A Modern Renaissance in Contemporary Surf Club Condo

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When they got the call, the last thing Christopher Coleman and Angel Sanchez expected was meeting a new design client on New Year’s Eve 2019. As they sat on the floor of an empty apartment, the pair kicked off the exciting project on the same holiday that the iconic Surf Club held its launch party in 1930. Built by tire magnate Harvey Firestone, from the moment it opened its doors, the Surf Club was known as the private playground of the wealthy, attracting movie stars, moguls, and royals from all over the world.

In 2016, the historic club structure was restored to its original grandeur, re-opening in 2017 as the Surf Club Four Seasons, a luxury lifestyle development that includes a Four Seasons hotel and two residential towers designed by Pritzker Prize-winning architect, Richard Meier. His sleek signature style appealed to the homeowners, who often have pieces from their contemporary art collection on loan to museums. The couple and their two teenage children live in a historic building in New York and also have homes in Southampton and Texas. “They saw a project we did in Sunny Isles in a magazine and called us,” states Coleman.” They always hire local designers so the interior of the home looks like the city it’s in.”  

Coleman has been an interior designer for over 30 years; during the same time, Sanchez established himself as a fashion designer after two years of working as an architect in his native Venezuela. They met in Caracas in 1998 and joined forces five years ago as Sanchez + Coleman. “I bring the bold strokes, the drama, and an architectural point of view,” says Sanchez. “I bring the practicality, furnishings, and colors,” adds Coleman. “Angel is also very fast with layouts and sketches. It’s a perfect balance.”

The direction for the 2,400-square-foot, three-bedroom, four-and-a-half-bath apartment was immediate. “I proposed doing the white column in the living room in an ombré effect, with a saturated Yves Klein blue at the bottom,” said Sanchez. The client loved it and it set a fearless tone for the rest of the project. 

For the living room, the client knew he wanted a specific sofa from Ralph Pucci. The cushy round chairs and coffee tables by Holly Hunt complement its curved lines, while a John Koga plaster floor lamp conveys a sophisticated playfulness. The custom cable-knit sweater rug creates a cozy space in which to entertain. “The chaise reflects light from the sculpture and the wall just glows,” says Coleman. Art installers were flown in from New York to hang the pieces throughout, as was conceptual artist Lawrence Weiner for his wall installation.

Iconic pieces were chosen for all rooms and included the Saarinen table and chairs for the dining room. “The massive Pierre Paulin chandelier from Paris blew out the transformer the first time but these challenges happen,” says Coleman with a smile. An entire wall in the master bedroom is covered in Le Corbusier wallpaper in the same color as the Ribbon Chair. The family room is mainly for the kids and their friends who come to visit. It’s anchored by a bright yellow B&B Italia sofa. “We’d seen the banana wallpaper by Flavor Paper in New York a few months before starting on this room,” says Sanchez. The pattern riffs on the Art Basel 2019 incident where a banana taped to a wall with duct tape art piece exploded on social media when it sold for $120,000. “The clients are serious collectors but definitely have a sense of humor. They were quite happy with the results.”

Story Credits:

Interior Design by Angel Sanchez and Christopher Coleman, Sanchez + Coleman Studio, Miami, FL 

Text by Daisy Olivera

Photography by Ken Hayden, Miami, FL

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