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Bob used color, opened up living areas, and applied sleek contemporary finishes to make this Miami condo renewal a small-space success.
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The Miami Beach condo is a getaway apartment, located in one of the early high-rise neighborhoods created off the Venetian Causeway. Built in 1967, the building is made of concrete, which presents hurdles for the project as the Home Again crew works to muffle noise and meet sound attenuation codes established by the condominium association. The approval process made the team examine wall, ceiling, and flooring choices, as well as work hours, construction noise, and debris. The apartment faces due north and looks over Biscayne Bay, which reduces the cooling load as we develop an energy use plan and install a high-efficiency HVAC unit.
Opening Up and Updating
This condo was sorely in need of a makeover. Spaces were ineffective and confined. So the first order of the day was to take out the wall between the kitchen and living room, creating a shared peninsula between that could act as a dining area. Innovative, flexible track lighting was installed with pendant fixtures to create a truly elegant dining space. A bar area with glass shelving and transitions the space from dining to living area.
Opening space, transitioning from one area to the next, and creating flow were the top priorities in making this small space seem larger and more unified. We installed a pocket door between the living room and bedroom, which allows it to function as a larger, unified area during the waking hours yet as a private space when necessary. The art glass look of the pocket doors illuminates the bedroom and living areas even when the doors are closed. A further benefit of the pocket doors is the swing space that is eliminated, giving the apartment the sleek, open look that we wanted.
Finishes that Flow
Gone from the condo are the dated colors, and finishes that were once the rage in Miami decorating. Designer DD Allen encouraged a sleek, contemporary look that has enough retro and whimsy to make it a genuine Miami condo. The flexible track for the lighting is chrome finished, as are the edges of the counter that rounds to a circular dining space. The curves, reminiscent of the great Miami architecture of Morris Lapidus, are picked up in the furnishings like the funky couches and shell prints. The stools for the dining area are acrylic and chrome. The aluminum sliders to the balcony terrace have been completely refurbished and reinstalled.
The bathroom is a study in modern color and finish on a small scale. The toilet from Toto is sleek and elegant in finish and design. The shower stall is walled in iridescent glass tile that seems to flow in variations of color like water. A glass stall door keeps the look open and light-filled.
Eliminating Sound Effects
However, all these sleek stylish finishes can be loud in a concrete structure like the Island Avenue getaway. Typically these condominiums feature thick pile carpeting, a mainstay of late twentieth-century decorating. Bob wanted a sleeker, easy-to-maintain finish like tile. The noise attenuation code made it nearly impossible. To muffle the sound of heels on tile would have raised the flooring level so high that doors would no longer open. The solution was a cork flooring product that looks like gray stone, with all of its color and texture variations. Bob further buffered the building from noise by installing a cork underlayment as well. The end result is a warm, soft floor that is easy to clean and gentle to walk on but striking in its color and appearance. Again, since it runs throughout the apartment, the flooring becomes a unifying design element that visually enlarges the space and creates flow from one area to the next.
Keeping it Simple
The last touches were all about the conveniences that make a vacation getaway like home without the hassle. Appliances were selected to do double duty and save space. A blender functions as a food processor, the coffee maker grinds as well as brews. A closet was converted to a bar with glass shelving, chrome counters, and a refrigerator. The terrace patio is a model of comfort with a seating area designed by our carpenter and piled with terry cushions that invite lounging. Planters unify the color theme that runs throughout as the blues and greens wash across walls to meet the pinks and terra cottas of Miami.
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