Expert Touches Refine Sunny Isles Beach Condo

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Buying real estate on the Internet has its advantages… and inevitable letdowns. Case in point: When a jet-setting couple purchased a 2,200-square-foot unit at The Ritz-Carlton Residences in Sunny Isles Beach, they initially thought they’d found the ideal Miami vacation perch. But once they saw the 29th-floor residence in person, they weren’t so certain anymore. “They were shocked,” says designer Diana Uribe of DIDA Home. “They thought it was too small.”

The buyer’s remorse didn’t last long, however. Uribe and her partner David Miranda urged them to accentuate the positive (glorious ocean views, day-and-night Ritz perks) and promised to deliver a smart design layout that made the most of the (in their eyes) limited square footage. The husband and wife, who own several homes around the United States and Mexico, were more than willing to be pleasantly surprised.

Uribe and Miranda began by devising a floor-plan with an intimately sized living room balanced between a trio of bedrooms, an open-concept kitchen and dining room, and a cozy nook for TV watching. Helping the design team along were the spectacular ocean vistas, visible from just about anywhere in the apartment. “The views are insane,” says Miranda. “When you look out, you feel like you’re on a yacht in the middle of the Atlantic.”

The duo then turned their attention to the all-white, finished kitchen and sunlit living room. Wood wall panels milled in Italy exude the sensation of warmth and conceal storage and a series of doorways leading to a powder room, closet, and the main bedroom. In the kitchen, the island and backsplash were reimagined in ebullient green, black, and white marble, and a long communal table connected to the island serves as a gathering spot for family meals and convivial gatherings. “The home’s configuration couldn’t accommodate a formal dining room, so this was the perfect compromise,” says Uribe.

The condo’s comfortable yet refined aesthetic was accomplished with a mélange of custom, handcrafted furnishings and accessories, as well as sophisticated and tactile fabrics like silk and raffia. “There’s pearl, flax, and oatmeal with hints of green and dusky coppers and pinks throughout,” says Uribe, describing the color palette, “with copious amounts of wood, marble, metal, and leather to keep things warm and organic.”

There’s also an impressive collection of art. Aldo Chaparro’s bent steel abstract, Mx Silver, hangs in the living room, where it captures the movement and distorted reflections of those who walk by. Not too far, a Jonathan Paul lollipop-shaped sculpture rests on a white bronze Luca stool by Muse Collection, while a Caralarga macramel—woven in Querétaro using ancient textile techniques—hangs proudly in the kitchen. The art moments may not be many, but they are impactful, honest, and memorable.

Once the DIDA Home crew was finished and the apartment delivered, the owners no longer spoke of lack of space, but rather reveled in their Miami home’s potential. “When the clients saw the finished product and their vision of a relaxing and modern space realized, they told us we nailed it.” says Miranda. “As a designer, you can’t ask for a better reaction.”

Story Credits:

Interior Design by David Miranda & Diana Uribe, DIDA Home, Miami, FL

Text by Kerry Shorr

Photography by Troy Campbell, Miami, FL

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