MIAMI HOME & DECOR The Miami Art Scene Luxury Holiday Gift Guide Escape to the Caribbean
SUN-KISSED AND STARLIT FROM AMBER GOLD, TO INTENSE BLUE, TO SEA-FOAM GREEN AND PERIWINKLE, THIS STRIKING TRUMP TOWERS CONDO MIRRORS THE COLORS OF THE SEA AND SKY BOTH DAY AND NIGHT
INTERIOR DESIGN BY PATRICE MARBIN-BARROCAS AND ANNABEL DELGADO, ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN CONSULTANTS, INC., NORTH MIAMI, FL TEXT BY CHRISTINE DAVIS PHOTOGRAPHY BY MICHAEL STAVARIDIS, MIAMI, FL In the living room, Cassina s blue Dodo chair from Poltrona Frau throws a bold curve to the clean lines of a leather-tufted sofa from Roche Bobois, the sleek styling of Luminaire s marble-topped cocktail table and the linear geometry of cabinetry from Anima Domus.
E verything about this project echoes sky-high encounters starting with a chance meeting on a plane. When my husband, Eddie Barrocas, flew back to South Florida from New Jersey, he sat next to Richard Casey, architect and interior designer Patrice Marbin-Barrocas says. Rich mentioned he and his wife, Charlene, were moving to Sunny Isles, Fla., and asked for a referral for an interior designer... it was written in the stars. Then there s the fact that this 2,563-square-foot unit is way up there, on the 39th floor of Trump Towers II. And finally, there s the constellation ceiling in the master suite, a feature that Marbin-Barrocas and her partner, architect and interior designer Annabel Delgado, created as a surprise for the Caseys. The sum of these parts adds up to heavenly, especially since the designers combined elements that transcend the opposing taste preferences of husband and wife. If you have a place on the beach with stunning views of the ocean and sky that change minute by minute, clutter that obstructs defeats the purpose, Rich says. I wanted streamlined and contemporary. Not so fast, counters Charlene. I am a center-hall colonial person, she says. My husband was okay with whites and grays, but I thought that was cold. To please the couple as a whole, the designers went with uncluttered and contemporary (for Rich), warmed with soothing hues and wood accents (for Charlene). Of course, the unit provided a marvelous starting point. Enter, look east and receive an eyeful of the Atlantic Ocean. Look to the west, and enjoy vistas of the bay and sky all the way to the Everglades. Together, the two scenes combine to create one incredible panorama. RIGHT: A dramatic, but light-in-scale chandelier from Light Bulbs Unlimited shimmers in the dining room, where cantilevered chairs from Anima Domus and the glass-topped table with a sculptural wood base enforce an open continuity. 90 FLORIDA DESIGN S MIAMI H&D 9-3
Original white glass-tile flooring flows throughout the apartment, where splashes of color wash over a neutral palette. In the living room, a marble-topped cocktail table centers an off-white sofa, while a striking blue Dodo chair swivels, tilts and stretches to chaise-lounge proportions for optimal views. The Caseys wanted an open floor plan and to make the most of the views, Marbin-Barrocas says. Each piece of furniture has a purpose and is placed properly. The sofa is low so as not interrupt the flow, and the L-shape of the cabinetry provides balance and brings the eye back down. 92 FLORIDA DESIGN S MIAMI H&D 9-3
An understated blend of reflective form and function prevails in the office, where Modiss tubular floor lamp from Sparc, the glass desk and a mirroredcube cocktail table from Anima Domus become one with the surroundings. The design team set a warmer tone in the dining room for Charlene, using wood accents and a pleasing color scheme. For Rich s sake, everything is tailored, sleek, and clean, as well as open so as not to impede the view, Marbin-Barrocas says. The chairs are freeform and the base of the table includes a sculptural wooden element but you can still can see through it. Just down the hall, the office doubles as a guest room and quiet space. Here, a deep-seated leather sofa fronts the glossy white cabinetry components. It is a really cool system, the designers say.
