When a film producer and art collector and her husband decided to make Miami their second home, they certainly didn’t take the easy route. Instead of purchasing a sleek new condo in one of the city’s shiny new towers, they opted to acquire two side-by-side apartments with views of Biscayne Bay and transform them into one 5,000-square-foot residence with a white oak bridge that connects the two units and flows like a catwalk above the living room.
Once the properties were hers, the homeowner could think of only one team she wanted for the interior design: House of Hunt, the firm renowned designer Holly Hunt established a few years ago after selling her eponymous company to Knoll in 2014.
“Because we were starting from scratch, we needed a designer and architect who would consider the entire gestalt of the space and ensure that every room related to one another in a cohesive and thoughtful manner,” says the homeowner. “Our vision for the space was to create a cozy and harmonious atmosphere, utilizing warm and inviting colors while incorporating interesting textures to complement our contemporary art collection without overshadowing it.”
Overshadowing said collection would have been a crime. An avid collector with strong ties to the Guggenheim Museum, the homeowner’s assemblage of masterpieces includes works by Rita Ackermann, Aaron Curry, Olafur Eliasson, Alex Hubbard, James Welling, James Rosenquist, Robert Rauschenberg, Rodney Graham, and John Baldessari (to name a few).
Upon being asked to spearhead the project, Hunt’s answer was an enthusiastic yes. “Our primary goal was to create a palette and design scheme that accentuated the incredible multi-medium art collection, while also maximizing exposure to the views of the bay,” says the designer, who worked alongside her design director, Jim Dynes, and lead designer, Neesha Reddivari. “We wanted the space to feel sophisticated yet fun, so we designed the architecture and furnishings to complement the vibrant artworks.”
To ensure the interiors were simpatico with the bold and eclectic art, the House of Hunt crew paid special attention to textures by layering various materials: stone, lacquer, and mirror in the kitchen; glass and metal in the dining room; white oak on the aforementioned bridge that connects his and her offices; and velvet, leather, linen, and bouclé on the furniture throughout the home. “The furnishings are from a mix of designers to keep the space from feeling uniform, giving it a more bespoke and dynamic character, similar to the art,” says Hunt. “We opted for organic shapes to achieve a fluid layout for a natural and inviting experience.”
The dynamic, layered outcome thrilled both the client and the design team equally.
“The finished space exceeded our original vision in ways we couldn’t have imagined,” says the homeowner. “And the fact that Holly and I are still good friends after almost four years of an intense working relationship says it all.”
Story Credits:
Text by Luis R. Rigual
Interior Photography by Kris Tamburello
Designer photo courtesy of House of Hunt
Photo Styling by Senses Unleashed
General Contractor: HB Construction; Architect of Record: ANDStudio
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