When approached about the renovation of an oddly shaped, 7,760-square-foot residence in a Delray Beach country club, designer Allen Saunders knew the task would be Goliathan. While the cul-de-sac property had its attributes, Saunders realized the 1999 Mediterranean manse’s yellow-toned walls, outdated Saturnia floors, and window frames overwrought with gridded mullions were but a few of the features that had to go. The seasoned designer was certain a total gut renovation was in the cards, and he was correct. But homeowners and real estate developers Barbara and Jeffrey Rosenberg, who had worked with Saunders on multiple commercial and residential projects, knew he was the right man for the job and trusted him implicitly.
“We were given carte blanche with one particular requirement,” says Saunders. “They wanted to walk into the space and be instantly wowed.”
In 2018 the homeowners moved out and the once over-ornamented house was reduced to a concrete shell. Saunders and his crew began the renovation by relocating the kitchen—Jeff’s happy place—so it would have an expansive view from an interior courtyard, into the breakfast room, and across the family room to the exterior entertainment and new pool areas.
The design team then set out to address the various octagon rooms in the home’s original architecture. Oscar Ono Paris wood flooring in a carefully selected Hungarian Point pattern was installed to address the spaces’ challenging geometry. “The flooring pattern worked well as it brought visual order to the plethora of 45-degree walls,” explains Saunders. “The goal was to try to eliminate these crazy angles where we could.”
Like the flooring, much of the genius behind Saunders’ design is in what the beholder cannot see or just takes for granted. Consider, for instance, the black leather de Sede Tatzelwurm sofa in the living room, placed atop a round Tai Ping Carpets area rug: It snakes around the room’s radius, but then becomes backless just as it meets the expansive window with views of the lush greenery beyond. Another example of this approach is offered by the various columns in the dining room, which are wrapped in charcoal veneer and bronze detailing, yet open to reveal storage space for serving ware. Yet more functional features are revealed in the kitchen where the middle of three large floor-to-ceiling panels conceals a roomy walk-in pantry. “If you educate and expose your client to approaches they’ve never seen, then you begin to build the foundation of enabling them to live better than they ever thought they could,” says Saunders.
While the design approach is practical, there is no shortage of eye candy. To achieve the desired European sophistication, artisanal elements were incorporated in every room, lighting selection was approached with a curator’s eye, and color choices were made with precision (with variations of purple making an appearance in the living room, dining room, and primary suite). As for the homeowners’ reaction to the finished product? “It’s striking and livable,” says Jeff. “When we walked in, our first reaction was, ‘Wow!’”
Mission accomplished.
Story Credits:
Interior Design by Allen Saunders, Allen Saunders Design, Miami, FL
Text by Riki Altman-Yee
Photography by Kris Tamburello, Miami, FL
Open to see Interior Design Sources:
Sources
Living Room
Sofa – de Sede Switzerland, desede.ch
Cocktail table – McCollin Bryan, Holly Hunt, Miami, FL
Drink table – Caste Design, Holly Hunt, Miami, FL
Accent chair – SE Collections, se-collections.com
Side table – Christophe Delcourt, Avenue Road, Miami Beach, FL
Custom pendant – Cameron Design House, London, England
Floor lamps – Flou S.P.A., fllou.it
Drapery fabric by Rogers & Goffigon and Villa Nova by ROMO, fabrication by Marsh Industries, Miami, FL
Area rug – Tai Ping Carpets, taipingcarpets.com
Dining Room
Table designed by Allen Saunders Design, Miami, FL, and fabricated Tod Von Mertens, todvon.com
Chairs designed by Allen Saunders Design, Miami, FL, and fabricated by Estetica Custom Upholstery, Miami, FL
Fabric – Perennials Fabrics, David Sutherland, DCOTA, Dania Beach, FL
Pendant – Ochre, David Sutherland, DCOTA, Dania Beach, FL
Drapery fabric by Villa Nova by Romo, and fabricated by Marsh Industries, Miami, FL
Millwork walls, cabinets, and stone server designed by Allen Saunders Design, Miami, FL, and fabricated by D-Coded International US, d-ci.us
Wine Room
Wine room, doors, and cabinetry designed by Allen Saunders Design, Miami, FL, and fabricated by D-Coded International, d-ci.us
Family Room
Chairs – B&B Italia, Luminaire, Miami, FL
Card table – Eero Saarinen, Knoll, knoll.com
Pendant – Arancia Lighting, arancialighting.com
Drapery fabric by Rogers & Goffigon and Villa Nova by Romo, and fabricated by Marsh Industries, Miami, FL
Kitchen
Millwork, cabinetry, and island designed by Allen Saunders Design, Miami, FL and fabricated by D-Coded International US, d-ci.us
Stone countertops – Opustone, Miami, FL
Lighting – Roll and Hill, rollandhill.com
Sconces – Cedar and Moss, cedarandmoss.com
Range – BlueStar Cooking, bluestarcooking.com
Refrigerator – Sub-Zero, sub-zero.com
Powder Room
Vanity and sink designed by Allen Saunders Design, Miami, FL, and fabricated by D-Coded International US, d-ci.us
Pendant – Gabriel Scott, New York, NY
Mirror – Nina Mair, Avenue Road, Miami Beach, FL
Stone wall – Ann Sacks, Miami, FL
Primary Bathroom
Millwork and cabinetry designed by Allen Saunders Design, Miami, FL, and fabricated by D-Coded International US, d-ci.us
Stone – Opustone, Miami, FL
Lighting – Apparatus Studio, New York, NY
Vanity sconces – Rich Brilliant Willing, New York, NY
Primary Bedroom
Headboard frame, wainscot, and nightstands designed by Allen Saunders Design, Miami, FL, and fabricated by D-Coded International US, d-ci.us
Upholstered headboard and bed platform designed by Allen Saunders Design, Miami, FL, and fabricated by Estetica Custom Upholstery, Miami, FL
Pendants – Jaime Hayon, Parachilna USA, parachilna.eu
Bench – Craft Associates, craftassociatesfurniture.com
Fabric – Sheepskin, Garrett Leather, New York, NY
Chaise sofa – Christophe Delcourt, Avenue Road, Miami Beach, FL
Cocktail table designed by Allen Saunders Design, Miami, FL, and fabricated by Michael O Design, Miami, FL
Area rug – Stanton Rugs, Carpet Boutique, Miami, FL
Pool Terrace
Tile wall – Waterworks, Miami, FL
Chaise lounge chairs – Richard Schultz, Knoll, knoll.com
Outdoor Kitchen
Porcelain pavers and stone – Italgres, Miami, FL
Grill – Lynx Grills, lynxgrills.com
Pizza oven – Pavesi Forni Modena, Fiero Group, fierogroup.com
Fire Pit Lounge
Sofas – David Sutherland, DCOTA, Dania Beach, FL
Lounge chairs – Paola Lenti, DDC NYC, New York, NY
Pillow fabric – Perennials, David Sutherland, DCOTA, Dania Beach, FL
Throughout
Builder – AG Smith Builders, Delray Beach, FL
Millwork and cabinetry designed by Allen Saunders
Design, Miami, Fl, and fabricated by D-Coded International US, d-ci.us
Wood flooring – Oscar Ono, Miami, FL
Facebook Comments