Vibrant Ocean Views Inspire Bal Harbour Condo

Fed up with construction delays, a client opts for oceanfront opulence in Bal Harbour

606

When life lobs you lemons, you make lemonade—or, better yet, a lemon drop martini. For Miami-based interior designer Fanny Haim’s clients, a married twosome from the southeastern U.S. looking to put down roots in the Magic City, their lemons came in the form of condo construction delays. To sweeten the situation (and to give their roots a chance to grow), they did an about-face—abandoning plans for a newly built condo and snapping up an ocean-facing unit in the same beachfront building in Bal Harbour where they had been temporarily nesting. 

“They fell in love with the sophisticated lifestyle,” Haim says of the two-tower property nestled in an upscale and fashion-forward community steps from the Bal Harbour Shops.

While the couple originally enlisted Haim to design their former condo, they now needed the Colombian-born designer to transform their newly purchased two-bedroom, two-bath retreat into a serene and elegant pied-à-terre they could use for entertaining, hosting family and friends, and relaxing with their dogs. The husband is an entrepreneur who wanted the flexibility to work from home, so a dedicated workspace was another must. 

Although the homeowners agreed with the majority of Haim’s suggestions—including gutting the master bath and the powder room—the designer and her team had their work cut out for them. “The challenge was turning a very basic and boxy apartment into something more personalized and compelling,” she says. “Despite the limitations, [the clients] were open to how we could tailor the apartment to them.”

The work began in the space’s private elevator foyer: a once-pitchy space is now paneled with ash veneers and illuminated by a patinated brass bronze chandelier Damien Langlois-Meurinne designed to resemble tree branches. Haim reimagined what she calls the “standard developer kitchen” with ceiling-high cabinetry in white lacquer, and added a wine wall and custom cabinets in oyster-colored lacquered linen that conceal a home bar and an unsightly support column. 

Next, she and senior designer Carolina Gutierrez transformed a small space at the northern end of the kitchen into an intimate home office and integrated bespoke wall systems in the office and living room for displaying books and art and keeping the living spaces clutter-free. 

To avoid competing with the condo’s spectacular Atlantic Ocean panoramas, furnishings and other appointments were kept to a minimum and covered in a mélange of supple and textured fabrics doused in neutral hues from cool ivories to toasted browns. “I wanted the apartment to feel like an oasis in the sky, both contemplative and restful with quiet colors,” Haim says. 

The sun-filled living room features an Asian-themed rug that was custom designed by Michelle Haim—creative director of Fanny Haim and Associates—and manufactured by Stark Carpet. Inspired by a trip Haim took to Japan, it anchors a matching set of Silencio coffee tables and leather chairs (both by Christian Liaigre) and a pair of antique African stools. “It’s that permanent dialogue between the hard and the soft, the linear and the curvaceous, that makes such an interesting mix,” Haim says. 

Another rug that Haim worked with Stark to design—in nuances of ivory, black, brown, and gray—delineates the dining area between the kitchen and living room. “Rarely will I use a rug under a dining room table, but it’s what my clients wanted,” she explains. “A good thing, too, because we realized how much it pulled everything together.”

The couple also wanted their home to exude an urban, beach house vibe, which the team accomplished by placing coastal-inspired materials and accessories in nearly every room. In the master bath, for example, a marble vanity exudes colors evocative of the ocean. The living room’s Belgian bluestone floor tiles “add a twist to the beachfront living concept,” Haim says. 

When asked what part of the project was her favorite, Haim smiles. “It may sound cliché, but it was the clients. They were so receptive and open-minded,” she says. “Their feedback really informed the work and inspired us.” 

Story Credits:

Interior Design by Fanny Haim, Fanny Haim & Associates, Miami, FL

Builder SA Builders, Miami, FL

Text by Kerry Shorr

Photography by Libertad Rodriguez, Hypoluxo, FL

Open to see Interior Design Sources:

Sources

Living Room

Sofa – Minotti, Miami, FL

Club chairs – Christian Liaigre, LIAIGRE, Miami, FL

Fabric – Fanny Haim Atelier, Miami, FL

Swivel chair – Yabu Pushelberg, Avenue Road, Miami, FL

Cocktail tables – Christian Liaigre, LIAIGRE, Miami, FL

Drink table – McCollin Bryan, Holly Hunt, Miami, FL

Floating shelf designed by Fanny Haim & Associates, Miami, FL

Millwork by HASAC, Miami, FL  

Metal work by CMS, Miami, FL

Stonework by SA Builders, Miami, FL

Drapery fabric – Fanny Haim Atelier, Miami, FL

Area rug – Fanny Haim Atelier, Stark Carpet, Hollywood, FL

Office

Desk designed by Fanny Haim & Associates, Miami, FL

Fabricated by HASAC, Miami, FL  

Desk chair – Herman Miller, Design Within Reach, Miami, FL

Chair and ottoman – Minotti, Miami, FL

Wall shelve designed by Fanny Haim & Associates, Miami, FL

Fabricated by HASAC, Miami, FL  

Shelve lighting designed by Fanny Haim & Associates, Miami, FL

Fabricated by HASAC, Miami, FL  

Area rug – Edelman Leather, Miami, FL

Breakfast Area/Kitchen

Table – Yabu Pushelberg, Avenue Road, Miami, FL

Chairs – Christophe Delcourt, Avenue Road, Miami, FL

Hanging pendants – Wonder Glass, Luminaire, Miami, FL

Stool – Holly Hunt Studio, Holly Hunt, Miami, FL

Area rug – Fanny Haim Atelier, Miami, FL

Primary Bedroom

Bed designed and fabricated by Holly Hunt Studio, Holly Hunt, Miami, FL

Fabric – Fanny Haim Atelier, Miami, FL

Bedding – Threadcount, Miami, FL

Wall designed by Fanny Haim & Associates, Miami, FL

Fabricated by HASAC, Miami, FL  

Bench – Vladimir Kagan, Holly Hunt, Miami, FL

Bedside tables – Robicara, Miami, FL

Pendant lighting – Christopher Boots, Jean De Merry, TX

Drapery fabric – Clarence House, Holly Hunt, Miami, FL

Area rug – Fanny Haim Atelier, Stark Carpet, Hollywood, FL

Primary Bath

Cabinetry designed by Fanny Haim & Associates, Miami, FL

Fabricated by HASAC, Miami, FL  

Sink – SA Builders, Miami, FL

Tub – Agape, Luminaire, Miami, FL

Wall paneling designed by Fanny Haim & Associates, Miami, FL

Fabricated by HASAC, Miami, FL  

Marble wall designed by Fanny Haim & Associates, Miami, FL

Fabricated by SA Builders, Miami, FL

Flooring – Naturali Stone, Miami, FL 

Facebook Comments