THREE INTERIORS
BY GINA GUILFORD
CLASSIC & CONTEMPORARY MEET COZY
Placetas Avenue House
by Cozy Salazar
PHOTOS BY YARA VIRREIRA
Cozy Salazar, principal designer for Cozy Salazar Interiors, designed her first house at 18 while still in college. As a student of psychology at FIU, she came to realize that design is just as much a matter of psychology. When she meets potential clients, she studies everything about them, from their demeanor and the clothes they wear, to the way they interact with each other. This all is valuable information in assessing a design project that fits her client’s lifestyle.
The clients for the house on Placetas Avenue in Coral Gables were two young professionals with a child. “They came to me with a multitude of ideas. They wanted a warm and modern home, but one with a Parisian feel,” says Salazar. “They wanted a classic interior, but one also filled with the contemporary art they’d collected over the years. And they wanted a family home where they could entertain, but also one that was elegant and edgy.”
It took 14 months to complete the work with the help of her in-house architects. The biggest challenge was designing for an older Gables home which had features like lower ceilings and a narrow kitchen. “Rather than full-on Parisian, we settled on a laid-back California contemporary style with European details, that creates a timeless look that ages well,” says Salazar.
While her clients basically let her “run with it” in terms of decorating the house (all the furniture was purchased by Salazar) she feels the home reflects their original vision. “It’s the perfect definition of classic meets contemporary,” she says.
LIVING ROOM
This sleek but approachable living room impresses with a sand-colored, curved-back Infiniti Grande sofa by Crate and Barrel in chenille. The chairs are by Four Hands, with a boucle cushion and Pierre Frey teal velvet pillows. The classic look continues with a vintage rug, custom drapes in Perennials Performance linen weave, and a Restoration Hardware coffee table in forged brass and Carrera marble.
PRIMARY BEDROOM
The focal point in the bedroom is the stunning four-poster brass bed by Restoration Hardware, reflected in the full-length mirror. The chandelier overhead and two table lamps are also Restoration Hardware, with an antique, hand-knotted rug underneath the bed and bench. The side tables – French Etienne chests – are painted in a deep indigo shade.
THE DEN
“The Little Tramp” looks over this cozy den where the husband enjoys working. The walnut and veneer desk, brown leather chair, and brass table lamp are all by Restoration Hardware. The dramatic floor-to-ceiling built-in cabinet was designed by Salazar and finished with brass hardware.
BATHROOM
This very special wallpaper was custom made in Hong Kong and hand-painted on silk, in a color palette selected by the designer. The angular vanity and integrated sink are made of Arabescato marble. The brass mirror, towel ring, and faucet are all by Restoration Hardware, lending a French flair to this beautiful salle de bain.
TIMELESS ELEGANCE IN THE ITALIAN VILLAGE
Monseratte Street
by Elizabeth Ghia
PHOTOS BY DIANA TODORAVA
“Do it once and do it right,” is Coral Gables-based designer Elizabeth Ghia’s philosophy. “Decorating is expensive, so you don’t want to have to do it again.”
Instead of following the latest trends, Ghia prefers timeless elegance. This Coral Gables landmark home, built by brothers John and Coulton Skinner, is decorated with antique furniture, historic wallpaper, patterned fabrics, and romantic flounces and flourishes. Its aesthetic was heavily influenced by twentieth century design icons Sister Parish and Henri Samuel, in a style that’s been dubbed “Grand Millennial Chic.”
Ghia’s traditional, classicist style makes her a bit of an outlier in South Florida, which was exactly what her clients, a young couple, were looking for. The husband and wife wanted the decorating project to respect and compliment the history of their 1926 home in the Italian Village. “They had an appreciation of the past and its design references, which was reflected in the fabrics and decorating details we chose,” says Ghia. A blue and green color palette, their favorite colors, is used throughout the home, as well as playful pops of pink.
The biggest challenge was deciding which wallpapers and fabrics to use. Ultimately, the decision was based on which worked best in terms of flow and overall color scheme. “I think everything in the home should have meaning,” explains Ghia,“either personal, sentimental or symbolic. Even colors have meaning.”
The interior decorating project of the entire home took about seven months to complete. The clients were so thrilled with the results, they asked Ghia to decorate their Cosmetic and Aesthetic Dermatology office in Coral Gables. They appreciated the fact Ghia preserved the historic integrity of their home, while adding a fresh and fun perspective.
LIVING ROOM
“Bali Hai” wallpaper by Quadrille commands attention, while the custom, salmon-colored sateen drapes provide a counterpoint. On the custom velvet couch, a lone animal print pillow shares space with floral pillows by Lee Jofa, with a Samuel and Sons coordinating fringe trim. The lamps flanking the couch are limited-edition Christopher Spitz Miller, with custom lamp shades in salmon and white. The side tables and three-piece brass and glass coffee table are antiques.
