WOW FACTOR

Sitting down to write my first publisher’s note for Florida Design Miami, I couldn’t help reflecting back on my many years of magazine publishing and how far Miami has come in that time. From its new towering high-rises to the transformation of certain areas into live-workand-play neighborhoods, Miami has quickly become a world-class city with nothing to envy other places.

As Miami’s real estate market continues to set records and sophisticated residents move to town, high-end design emerges as a bona fide arena to pay attention to, and all of us here at Florida Design are quite attuned to that. This new status quo raises the bar for our South Florida designers who continue to delight us by their ability to turn spaces into true works of art. We’ve shown you that time and again in this publication.

This past November I got to see all this dynamic activity firsthand as I made the rounds for Art Week, during which our winter issue made quite the splash at Design Miami/. In addition to that fair, I attended the opening of the new Fendi Casa showroom in the Miami Design District (which is highlighted in this issue), the Arca VIP event (where I got to chat with designer Kelly Wearstler), the opening of the Paola Lenti showroom (where a new collection with the Campana brothers made its debut) and the second annual Maris Raffa Art Basel Experience event. At each of these gatherings, I witnessed how Miami’s cultural scene has become world-class and how much design and art are interconnected. This is an exciting time to be part of Florida Design Miami, which will now come your way four times a year to ensure you don’t miss a thing.

Looking forward, this spring issue embraces all the energy that’s out there. We have packed this edition with exceptional coverage of furniture, color, accessories, gardens, art, real estate, forward thinkers, and more. Plus, six home features that showcase the caliber of our designers.

Enjoy the issue.

HARVEY DANA Associate Publisher hdana@floridadesign.com

SANDRA DIAZ-VELASCO

Eolo A & I Design

“Kinetic Energy,” page 92

For the residence featured in this edition’s cover, designer Sandra Diaz-Velasco worked with a couple who wanted something special for their return-to-Miami home. As the condo is in Brickell’s Villa Regina tower, Diaz-Velasco was charged with creating an interior that was as dynamic as the mural by Yaacov Agam that graces the building’s exterior. “The owners wanted to experience luxury and comfort through an improved floor plan reflecting their desire for open spaces and a better connection to the beautiful Biscayne Bay views,” says the designer. “Their sophisticated tastes, in addition to their cultured design knowledge and extensive art collection, inspired our design.”

Matthew Macdonald

MacDonald Design Associates

“Villa Upgrade,” page 102

Sometimes clients throw the happiest tools your way. In the case of Matthew MacDonald and a recent commission in Coconut Grove, it came in the form of a sophisticated art collection. MacDonald made the artworks an important part of the interior renovation of the Tuscan-style home. “We had two missions,” says MacDonald regarding the process. “We wanted to retain many of the original architectural details of this stately [structure], design around them, and use this as a giant space for the clients’ important art collection while creating a home—not a museum. Practicality was a component, but style and design were never compromised.”

JENNY ZALKIN & JOSH FEIN

Fein Zalkin Interiors

“Bayside Beauty,” page 110

Like the total professionals that they are, Jenny Zalkin and Josh Fein take their clients’ interests, hobbies, and way of living into account when approaching any design job. In the recent case of a family home, it was all about emphasizing the Keystone Island home’s amazing views. “The architecture of the home came with a lot of windows overlooking the gorgeous water views,” notes Zalkin. “So, we draped them with textured sheers to create warmth and selected a brass finish for the lighting fixtures, hardware, and cabinet doors to generate some bling.” The end result was both personal and sophisticated.

RAFAELA SIMOES & LAILA COVIN

2id Interiors

“Give and Take,” page 118

Right after they were granted the commission of a home in Aventura, designers Rafaela Simoes and Laila Covin knew that balancing different tastes would be the most important aspect of the design process. “He is very modern,” Simoes explains of the husband. “And the pictures that were coming from his wife were more [about] light woods and organic touches.” There were also three young children with whims to cater to and design needs of their own. Fortunately, blending divergent tastes is nothing new for Simoes and Colvin. The 2id Interiors team delivered a home that’s tastefully attuned to all its inhabitants’ sensibilities.

Gustavo Marasca

Gustavo Marasca Arquitetura

“Curb Appeal,” page 128

Although he mainly had to work on Zoom from Brazil because of the pandemic, designer Gustavo Marasca proved to be the ideal designer for an Aventura couple who decided to embrace house living after years of habitating in a high-rise. For three years, Marasca and his team oversaw all aspects of the commission remotely via video calls and constant contact with the job’s contractor.

“The whole COVID nightmare made the process difficult, but we were able to deliver,” says Marasca. “The renovation completely changed the layout of the original floor plan to make the spaces wider and brighter.”

JANINE GELLER Design

House

“Neutral Territory,” page 136

While some folks embrace bold color, others prefer a more subdued approach when it comes to interiors. Designer Janine Geller encountered such a couple recently when she was tasked with the interior design of their newconstruction condominium at Turnbery Ocean Club Residences in Sunny Isles Beach. “From the beginning, our taste levels were very aligned,” says the designer. Geller and her team began by culling a neutral-oriented palette around the home that favors beiges and crème fraîchecolored tones that echo the sandy beaches below. The rest came together with bold lighting selections and serenity-focused furnishings.