Coconut Grove Home’s Refined Modern Renewal

Surrounded by Coconut Grove’s lush vegetation, a renovated property finds new purpose as a fashionably modern family home

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With its canopy of plush greenery and Indian peacocks roaming the streets, Coconut Grove feels more like a remote tropical island than a coastal city neighborhood. Dotted with waterfront restaurants and quaint alfresco cafes, the enclave offers the ideal balance of suburban quiet and urban excitement. This brand of yin-yang charm means that even an imperfect property presents a desirable pursuit for homeowners—especially with the prospect of a fresh renovation envisioned through the eyes of DIDA Home’s talented design duo.

“Our clients, a young couple with two small children, came to us after purchasing the house from a developer,” says DIDA Home founder David Miranda, who co-owns the firm with designer Diana Uribe. “The finishes, lighting, and architectural details were unsuitable for their taste preferences, so we partnered with them for an overall improvement of the property.”

Born and raised in Ecuador, Miranda and Uribe share a passion for refined modern style, bespoke design, and exceptional craftsmanship. Hence, they refurbished all the millwork, flooring, and lighting throughout the interiors, incorporating seamless architecture with hidden baseboards, trimless lights, a modern Italian kitchen, and streamlined Poliform closets. Neutral limestone flooring balanced with stained oak wood paneling generates coziness. “For me, the circulation of the space was key,” says Uribe. “I am a fan of staircases—they provide everyday flow, creating the heart of the home. Here, the original stairs were bulky and stiff, so we opened them up and made them float, paying attention to details such as concealed support mechanisms to ensure circulation.”

The home’s muted color palette, informed by its site’s lush green landscapes, emerged as the ideal solution, aligning with the client’s tastes. “More than the color, what we really paid attention to was the richness of textures,” adds Miranda, “a tactile blend of fabrics, woods, and metals evoking a sense of warmth and elegance.” To mask a massive entrance door, the design crew paneled the entire foyer with millwork to hide as many doors as possible. A convivial receiving area greets guests with a charismatic eye-motif rug, a pair of mohair armchairs, and a dynamic black ceramic table created by Philadelphia-based artist Sean Gerstley. “We placed the dining room near the entrance so the family can enjoy front-yard views of the trees while having dinner,” notes Uribe. “I designed the sideboard with an exotic veneer from the Amazon jungle, and it turned out to be of my favorite pieces.”

Because the clients enjoy having their kids run around and share moments visible from the kitchen to the living room, an open floor plan was implemented in the main living spaces wherever possible. “We sliced through the walls to create a peekaboo effect, defining an ‘entrance moment’ to the living area, while an Egeo marble slab accents the back wall with dramatic veining to create movement,” says Miranda. “I also adore the little finishing touches, like the MMairo marble side table and the legs sculpture by my dear friend Marcela Cure.”

Ascending the floating staircase, slatted wood panels continue upward, uniting the two levels and allowing connectivity to downstairs activities. The second-floor family room forms a magical oasis in the treetops, where the couple loves to gather with their kids for TV time. Natural oak flooring throughout the upper level, including the primary bedroom and bath, lends a coziness that only wood finishes seem to achieve. For some contrast, the designers articulated the private suite with a lacquered pivot door and an architectural detail composing a seating niche encased in a lustrous wood framework.

“We loved being a part of this home during the two years of design and construction,” notes Miranda. “It was charming to see the unique and loving interaction between the couple’s first child and their newborn, as well as all the family members who came to visit.”

“I always enjoy the design process,” adds Uribe. “I wanted the details to be spectacular and make the clients happy, and that’s exactly what we did.”

Story Credits:

Interior Design by David Miranda & Diana Uribe, DIDA Home, Miami, FL

Text by Jeanne Delathouder

Photography by Jeanne Canto, North Miami, FL

Open to see Interior Design Sources:

Sources

Dining Area

Table – YAB, Collection Particulier, Paris, France

Chairs – Dudet, Cassina, cassina.com

Buffet design by DIDA Home, Miami, FL

Artwork above buffet – Daniel Berman, Mexico City, Mexico

Lighting – Apparatus, apparatusstudio.com

Club chair – PIA, Collection Particulier, Paris, France

Accent table – Sean Gerstley, @seangerstly

Sculptural rug – Nazar, Atelier Février, atelierfevrier.com

Living Room

Sofas – EKO, Christopher Delcourt, Paris, France

Club chair and cocktail table designed by DIDA Home, Miami, FL

Side tables – Pingu, Secolo, secolo.design

Block side table – Anna Karlim, MMairo, mmairo.com

Artwork – Paul Amundarain, Miami, FL

Stone wall – Egeo, Opustone Stone & Tile Concepts, Miami, FL

Legs sculpture – Marcela Cure, marcelacure.com

Area rug – Art and Loom, artandloom.com

Stairway

Stairway designed by DIDA Home, Miami, FL, and fabricated by CH Construction Group, Miami, FL

Millwork – Vedani Mobili, vedanimobili.com

Kitchen

Cabinetry – Poliform, Miami, FL

Island designed by DIDA Home, Miami, FL, and fabricated by Poliform, Miami, FL

Family Room

Sofa grouping – Minotti, Miami, FL

Cocktail ottoman designed by DIDA Home, Miami, FL

Floor lighting – Faina, @fainadesign

Area rug – Art and Loom, artandloom.com

Son’s Bedroom

Lego wall designed by DIDA Home, Miami, FL, and fabricated by Vedani Mobili, vedanimobili.com

Primary Bedroom

Bed and headboard – Poliform, poliform.it

Pendant lighting – Gabriel Scott, gabriel-scott.com

Swivel chairs – Gallotti & Radice, gallottiradice.it

Side tables – Elan Atelier, elanatelier.com

Sheep sculpture– Homeowners’ collection

Primary Bathroom

Cabinetry – Varena, Poliform, Miami, FL

Outdoor Space

Sofa grouping – Cassina, cassina.com

Side tables – Gervasoni, gervasoni1882.com

Dining chairs – B&B Italia, bebitalia.com

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