Modern Fort Lauderdale Home is Neutral Territory

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A look at Sire Design’s portfolio reveals a genuine commitment to singularity that consistently yields projects that can’t be easily defined. For Eilyn Jimenez, Sire’s founder and a steadfast believer of the no-repeat rule, that means a willingness to go the extra mile to find a look that suits each space and client.

“Design is much more than making beautiful spaces,” says Jimenez. “It’s really about connecting with the clients, understanding who they are, and translating that into a tangible design that they get to live in.”

For a married couple who were renovating and doubling the size of their house in Fort Lauderdale, Jimenez leaned into what she calls a “reinvented version of modernism,” a look marked by an autumnal palette of neutrals.On the practical side, the couple wanted a home that would accommodate their three children with room for their weekly Shabbat dinners with family and friends. “I’m a firm believer that things can look beautiful and still be used,” says Jimenez. “The functionality is in the forefront, but we know that we have an array of materials to play with that allow for versatility.”

Jimenez’s dramatic decor starts in the home’s living room, where the dominant feature is a custom-designed modern fireplace with a sculptural element that soars up to the room’s 14-foot ceiling. “When you walk in, we wanted you to see something that wasn’t just a flat box on the wall,” she explains. “We gave the fireplace some texture to look like something that had been there for a while.”

Jimenez also created a visual moment with the home’s new staircase. She designed a beautiful curve to the balustrade and wrapped the first step’s marble around the perimeter of the living room to the fireplace. Layering Old World materials, textures, and curves ensures that the modernity of the space never reads as cold, but instead, as Jimenez puts it, “The room hugs you.”

Balancing the sculptural fireplace are two large structural pillars that became a design element thanks to the built-in bar and glass shelves that visually separate the living room from a breakfast table and the new, much larger kitchen. “The homeowner had specific requests for the kitchen,” notes Jimenez. “They keep kosher, so she needed two of everything and space for storage.” Sophisticated millwork and repeating the marble from the living room gives the kitchen an elevated look that still fulfills the very practical needs of a family with three children.

Because the family loves to entertain on a large scale, the dining room needed to seat 12. The custom-made table can easily accommodate that number with room to squeeze in a couple of extra guests when needed. The forest-green built-ins at the end of the room provide storage and hide a sink, ice maker, and refrigerator. Jimenez chose the color to link the greens of the home’s yard and outdoor spaces with the interior palette.

While the first floor features space for enter-taining, the second-floor addition, with four en suite bedrooms, has more of a family vibe. For example, there’s no TV in the living room, which Jimenez says she “1,000 percent supports.” Instead, there’s a second-floor TV-viewing lounge. “It’s a space you see as soon as you come up the stairs,” she says. “So, it’s a space meant for kids, but not designed for kids—there are no polka dots!” Instead, Jimenez used a sophisticated dark brown velvet for the sofa that’s practical as well as cozy. There are plenty of tables and bookshelves for setting down a drink and layered lighting that’s easy on the senses.

“This project showcases why we select things that prioritize longevity and beauty,” says Jimenez. “With those things in mind, you can design beautifully while still allowing the space to be used every single day.”

Story Credits:

Interior Design by Eilyn Jimenez, Sire Design, Miami, FL

Text by Laura Hine

Photography by Jeanne Canto, Miami, FL

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