From the outside, the newly built, intensely contemporary home in the Coconut Grove neighborhood of Miami perfectly blends all the clean lines and distinctive geometries of a modernist dream house. Board-formed concrete? Check. Jerusalem stone? Check. Wood-like aluminum louvers? Check, check, check. Upon entering its spacious interiors, however, a residence that deftly bridges a rectilinear and sculptural exterior with warm, classic interiors is revealed.
“We were really trying to achieve a natural harmony between the [two],” Max Strang, founder and director of the Florida firm Strange Design, says of the 8,500-square-foot home. “We sought to capture the essence of the clients’ desire to meld the strong contemporary themes outside with an [effortless] flow inside,” he adds.
The results exhibit the firm’s skillset, in terms of bringing tailored vision to life. The use of natural materials, seen throughout the home, lends a sense of overall warmth. They also allow for a rich spatial experience to fully bloom, thanks to elegant patterns and subtle textures.
The main living room, which combines understated colors and simple forms, includes a Petalas coffee table by Jorge Zalszupin and a Jaganda armchair by Jean Gillon. The works are both by Brazilian designers known for employing local materials and techniques in their work. Their inclusions are fitting, considering the fact that the homeowners are a Brazilian couple who count themselves as lifelong collectors of furniture and art that pay homage to their heritage.
Iranian Mexican American artist Amir Nikravan’s sinuous artwork adds another artistic element to the deeply calming living room. More such finds abound. Tightrope: I Want to Slow Down and Think, a bold, contemporary work of reclaimed electronic components by Ethiopia-born Elias Sime commands the family room, which includes Tonico chairs by Sergio Rodrigues. The pioneering Brazilian architect and designer is known for his penchant for infusing his work with traditional local materials such as leather, wood, and rattan.
In the dining room, harmony is achieved thanks to Navona Travertine tile flooring, stone walls, and and teak paneling. Senior lounge armchairs by Zalszupin help anchor the space. Marrying vintage elements with modern principles reflects the creative spirit of the clients, according to Strang Design managing director and partner Alexandra Mangimelli. “We understood the important role their art collection and furnishings played in their lives,” she notes. “We wanted to create spaces that thoughtfully reflected that.”
That sort of interplay unfolds artfully in the game room, which includes Apparatus light fixtures and barstools from Thomas Hayes Studio in Los Angeles. The vintage chairs in the game room are by Mario Bellini, the renowned Italian architect and designer. As for the kitchen—a strikingly contemporary space—counters by MiaCucina and a backsplash by Ceramic Matrix can’t help but steal the spotlight. “It was important that each space had its own personality,” Max Strang reflects. “But it was also important the overall scheme maintained a certain flow and cohesion.”
The home’s exterior is made from board-formed concrete and Jerusalem stone with wood-like aluminum louvers. For Max Strang, achieving a natural harmony between the exterior and interiors was paramount.
Retractable floor to ceiling windows make for easy indoor-outdoor living.
Iranian Mexican American artist Amir Nikravan created the artwork in the living room. The Los Angeles–based artist creates hybrid objects that often fuse elements of painting, photography, and sculpture together. This area of the home also includes a Petalas coffee table by Jorge Zalszupin and the Jangada armchair by Jean Gillon, the Brazilian furniture designer and artist known for employing local materials and techniques in his work.
11 March 2022
