Creative Harmony

When faced with the need for change, why not aim for the extraordinary? That’s exactly the path chosen by a visionary couple in Admiral’s Cove, a prestigious golf and waterfront community in Jupiter. Determined to depart from the traditional to embrace the contemporary, they embarked on a transformative journey, following a trend seen in many neighborhoods in South Florida where aesthetics is favoring more geometric, contemporary designs. Steering this remarkable endeavor was the collaborative expertise of Affiniti Architects of Boca Raton, 2id Interiors of Miami and general contractor Affinity of Jupiter.

The homeowners, a couple with adult children and a grandchild on the way, had set ideas for their new primary residence. They wanted a monochromatic gray palette throughout the open concept 8,000-square-foot home with 11-foot 6-inch ceilings. Integrating their extensive art collection was a priority.

Laila Colvin, who, alongside Rafaela Simoes, founded 2id Interiors (an award-winning interior design firm servicing luxury clients across South Florida, the U.S. and around the world with projects in Canada, Europe and Brazil), helped the couple recognize the value and beauty of adding more architectural detail, color and texture to the design. Everyone agreed on the result — a stunning statement home that is as uncompromising on style as it is on functionality and livability.

Colvin described the exterior design of the home as “contemporary transitional style construction” comprised of a mix of materials, stone, stucco and wood detail.

The homeowners were passionate about keeping the window grid that can be seen in the master bedroom suite. “To us, the grid felt transitional,” says Colvin. “We love it in the end, but it’s not what you usually see in houses from the ground up.”

The project took four years to complete and was finished at the end of 2022. The architectural layout was meticulously planned to accommodate the main living areas on the ground floor, with three complete bedroom suites on the upper level for visiting family, ensuring comfort and privacy.

The heart of the home, the kitchen, is a marvel of minimalist design and functionality. Equipped with top-of-the-line Sub-Zero and Wolf appliances with matte dark doors, it is enveloped in an overarching gray palette. To balance the many reflective surfaces, an oversized matte porcelain tile floor extends throughout the space. The kitchen’s china cabinet, featuring smoked glass, allows dinnerware to be visible when lit, creating a mirror-like effect when turned off. The island top shines with a glossy porcelain in Armani Grey, complemented by sleek kitchen cabinets by Italkraft of Miami. Adding character and a dash of color, indigo blue leather kitchen stools from Italy provide warmth and visual appeal, a theme carried throughout the home.

Colvin introduced a curve to the area, adding a custom banquette upholstered in durable Sunbrella fabric. The accompanying table boasts a metallic-painted base with a quartz top. The wood veneer sphere light over the banquette, chosen to add texture and contrast, is from Artefacto.

Entertaining plays a large role in the couple’s lifestyle, yet with an open concept home, kitchen clutter can be unsightly. To address this, a discreet service kitchen is strategically located behind a wall, ensuring that party preparation remains hidden and allowing the main kitchen to shine.

The Great Divides

Separating the kitchen from the dining room are open panel room dividers in walnut wood, which are used define space and add interest in the living room and family room.

The dining room becomes the centerpiece of conversation with its Moooi lights ­— two pendant metal globes, Colvin says, which look like spheres of light flying in the air at night. “I fell in love with this fixture,” she adds. Colvin used the floating theme throughout the room. “It looks like the table is floating,” she says, referring to the glass legs of the dining table, paired with a back painted black glass top. Because the design of the room is so clean, Colvin explains the dining room chairs were made with different material for seat and arms. The wooden legs of the chairs are in the same millwork as in the dividers, which tie together very well. On one wall is an independent bar area with a tall wine fridge and a cabinet and niche area for glasses and other barware.

The stairway to the second floor from the front entryway changed from the original architectural sketches. The homeowners didn’t like the idea of the staircase showing and wanted a wall to hide it. “We liked the element of showing the staircase,” Colvin says. “We convinced them to open it up completely, do glass, make it floating. I’m glad they agreed.”

In the foyer, the same walnut wood is used on the wall opposite the staircase and on the ceiling. Slotted panels containing LED lights add an interesting dimension to the space.

Mood Indigo

The powder room is where Colvin loves to “go bold and outside the box,” and fortunately, the homeowners agreed with the designer’s plan for the room. The mix of materials used throughout the home is used here, the walnut wood, gray stone and blue accents.

“We started designing a very interesting sink area,” Colvin says. The faucet extends from the wall over the vessel sink of tinted glass made in Brazil. The floating terrazzo countertop above the walnut cabinetry shows both gray and blue. The wallpaper in varying stripes of lighter and darker blues covers one wall, while the same slotted millwork, this time in blue, is used on the back wall with the sink and countertop.

Bringing The Outdoors In

The expanse of the living and dining rooms as well as the kitchen and family room open onto an inviting outdoor space. This is all thanks to an ingenious folding window system designed to withstand hurricanes. When these windows fold back, they nearly disappear into the walls, blending the indoors with the outdoors in an effortlessly elegant way. “It looks pretty amazing,” says the designer. “The homeowners were pretty adamant about integrating inside and outside.” Because they used the same tile throughout, when the windows are open it’s hard to tell where the indoors ends and the outdoors begins.

In the living room, a once plain wall is transformed to accommodate the master suite closets behind it. The designers proposed creating a niche wall in walnut that includes a smoked mirror in the back and a floating console.

The monochromatic look of the Italian leather chairs and sofa by Gamma is offset by the customized metal base and tufted backs of the chairs. The blue element in the room is a velvet bench with wooden legs. The coffee table is an eye-catching mix of marble and smoked mirror, overlapped by a Carrera marble second table. Two playful hourglass-shaped side tables of frosted and clear glass, by Artefacto, can be moved easily for setting down a cocktail glass closer to you.

“This couple is not afraid of artsy pieces or interesting shapes,” Colvin notes.

Sunbrella meets luxury in the outdoor furniture. “I wanted it to have a fancier feel and at the same time be weather-resistant,” says Colvin. The neutral tone gets a pop of indigo and even a touch of orange in the throw pillows and accessories. The overhead slotted millwork in artificial wood mimics the interior millwork. Whether from the outdoor dining space or elegant living area, the infinity pool and spa-like surroundings provide a welcoming and relaxing view.

Suite Dreams

The main-floor master suite, at 1,050 square-feet, is consistent with the homeowners’ love of a monochromatic palette. Other than a touch of blue on the rug and in the bedding, the room is serene and calming in gray neutrals. A wall-to-wall leather headboard, mica wallpaper, floating night tables and tall Vistosi brand Sissi fixtures add simple elegance and a luxurious feel.

The master bath is a peaceful oasis with a private garden of colorful orchids just outside the shower. The shower is white with blue striped marble and gray and white is carried through in the sink, vanity area and his-and-hers closets.

With more than 80 projects designing and executing everything from single rooms to homes and condos, what was satisfying to Colvin was the relationship she developed with the clients because of the length of the project. “They were very involved in the process because they were living next door,” she says.

Being able to convince the homeowners to open their minds to new ideas and be thrilled with their choices was the most satisfying aspect of all.