ENTRY FOYER
A striking black and white checked floor is complemented by custom tables from Devonshire in Palm Beach. Arched mirrors from Mecox Gardens are hung on a tranquil “Italian Panorama” mural by IKSEL via Schumaker. A blue and white entry rug – an antique from Charish – is laid over a sisal runner, adding warmth and texture to this welcoming space.
KITCHEN
No boring white kitchen here! The existing millwork was painted a luminous blue – Farrow and Ball’s Borrowed Light. Cheerful gingham-covered chairs with Schumacher fabric line the Mystery White marble dining counter, lit overhead by Currey and Company pendant lights. A Delft tile backsplash and blue and white ginger jars overhead provide a soothing focal point.
THE DEN
The home’s green and blue color palette is found in the intricate Jasper “Mal Maison” drapes, florals covering the two armchairs in “Dahlia” fabric, and in the green and white “Eaton check” by George Smith with Jasper, which covers the sofa. Underneath it all is a vintage rug sourced at Palm Roemer in West Palm Beach. One could easily imagine Babe Pauley, one of Truman Capote’s Swans, holding court in this room back in the day.
LETTING THE OUTSIDE IN
Erwin Road House
by Teresa Izquierdo-Lowry
PHOTOS BY RODOLFO BENITEZ & LOLA GREEN
“This was a house built around the trees,” explains Teresa Izquierdo-Lowry. A Madrid trained interior designer and Feng Shui expert, she’s been in the industry for 20 years. A love of design was passed down from her father, an architect and interior designer in Madrid, and from growing up in beautiful homes, full of antiques and character, in Spain.
Izquierdo-Lowry and her husband, Juan Bergaz, were looking for an empty lot in Coral Gables to build on when they happened upon a house on Erwin Road. Surrounded by lush trees, they fell in love with it. Unfortunately, the original 1940s wood frame house had to be knocked down, but the huge oak, mango and mamey trees, and a Chicago brick driveway, remained. They built a new house to replicate the original house’s aesthetic. “I wanted a home that felt like a vacation house,” explains Izquierdo-Lowry. “One where we could go barefoot, with a flowy layout, full of light and easy to manage.” She wanted to “bring the outdoors in,” with floor-to-ceiling glass French doors and balconies. The result is a fresh vibe that is open and airy.
Izquierdo-Lowry was instrumental in the design and building of the home, assisted by her friend, interior designer Carola Pimentel. The layout and materials were chosen so the house could age gracefully. Dominican keystone created a cohesive flooring throughout the downstairs, continuing outside on the terrace. She designed all the furniture except the chairs; the clean, stripped-down style is beautiful and functional, a must for a home with three children and a dog. “It’s a super fun house for kids,” she explains. “In the end I wanted a home, not a museum.”
LIVING ROOM
The comfy, curled cotton couch, with down cushions and washable covers, invites repose. The hexagonal coffee tables, with metal trays and grey felt, are by Blu Dot; they are atop a braided abaca rug by Carpet Boutique of Miami. Custom white drapes by Maricruz Martinez Corp are made of washable linen. Three light sources, including recessed lighting, illuminate “La Menina” by Spanish artist Manolo Valdes.
THE GREAT ROOM
The focal point is the blue and white tile mural by JVerdy Wall Décor, a reproduction of the mural by Brazilian artist Francisco Brennand on the historic Bacardi Building in Miami and an homage to Izquierdo-Lowry’s husband’s family heritage. Under the mural is a simple chestnut wood dining table, designed by Izquierdo-Lowry. Two cotton upholstery couches, also designed by Izquierdo-Lowry, mirror each other, with a suede ottoman in between. The brushed stainless steel side table, designed by her, was made in Mexico.
THE FOYER
The entryway to the home is biophilic design, where the outside is welcomed in. A ceramic lamp, found in a flea market in Marrakesh, fresh tropical greenery, and parrot candlesticks appear on a sturdy wood table in front of the entryway window. Two custom, built-in bookcases frame the window, filled with illuminated books, puzzles, and artwork. The Dominican keystone entryway floor continues throughout the home.
KITCHEN
The brightly-lit kitchen combines vintage-looking black and white tiles with a modern countertop of Italian marble and European oak cabinetry. Again biophilic, three windows with French doors lead outside. The cabinets are sleek and easy to clean, with no handles or pulls. The kitchen is also wonderfully adaptable, with doors on either side that can be closed to separate it from the Great Room.
Looking for more design inspo? Check out more standout spaces and expert design tips here.