WE KNEW WE WOULD USE SPOTS OF BLUE THROUGHOUT, BECAUSE ALL THE EYE SEES IS SKY AND OCEAN, ARCHITECT AND DESIGNER PATRICE MARBIN-BARROCAS SAYS. EVEN AT NIGHT, THE BLUE REFLECTS IN. Just take the two back cushions off the sofa and bring down the cabinet section behind it. The horizontal shelf is the leg of the bed. Rich s glass desk appears to float nearby. Generally, the condominium s spaces were not reconfigured, but the master suite is the exception. Closet doors swung out into the room, and the only place to put the bed was on the opposite wall with a view of the closets, Delgado says. To shift the focus to the ocean, the designers opted for a sliding glass door system and floated the bed in the middle of the room. Custom-designed furnishings include a bed and cabinetry combo that alternates bands of natural and gray-stained maple. With touches of periwinkle and walls of textured sea-foam green, the room is bathed in the colors of the sea under a night sky. And for the pièce de résistance, created in homage to Rich s penchant for celestial constellations, a surrealistic sky with soft twinkling lights floats above the bed in anticipation of many romantic nights amidst the stars. ABOVE: Hues of sea-foam green wrap around the master suite like a dreamscape. Dressed in gray and periwinkle linens, the custom-designed bed enhances the imagery. The dresser section is on the back end of the platform bed, while the nightstands hug the bed, Marbin-Barrocas says. The whole idea is to create storage, but to keep the scale light. 94 FLORIDA DESIGN S MIAMI H&D 9-3
Designed with a lot of function in one piece, the custom bed crafted by Iberica Industrial rests center stage in the master suite. The dresser component floats off the floor and includes a cantilevered top so it does not appear solid, while the backboard supports the pillows.
SUN-KISSED AND SUNLIT continued from 94 www.woodartiste.com 713-303-5734 UNPARALLELED ORIGINAL WALL ART Electric Barracudas - 45 X 48 Exotic hardwoods include Macassar Ebony, Sapele, Bocote, Pink Ivory, Padauk, Goncolo Alves, Wenge, American Holly and more. Accented with copper soldered irridescent glass and see-through blue glass. SOURCES LIVING ROOM Sofa - Roche Bobois, Coral Gables, FL Blue chair - Cassina, Poltrona Frau, Cocktail table - Luminaire, Coral Gables, FL Vase on cocktail table and accessories in cabinetry - Architectural Design Consultants, Decorative bowls, accessories on cocktail table and vase on console - Urban Art, Console and wall cabinetry - Anima Domus, Aventura, FL Recessed lighting - Element, Sparc, Inc., Area rug - Tufenkian Artisan Carpets, Carpet Creations, Wall coverings and paint finishes fabricated by Novalis Construction, Inc., Fort Lauderdale, FL DINING ROOM Dining table, chairs and console - Anima Domus, Aventura, FL Centerpiece bowl and sculpture - Architectural Design Consultants, Chandelier - Light Bulbs Unlimited, Corner floor lamp - Axo Lighting, Sparc, Inc., Recessed lighting - Element, Sparc, Inc., Decorative bowl on console - Art by God, Inc., Terracotta vase on console - Urban Art, Artwork above console - Owners Collection Wall coverings and paint finishes fabricated by Novalis Construction, Inc., Fort Lauderdale, FL OFFICE/GUEST ROOM Sofa, cocktail table, desk and cabinetry - Anima Domus, Aventura, FL Occasional table and desk chair - Addison House, Aventura, FL Decorative horns, dish and bowl - Architectural Design Consultants, Light - Modiss, Sparc, Inc., Recessed lighting - Element, Sparc, Inc., Artwork and area rug - Owners Collection Wall coverings and paint finishes fabricated by Novalis Construction, Inc., Fort Lauderdale, FL MASTER SUITE Bed, headboard and cabinetry - Custom designed by Architectural Design Consultants, Fabricated by Iberica Industrial, Inc., Hialeah, FL Bed coverings - Bloomingdales, Aventura, FL Glass balls and vase on headboard - Architectural Design Consultants, Glass doors and rods - Coconut Grove Glass and Mirror Co., Recessed lighting - Element, Sparc, Inc., Wall coverings and paint finishes fabricated by Novalis Construction, Inc., Fort Lauderdale, FL THROUGHOUT General contractor - KMR Construction Management, Inc., Hollywood, FL M 96 FLORIDA DESIGN S MIAMI H&D 9-3