A Venezuelan couple looking for a new apartment didn’t have to search far. In fact, they simply took a 10-floor elevator ride up.
After living in their building for more than a decade, and with their children now grown and married, the empty nesters needed a home to fit this new stage of life. “They love the building,” designer Alanna Kleiner says, “so they purchased an apartment with the same configuration on the 18th floor.”
The couple stayed in their original Aventura unit during the renovation, which was convenient for Kleiner and her design partner, Adriana Grauer. “It was easy to pinpoint what needed to be changed,” says Kleiner, who likens it to having an experiential “before” and “after” at once.
For their new space, rather than extra bedrooms, the clients desired an office, a larger kitchen, a bigger closet for the husband and playrooms for their seven visiting grandchildren. But the most significant item on Kleiner’s to-do list was to create welcoming spaces to showcase their eclectic art collection. The previous apartment had a gallery-like design, with pieces displayed on starkly white surfaces, which felt cold to the couple. “We wanted to use different textures, scales and planes so they could exhibit their art but still feel cozy,” the designer explains. A burgundy cork wallpaper, for example, serves as the backdrop for a glass-and-mercury piece in the foyer, while a colorful dimensional work hangs on a living area wall of taupe-hued tile.
Surrounding the art, the owners envisioned a contemporary, bold environment. “We like a minimalist but modern style,” the husband says, “and using new colors that are in fashion was important to us.” Once again, Kleiner let the art drive the design. For instance, she knew the living area would showcase large-scale pieces. So, to establish them as focal points, she introduced furnishings in subtle hues and textures, such as leather armchairs and a gray sectional. To keep the white walls from presenting a museum quality, and to distinguish this space from the connecting dining area, the designer lined the ceiling of the latter with a wood-grained wallpaper that flows into the breakfast area. Warm woods were also used for the flooring in the long hallway, den and primary bedroom, while faux-wood tiles appear in the bathrooms, imparting a sense of cohesion.
Kleiner used a tight color palette, too, to tie spaces together. “We wanted to include color,” she says, “but we tried to keep it to one shade throughout.” The foyer’s deep burgundy tone— a favorite of the wife’s—continues in spaces such as the kitchen, where it has a starring role in the matte, wine-hued laminate cabinetry.
A top priority, this reconfigured space was the project’s most complex aspect. Because the couple needed a kosher kitchen, the room had to have two of everything, from sinks to ovens and dishwashers—a tall order in an apartment renovation. “We started from scratch,” says general contractor Alfred Waich. “We had to accommodate the size of the property.” To do so, the team took nearly 2 feet from the primary bedroom to enlarge the kitchen and added a second entrance to the space, making it easier to circulate when the couple entertains.
Also essential to the project was designating areas for the couple’s young grandchildren to enjoy, so Kleiner devised two playrooms that are just as eye-catching as the rest of the apartment. One is outfitted with aqua walls, playful candy art, minimalist furniture and, overhead, a graffiti-like mural. “Because the walls were going to be filled with shelving and storage, we knew the ceiling would be pivotal,” Kleiner explains. “We treated it almost as an art piece itself.”
Although the clients visited the in-progress unit often, Kleiner managed to keep one aspect a surprise: the arrangement of the art collection, which was installed just before the final reveal. She switched up the original placement of nearly every piece, including relocating a black-and-white work from the previous foyer to the new living area and a wall piece that spells “Knockout” from the former dining area to the new foyer. The latter, as it reads, is meant to help establish the character of the home immediately upon stepping inside. “We want you to understand the mood of the apartment as soon as you enter,” Kleiner says. “It’s bold but at the same time minimalistic, chic and timeless.”
