HARMONY IN ACTION

HARMONY

IN ACTION

A PHENOMENAL DESIGN

TEAM COLLABORATES ON THE

CREATION OF A NEW HOME

WHEN ONE YOUNG FAMILY

OPTS FOR SLEEK PRACTICALITY

RI GHT: A series of “volumes” with vertical

elements make up the contemporary exterior of

this new home in an older neighborhood. With

two architectural ﬁrms, and a designer working

in harmony, the owners dream turned into

reality — a home with room to grow.

here is it written that too many

cooks must spoil the stew? In the

case of two prestigious architecture and

design ﬁrms, an independent interior

designer, and a family of ﬁve, the “stew”

involved the creation of a brand-new family

home in the elegant and established town of

Golden Beach, Fla. But despite many parties’

involvement, the ﬁnal result is as wonderful

as each of them had hoped it to be.

“I spent many hours gazing at designs

and ﬁnished houses searching for the exact

contemporary approach that would work

for my growing family,” owner Patricia

Wexler says. And she found two architects

whose spare approach, clean lines and

understanding of the indoor/outdoor life the

family leads seemed to ﬁt the bill perfectly.

Without hesitation, architect and designer

Stephanie Halfen teamed with architect

Lucas D’Adamo Baumann from Argentina.

With Halfen coordinating the project and

interpreting the homeowners’ desires, the

ARCHITECTURE AND INTERIOR DESIGN BY STEPHANIE HALFEN,

SDH STUDIO ARCHITECTURE + DESIGN,

NORTH MIAMI BEACH, FL

ARCHITECTURE BY LUCAS D’ADAMO BAUMANN,

OON ARCHITECTURE, BUENOS AIRES, ARGENTINA

FURNITURE SELECTION BY ADRIANA GRAUER, AGSIA DESIGN

GROUP, AVENTURA, FL

BUILDER RICARDO HALFEN, TREO CONSTRUCTION LLC,

NORTH MIAMI BEACH, FL

LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE BY MERCEDES PORCARI,

EXOTICSCAPE, KEY BISCAYNE, FL

TEXT BY MARINA BROWN

PHOTOGRAPHY BY MORIS MORENO, MIAMI, FL,

AND LIBERTAD RODRIGUEZ, BOCA RATON, FL

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FLORIDA DESIGN’S MIAMI H&D 14-2

two ﬁrms designed this 5,000-square-foot

home ﬁlled with texture and light; a perfect

residence for little people to grow up.

Though the property was facing an

expansive view of a canal and beyond,

Golden Beach, the lot’s pie-shape and

proximity to the neighbors’ dwellings

was a challenge. A waterfront focus and

unobtrusive privacy walls solved the problem.

Inside, the creative architects continued

the thematic vertical play of aluminum

slats seen on the front’s elevation with

the use of poured concrete and metallic

slats in the stunning stairway entry. Rising

even beyond the living room’s 15-foot-high

ceiling, the stairway’s glass wall soars

overhead into its own skylight, leaving the

white oak treads and the glass balustrades

ﬂoating magically in the light.

Halfen also worked closely with interior

designer Adriana Grauer to select the

furnishings throughout. In the living room

lined with a wall of glass, the design team

opted for sleek, low-lying furnishings

that do not interrupt the outside view or

the selection of art. “We could have gone

very small or very large for the wall art,

but opted for four dramatic art panels by

Vicky Barranguet,” Halfen says. Nearby, the

“WE COULD HAVE

GONE VERY SMALL OR

VERY LARGE WITH THE

WALL ART, BUT OPTED

FOR FOUR DRAMATIC

ART PANELS BY VICKY

BARRANGUET,”

ARCHITECT AND

INTERIOR DESIGNER

STEPHANIE HALFEN SAYS.

LEFT: Restoration Hardware’s low-lying sofas join

a leather bench from Regina Andrew in the great

room. Above the dining table from Molteni&C,

chandeliers by Moooi are transparent lattices

until lit, then glowing spherical stars.

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FLORIDA DESIGN’S MIAMI H&D 14-2

WITH LIGHT FROM THE FRONT, BACK AND OVERHEAD, THE LIVING AREA’S

EXPANSE IS FILLED WITH LIFE, AS A CHILD’S ARTISTRY BECOMES FABULOUS

ABSTRACT ORIGINALS THROUGH THE MAGIC OF ARTIST ALEX TURCO.

interplay of the dining ensemble’s legs and the vertical thrusts of the bronzed slats leave the view from the

entry through to the water unobstructed.

Normally, a house ﬁlled with children will have their various accomplishments on display. Yet it is rare that a

three-year-old’s artistry will be blown up and exhibited with as much success as that of the owners’ offspring,

whose tiny sketch was turned into functional art by Alex Turco. With but a little shove, the living area’s doors

Plush leather-clad armchairs from Poltrona

Frau square off with Molteni&C’s wide,

glass-topped cocktail table in the living

area. Tractless doors covered in original art

slide open to the kitchen and family room.

