A Contemporary French Colonial in Coral Gables

Home Tours / April 1, 2021

A Contemporary French Colonial in Coral Gables

“Upon entry, you’re immediately greeted with an airy, open space with stunning views through to the back of the home. While the actual footprint of the room isn’t large in comparison to the rest of the home, it’s certainly an impactful moment. We added a rustic console and metal-framed mirror on the focal wall, then layered in a chandelier in a soft white finish. We love the whimsical shape and the subtle texture it brings!”

“The oversized brass dome pendant we had installed in the living room is a definite showstopper. Because the floor plan is so open, it grabs your attention from almost any room on the first floor.

A pair of rattan accent chairs across from the sofa round out the seating area. We had the back cushions reupholstered in a patterned fabric from one of our favorite textile designers – Susan Connor NY (the fabric is Folio in Lake Distressed), giving them a unique touch and a more elevated look.”

Art by Gray Malin

“We brought in a bit of vintage (via Chairish) with the Senufo stools in front of the fireplace. They’re similar in size, but not a perfect match and the imperfections bring so much character to the space.”

Cane chair by HatiHome

“We designed custom square paneling to bring some subtle definition to the back wall. Since it’s open to the surrounding rooms, we matched the paneling to the wall color to keep things looking cohesive. The pop of color from the pink Paule Marrot artwork, flanked by a pair of alabaster sconces, is one of our favorite moments!”

“This room is quite large, so to make it feel a bit cozier, we added a built-in bench below the window where our clients can enjoy their morning coffee. The long cushion and a few throw pillows bring in some lovely softness.”

“The builder finished the kitchen beautifully with inset cabinetry and light countertops, so we were working with a really good base here, but we did swap out the kitchen pendants. The originals were simple lantern fixtures, and we wanted something with more personality!”

“We also sourced a beautiful vintage cabinet from Chairish, which ticks all the boxes for charm and character.”

“The primary bedroom in this home is such a bright, beautiful space that overlooks the pool and backyard. The muted color palette and and abundance of cozy spots to curl up. We were able to incorporate our client’s existing chaise at the foot of the bed, as well as a reading corner, making it a perfectly relaxing retreat.”

Chandelier by Park Studio LA

“Instead of placing a dresser on the long wall in front of the bedroom doors, we opted for a long floating shelf from The Shelf Shop. It’s slim in profile, but still anchors the large round mirror above.”

“While we didn’t carry out any major changes in the bathroom, it was important to our clients that the space, finished almost exclusively in marble tile, didn’t feel too cold. We focused on adding furniture pieces and accessories with characterful details and plenty of natural texture to bring in the warmth that they were after. We also incorporated a long vintage runner to cozy up the floors.”

“What started out as a plain white box now houses custom bookcases for our client’s extensive book collection. We love the beautiful airiness in the home, but we went for a sofa nook recessed into the cabinetry to create a more intimate, cozy space to relax. The built-in sofa is upholstered in a super soft linen fabric in light grey, with lots of throw pillows for maximum comfort. The sconces mounted on either side of the nook cast a beautiful glow in the evenings.”

“French doors open onto the patio from 3 sides, making it perfect for indoor/outdoor living when the weather cools down here in South Florida. We incorporated a long dining table and a generous seating area for lounging.”

“We swapped some more formal lantern fixtures for rattan globe pendants to tie this space in with all the natural texture inside the home. We love the casual, resort-y vibe they bring to the patio.”

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Interior Design: The Habitat Collective

Photography: Christine Michelle

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In January 2020, one Brooklyn family decided to leave the city behind for sunshine and more space in Florida. Having traveled internationally for years, they didn’t have a ton of “stuff” and needed to furnish their new French Colonial home top to bottom. They connected with The Habitat Collective virtually, sharing mood boards and inspiration via Zoom. Little did they know that this process was a preview for what was to come–Covid-19 turned the world upside down in March and Zoom design became the norm!

Four months into the project, the family finally met their design team, Laura Greig and Sara Richards (socially distanced and masked, of course!) and were able to see their bright, airy, and comfortable space in real life. Though they never could have predicted how fantastic the move would be! Being able to spend the last year in warm weather, with plenty of room for distanced learning and outdoor living, certainly provided the calmer, easier lifestyle they’d initial sought out. The designers tell us more:

We love this house! What can you tell us about it? Where exactly is it located?
The house is a new build Contemporary French Colonial (completed in 2020), located in the Coral Gables area of Miami. The neighborhood is very lush and tropical, and the surrounding landscape is on full view through all the lovely, large windows in the home. One of the reasons our clients left New York for Miami was for the bright, sunny weather and tropical climate and both the neighborhood and interiors reflect this! As well as the leafy, family-friendly neighborhood and style of the house, our clients also fell in love with the airy high ceilings, the abundance of natural light, and the way the spaces open onto their outdoor areas with rows of beautiful French doors.

We’d love to know more about your clients. Why did they make the move and when did you first connect?
Our clients, a young family of 4 (plus their adorable miniature Dachshund and cat) are recent Miami transplants who relocated from New York. They contacted us from their apartment in Brooklyn, having just purchased a new construction house in Miami, in January of 2020. We started working on the design in March, just before the world was upended by the pandemic. Our clients really wanted to streamline the process of furnishing their new house and to really make it feel like home for their family – something which they’ve struggled to do after years of frequent international moves. This time they wanted to create a cohesive, finished space which truly reflected them.

How did you bring their vision to life?
The inspiration for the interiors stemmed from our clients’ personal aesthetic and style – light, bright, neutral interiors with a touch of whimsy and femininity. We pulled the soft hued colors that you’ll see in the spaces from a couple of our clients’ existing artwork pieces.

Since this home was a new build, everything inside was pristine and perfect. Our aim with the interior was to add plenty of character with warm, textural furnishings – imperfect “rustic” finishes, and vintage pieces played a key role in bringing this home to life. We would describe the look we were going for here as “elevated eclectic” – polished yet laid back and very livable, where our clients can continue to add layers and memories from their future travels.

This project began virtually. What were some of the challenges when it came to designing via Zoom?
Designing someone’s home is such a personal thing, and normally we spend a bit of time face-to-face with clients (even out of town clients!) in their home, which helps us to get a broader feel for their personalities and tastes – so it was a bit strange furnishing a full home from scratch for people we’d only met via Zoom. It wasn’t until 4 months into the project, after the designs had been approved and logistics and order management had commenced that they arrived from New York and we finally met them (socially distanced and masked, of course)!

While we definitely missed having that personal connection in the initial stages, these clients were friendly, open and communicative which made the process go quite smoothly! They really placed their full trust in us to execute the vision and create a beautiful new home for their family.

How long did the project take, and what did the client say when they saw the finished space?
This project took nearly 10 months from project kickoff to completion. Since our clients were moving from New York without much furniture, we made the decision to have furniture delivered directly to the home so they could begin using their spaces sooner. So, rather than a “big reveal” we had more of a “slow reveal” with pieces trickling in over time. Once all the furniture had arrived, we did carry out a final installation of the finishing touches (planters, plants, accessories, bedding, textiles and rugs) which always makes a huge impact, and which our clients were very excited to see!

See more + hear about the design in the slideshow.

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