Contemporary Elegance Soars Above Sunny Isles Beach

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As its fortunate residents can attest, Sunny Isles Beach is a destination that offers more than sun, surf, and sand. Home to world-class architecture, popular restaurants, and entertainment venues, the city has become one of South Florida’s most desirable locations. For a Brazilian couple seeking the ultimate vacation escape from the hectic pace in São Paulo, the town checked all the bullets on their must-have list. And after closing on a gorgeous waterfront property on the 38th floor of the tony Jade Signature tower, they wasted no time in enlisting the talents of fellow Brazilians Heverton Silva and Eleonora Hildebrand to implement the interior design on their new acquisition.

“The building’s relationship with nature, the environment, and its surroundings are at the core of its design,” says Silva of the stunning coastline structure created by the esteemed Swiss architectural firm Herzog & de Meuron. “My clients have an active social life and are also passionate art, design, and architecture enthusiasts, which highly influenced their decision to purchase this property.”

A couple in their 50s with four children, the owners sought a sublime vacation getaway where they could relax with family and friends several times a year. The two were very precise about their expectations for the interior style of the apartment—they wanted sophisticated, contemporary design within a welcoming atmosphere.

“However, when you have a strong opponent such as the turquoise ocean views from whatever floor-to-ceiling window you look at, you realize your biggest challenge,” says Silva. “For us, it was to create a narrative that balances the views, as well as to transform the empty space into a comfortable, livable environment.”

To address this, the design team first devised a strategy for materials and palette. Silva’s primary idea was to harmonize the ocean’s blue tones with complementary colors to create visual comfort for the observer experience. He chose soft tones in opposition to the turquoise views using a beautiful set of wall timber paneling and warm-toned Italian travertine Navona marble flooring with delicate veining.

“When living in this apartment, arriving home becomes a unique experience,” says the designer. “The elevator door opens directly to the entrance hall, surprising visitors with a striking suspended photograph by Brazilian artist Flávia Junqueira backdropped by extraordinary ocean views. The entry guides you to a welcome sitting area that articulates the formal living space and family dining room. My idea was to create a fluid and organic seating layout that immediately invites homeowners and guests to [pause] and enjoy a relaxed conversation.”

Upon entering, the strong presence of timber panels covering the columns and walls brings an intimate sense of warmth. Ten-foot floor-to-ceiling windows surround the entire living and dining area, providing vast vistas of city and ocean. The sleek walls and marble floors create a lustrous backdrop for Italian-designed furnishings that lend a high-style edge to the substantial square footage.

“We used a light warm gray as the predominant color for the fabrics,” adds Silva. “Light grayish blue and pastel earth-toned rugs set a soft, refined mood. To create contrast, we integrated some key elements, such as the deep blue armchair between the sectionals and the stainless-steel bench by Chris Howker. We love the concept of interjecting a piece that plays with the idea of a multi-purpose object and asks the question: ‘Is this furniture or sculpture?’”

In the dining room, a blue-toned chandelier steals the show. Each piece enjoys its own shape and, in multiples, creates a sculptural display of lighting that sets a dialogue with the ocean and provides an artistic statement. The west terrace connects directly to the dining room and offers the family scenic alfresco entertaining options and a place for peaceful contemplation.

“The homeowners couldn’t be happier with their new beach haven,” notes Silva. “The cozy interiors allied with amazing views of the ocean—seamlessly bound together—and their delight in relaxing on the balconies are the features they talk about again and again every time we have the chance to ask how they are enjoying their home.”

Story Credits:

Interior Design Heverton Silva & Eleonora Hildebrand, HS Arquitetura, Ontario, Canada & São Paulo, Brazil

Text by Jeanne Delathouder

Photography by Craig Denis, Miami, FL

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