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FLORIDA DESIGN’S MIAMI H&D 14-2

DESIGNED WITH A DISTINCT FEEL, THE

LADY’S MASTER BATH IS WRAPPED IN

ALL WHITE WITH A CRYSTAL CHAN-

DELIER ABOVE AND A FREESTANDING

TUB SET CENTER STAGE.

covered with the child’s aluminum reproduction become fabulous abstract originals that slide

open to reveal the kitchen and family room beyond.

With sleek kitchen cabinetry from Poggenpohl, a monochromatic palette continues until

the playful pop of color in the family room. Bonaldo’s table and chairs are light enough for little

hands to move near a family friendly banquette.

With four bedrooms upstairs, the owners wanted a place for little folks to play, an intimate

space just for them. Games, homework and cuddle time all occur inside what appears as a

mahogany playhouse.

As if stacking dice, the architects have given a narrow lot depth and height by adjusting

the arrangement of those die. The entire master suite sits like a voluminous cube atop another.

An overhanging square is topped by a rectangular terrace, and along facades, shadow-box

structure gives dimension to windows and doors.

With the same South American sensibilities as her client, Halfen understood not only her

cultural tastes, but also the needs of her growing family. “I see my children maybe having a

ﬁrst kiss on the balcony, or receiving a graduation bouquet,” Wexler says. “This is the house

for us for a long, long time.”

Geometry prevails in the cozy kitchen and family room, where Poggenpohl’s cube cabinetry and banquette

join Bonaldo’s table and side chairs from Addison House. Nearby, cocktail modules by Moroso take

center stage, while Missoni’s theatrical throw and Surya’s woven area rug add a burst of color.

ABOVE: Though a children’s play area for now, one day the owner sees the mahogany wood-covered nook as

a place for study and thought. West Elm’s colorful throw and a plush area rug from Restoration Hardware

add a touch of warmth. The door inside leads to a rooftop terrace … open now only under supervision.

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FLORIDA DESIGN’S MIAMI H&D 14-2

ABOVE RIGHT: Tucked beneath a mahogany wrapped

sun-shelter, a sofa from Clima Outdoor and Paola

Lenti’s lounge chairs set the stage for open-air

entertainment. Fruit punch served on an Anima

Domus cocktail table is perfect for all occasions.

RIGHT: Little color is needed in a master bath when

surface, form and function are preeminent. The

black porcelain wall from New Stone Age accents

the polish of MiaCucina’s vanity with a convenient

shelf for linens nestled below.

The master bedroom, with its exquisite paneled mahogany unit

expands towards a private balcony and dazzling skyline beyond.

SOURCES

LIVING AREA

Sofas - Restoration Hardware, Miami, FL

Fabric - Perennials, David Sutherland

Showroom, DCOTA, Dania Beach, FL

White lounge chairs - Poltrona Frau Group, Miami, FL

Bench - Regina Andrew Design, Riverview, MI

Cocktail table - Molteni&C, Modus, MDD, Miami, FL

Orange and purple abstract artwork - Alex Turco Art Designer,

MDD, Miami, FL

Yellow and black artwork and area rug - Owners’ Collection

DINING AREA

Dining table - Molteni&C, Modus, MDD, Miami, FL

Dining chairs - Bonaldo, Addison House, Aventura, FL

Sideboard - Custom designed by Agsia Design Group,

North Miami Beach, FL

Fabricated by Artec Custom Wood, Miami, FL

Pendant light ﬁxtures - Moooi, Lumens Light + Living,

Sacramento, CA

STA IRWAY

Stairway fabricated by Ambiance Interiors Manufacturing

Corp., Miami, FL

KITCHEN

Cabinetry and banquette - Poggenpohl US, Inc., Doral, FL

Countertops - Fine Surfaces and More, Miami, FL

Hood and double ovens - Wolf, Ferguson, Miami, FL

Table - Bonaldo, www.deplain.com

Side chairs - Bonaldo, Addison House,

Aventura, FL

FAMILY ROOM

Sofa - Living Divani, Luminaire, Coral Gables, FL

Yellow accent pillow fabric - Crate&Barrel, Aventura, FL

Throw on sofa - Missoni, Addison House, Aventura, FL

Cocktail tables - Moroso, www.hivemodern.com

Area rug - Surya, Atlanta, GA

PL AY A RE A

Table, chairs, lounge chairs and center

ottoman - Owners’ Collection

Throw on ottoman - West Elm, Hallandale Beach, FL

Wood wall and ceiling treatment fabricated by South Millwork

Corp., Miami, FL

Area rug - Restoration Hardware, Miami, FL

MASTER BEDROOM

Bed - Design Within Reach, MDD, Miami, FL

Wood wall unit fabricated by South Millwork Corp.,

Miami, FL

Balcony chairs - Restoration Hardware, Miami, FL

MASTER BATH

Vanity - MiaCucina, Aventura, FL

Mirrors - M & J Mirrors and Glass, Miami, FL

Wall covering and ﬂooring - New Stone Age, Inc., Miami, FL

PATIO

Sofa - Clima Outdoor, Miami, FL

Fabric - Sunbrella, Glen Raven, NC

Lounge chairs - Paola Lenti, www.deplain.com

Cocktail table - Anima Domus,

North Miami, FL

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FLORIDA DESIGN’S MIAMI H&D 14-2