Key Largo Condo Strikes an Artful Balance

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Family-friendly and art-centric rarely go together when speaking about interior design, but that was the directive designer Robert Rionda received when a Miami couple approached him about the interiors of their 8,000-square-foot condominium in Key Largo. 

“They insisted on a refined, elevated home, even though that might seem odd for the casual Keys,” says Rionda. “But they also wanted to have comfort above all else. And plenty of wall space to display their superior art collection.” 

With six ensuite bedrooms often occupied by visiting family and friends, the residence doesn’t lack for private space, so Rionda designed a floor plan around the large great room and its two terraces to ensure convivial zones of interaction. “The idea was to have enough space for people to do their own thing, but still be comfortable when they came together,” says the designer. 

To take advantage of the bright sunlight that comes through the windows during the day, Rionda opted for Venetian plaster for the condo’s continuous nine-foot ceilings and tapped Delaney Fine Finishes and Decofinish for the installation. “The plaster basically creates a big reflection,” explains Rionda. “It gives the illusion of a higher, seemingly infinite ceiling.” Because most of the walls received this same treatment (except for the ones covered in wire-brushed oak paneling), the design team opted for bleached oak flooring to diffuse some of the brightness underfoot. Additional finishes are found in the kitchen: light oak cabinets from Viking and Taj Mahal quartzite from Opustone on the countertops. The sum of all these materials created the textured yet neutral-enough backdrop the owners wanted for their art, a colorful grouping of masterpieces that includes paintings, photography, and the occasional oddity. 

Curating said art collection was a joint effort between the homeowners and Rionda, who accompanied them on many art-buying excursions to offer advice from his designer’s perspective. “We went to Art Basel, Untititled, and some other Art Week fairs in Miami, which is always memorable,” recalls Rionda. “And we also went to San Francisco where their art collector friends hosted us for a few days and guided us as it related to contemporary California artists.” 

When it came to furniture and accessories, Rionda suggested the homeowners complement the space with some collectible pieces. One example of this is a bench made with commercial-grade glass pipes and stainless steel by Christopher Kreiling Studio that was positioned beneath an abstract by Markus Linnenbrink in one of the home’s many art vignettes. “Sitting on that bench is the oddest sensation,” says Rionda. “But the homeowners loved it, so I loved it.” 

The designer also recommended items that appealed to the clients’ affinity for nautical themes and the Art Deco period, including a pair of Fendi Casa floor lamps in the living room and quilted chairs from The Bright Group in the dining room. And when the homeowners insisted all the seating throughout the residence be as comfortable as humanly possible, Rionda traveled to workrooms in Miami, New York, and Los Angeles to customize the fill and padding, and ensure the upholstery fabrics were above par. 

“All in all, this experience was a truly collaborative effort between the design team and the clients,” says Rionda. “And that made a world of difference.”

Story Credits:

Interior Design by Robert Rionda, Robert Rionda Interiors, Miami, FL

Text by Riki Altman-Yee

Photography by Kris Tamburello, Miami, FL

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