Life at the top has its rewards: rooms with breathtaking views, outdoor terraces for entertaining or relaxing, and the ultimate in privacy. Rising high into the sky, luxury penthouses offer all this and more.

When it comes to designing the interiors of these lofty spaces, maximizing the views is a top priority. To do so, designers often begin by altering the floor plan, which is precisely what Fanny Haim did in her clients’ Miami residence. By creating an open flow, Haim melds together the apartment’s ocean and cityscape views.

In Aventura, panoramic water views surround a Williams Island residence, creating “a private oasis feel” that immediately captivated its owners. Inside, designer Ron Bradshaw finessed the floor plan and architectural details in the preconstruction phase, setting the tone for an international mix of art, antiques and classic furnishings.
Gleaming with exotic woods, a Palm Beach penthouse boasts an unobstructed vista of the Atlantic Ocean. But to achieve the streamlined look the owners wanted, Louis Shuster first had to gut the interior. Then, playing with geometry, he used a motif of circles, squares and rectangles to lend a retro touch to the home’s Asian, mid-century modern and contemporary furnishings.

From the perspective of a Naples penthouse, the cloudless sky and the azure waters of the Gulf of Mexico become a mesmerizing sea of blue. This “view from the top” provided the starting point for interior designer Peter Ferwerda and architectural designer Anthony Weldon, whose timeless interpretation exudes barefoot elegance.

Crowning achievements deserve to be recognized, and this issue features some of the winning designs from the Midnight Affair Design Excellence Awards, as well as a list of the winners. Congratulations!

Barbara Lichtenstein

Vol. 14 No. 2