Toys for Boys grabs
attention in the foyer
hallway. here, cut
limestone lines the wall
with a textured 3-D feel.
“The elevator used to
open into the apartment,”
designer David Miranda
says. “We added a pivot
door to separate its
private lobby from the
hall to create a stronger
entry into the home.”
This residence in the Asia condominium building had good bones: a solid layout with open
living and dining areas; picture windows framing scenic views of Miami’s port and South Beach;
and luminescent milk-glass tile flooring. Intent on making the artwork shine, Miranda and Uribe
set about giving the space unique architectural details, as well as furnishing it in a fresh, neutral,
contemporary style.
“Because the focus was the art, we had to develop a system of lighting,” says Uribe of the
decision to lower 18-foot ceilings by one-and-a-half-feet. “We put recessed lights in the dropped
ceiling, and hid the audio-visual, HVAC and solar blind controls in there as well.” A walnut-lined
soffit in the living and dining areas now contains added light fixtures, placed at irregular intervals
above:
A silver-mirrored sideboard from Artefacto adds a touch of glamour in the dining area. Here, solid
European walnut chairs by Porada — an intentional seven instead of the customary eight — circle the custom
table topped in Egeo marble and based with vintage stainless steel drums from Thayer Coggin.
“While we were designing, Our
client got married,” designer
Diana Uribe says. “His wife
wanted cozy textures,
soft rugs and pillows, and
more feminine colors.”
and tilted at specific angles to highlight the arranged artwork.
In the foyer hallway, two recessed lights spotlight a sculpture
set on a custom walnut console.
In the living and dining areas, Miranda and Uribe designed
an intriguing wall of walnut paneling to cover what used to
be dull drywall and a standard door to the master bedroom.
“Having the door there was a bit of a limitation at first. We
had to play with the grid,” Uribe says. “We did not want
the paneling all symmetrical, like an office, but retro and
funky … and warm.” A new solid walnut door now seamlessly
disappears into the wall.
“We deliberately selected low-profile furniture, with lots of
transparent glass and Lucite pieces, to keep the space airy and
light, open up the views, and showcase the art,” Miranda says.
Just as the home’s art comes from different periods — some
inherited pieces date to the 1950s — the furnishings also blend
vintage and contemporary items. “You can’t tell what’s what,
but the overall space ends up having more character and soul,”
he says. For example, the linear-edged, Artefacto sectional sofa
left:
In the master bedroom, tufted chenille wraps the bed from Ligne
Roset in softness, while a Hermès cashmere throw, fox fur pillows and
a matched diminutive bench from DIDA Home keep things cozy. A
vintage find, the sculptural ceramic stool with a metallic finish joins
Luminaire’s armless lounge chair and a black “Tolomeo” floor lamp
from Artemide. Artist David Kracov’s Stroke of Genius colors the wall.
76 FLORIDA DESIGN’S MIAMI H&D 11-1
for art’s sake
continued from 77
in white linen is new, but the dining table’s stainless
steel drum bases are by Milo Baughman designed
in the ’70s. The Italian dining chairs are crafted of
gracefully curved, yet clean-lined walnut.
Using varied furniture shapes, as well as diverse
organic materials, prevented the condominium
from becoming bland, despite being so neutral.
Furnishings come in marble, glass, bronze, brass,
fur, leather and sheepskin. Fabrics run the gamut
from linen to velvet.
Even in the master bedroom, where similar
furnishings are used in moodier hues, the subtle
shades of gray in the palette serve to make the
colorful wall art pop even more.
“People think contemporary is only white and
cold, but it’s not. We like to offer warmth through
organic materials,” Uribe says. “This home is simple,
fresh and timeless, with great art.”
SOURCES
living Area
Sofa - Artefacto, Coral Gables, FL
Hug chair and swivel ottomans - Arflex,
Giussano, Italy
Cocktail table and display shelving - Glas Italia, Milan, Italy
Occasional tables, and butterfly art, books and sculpture
on shelving, and bamboo silk area rug - Owners’ Collection
Taschen plexi book stand, acrylic horns, plexi pedestal and
fox area rug - DIDA Home, Coral Gables, FL
Sculpture on pedestal - Art Nouveau Gallery, Miami, FL
Circular moss art - Plant the Future, Miami, FL
Trimless recessed lighting - Element Lighting,
Skokie, IL
hallway
Limestone wall covering - Coverings Etc, Miami, FL
Floating wood console – Custom designed by DIDA Home,
Coral Gables, FL
Red sculpture on console - Toys for Boys,
Wynwood Arts District, Miami, FL
dinng area
Dining table marble top - Custom designed
by DIDA Home, Coral Gables, FL
Table base - Thayer Coggin, High Point, NC
Chairs - Porada, Como, Italy
Sideboard - Artefacto, Coral Gables, FL
Vases and books on silver-mirrored
sideboard - Owners’ Collection
Sculptural planter on sideboard - Plant the Future, Miami, FL
Artwork above sideboard - Toys for Boys,
Wynwood Arts District, Miami, FL
Walnut wood wall treatment fabricated by DIDA Home,
Coral Gables, FL
Photography - Markowicz Fine Art, Miami, FL
Centerpiece sculpture - Art Nouveau Gallery, Miami, FL
Crystal accessories - Neiman Marcus, Coral Gables, FL
Trimless recessed lighting - Element Lighting, Skokie, IL
Area rug - Owners’ Collection
master bedroom
Bed - Ligne Roset, Miami, FL
Cashmere throw - Hermès, Miami, FL
Bedside tables - Camerich USA, Seattle, WA
Floor lamp - Artemide, Coral Gables, FL
Stool - DIDA Home, Coral Gables, FL
Armless chair - Luminaire, Coral Gables, FL
Artwork above chair - Toys for Boys,
Wynwood Arts District, Miami, FL
Ceramic stool - Owners’ Collection
Area rug - Ralph Lauren, Bal Harbour, FL M
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Cover photo by Deborah Whitlaw Lewellyn, Atlanta, GA
78 FLORIDA DESIGN’S MIAMI H&D 11-1
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