Miami Beach, Florida

A three-level house on Pine Tree Drive, set in a dense tropical garden. Pale stone and plaster, warm wood and deep overhangs give it a quiet, contextual modernism suited to the climate.

Approved by the City of Miami Beach Design Review Board, it is being completed by Lightbox Development as developer and builder.

Location

Pine Tree Drive is a tree-lined boulevard through the residential heart of Miami Beach. The house sits on its west side, backing toward La Gorce Country Club, with Indian Creek, Collins Avenue and the beach a short walk to the east.

Rings mark a quarter mile and half a mile from the house.

Street

Set back thirty feet from the street behind a planted forecourt, the house keeps a quiet face to the street: smooth buff stucco at the ground floor, warm wood above, and a deep overhang that shades the windows beneath it.

Entry

The front door sits in a planted entry court, beneath a double-height glazed wall that lights the stair hall behind it.

Family Room

The family room sits on a split level between the ground and upper floors, beside the main stair. Travertine floors and columns carry up from the ground floor, and the stair is monolithic travertine, with a glass guard and walnut rail.

Great Room

The living room rises double height, with built-in millwork along its walls and large openings to the terrace and pool. The dining room and kitchen sit alongside it.

Living Room

Beneath the double-height ceiling, a cluster of paper lanterns hangs over the living room, in front of a wall of espresso walnut millwork.

Furnishings

Low furniture in wood, wool and bouclé sits on a deep rug, washed in light from the garden windows.

Kitchen and Dining

The kitchen and dining room sit alongside the living room and open to the garden through full-height glass. The kitchen is Taj Mahal quartzite and handleless walnut, with panel-ready appliances.

Terrace and Pool

The living spaces open onto a travertine terrace for dining outdoors. The pool lies a few steps below, with the garden planted densely around it.

Materials

Upstairs, a glass-guarded hall crosses above the stair to the bedrooms. Throughout, the palette is held to a few materials, inside and out: travertine, plaster, walnut and glass.

Primary Bedroom

The primary bedroom opens to its own balcony through floor-to-ceiling glass, with a wall of walnut millwork opposite.

Primary Bath

The primary bath is wrapped in travertine, with a freestanding tub, an open glass shower and a tall window onto the garden.

Site

A concrete drive and front walk lead in from Pine Tree Drive to the garage and entry, which sit beneath the house. Behind it, a travertine terrace steps down to a 40-foot lap pool, with dense planting on every side.

Credits