This Modern Miami Home Has a Swiss Beat

After spending several years living abroad, a young family searches for the quintessential Key Biscayne home to entertain and enjoy island living.

A big inspiration for this Miami home was the art the homeowners planned to bring back from Switzerland—a large painting by Chilean artist Ignacio Gana as well as one of his bronze floor sculptures, and a colorful Chilean textile by Constanza Arentsel. The wife provided images and dimensions, and designer Granda was able to design around them. The colors in the painting—a whimsical scene with polo players and a carousel horse, for which she created a feature wall flanked by sandy limestone niches—inspired a beachy palette with white sofas and a white-lacquer coffee table accented by rich shades of blue in the patterned pillows, a pair of velvet ottomans and a fringed cashmere throw. Ignacio Gana's resin-and-oil bunny sculpture, Super Rayo, lends a playful golden touch. 

It is designer Granda's thoughtful details that put a personal stamp on the home. In the main entrance, for example, she custom-designed a floating cabinet crafted from Peruvian cedar with an opening for a lamp that goes right through it, offset by a tall mirror. “You can open the cabinet front, but it also has a drawer that you can use,” she says. Under the stairs, which divide the foyer and living and dining areas, she solved an awkward space with a series of boxes and shelving that display art and accessories. “There are pieces made by Indian artisans in Chile,” Granda says. “Before, guests would just walk through the space. Now you can admire the art—and the scenic view of the pool area. It’s unexpected.” 

Designer Maite Granda conceived of a floating console by Paez Design, made of Peruvian cedar punctuated with a drawer of back-painted glass. A Melampo floor lamp by Artemide runs through the console, while the mirror and welcoming letters balance the composition.

Glass-and-stainless-steel railings that lead to the bedrooms on the second floor and a sun deck on the third level were designed to be modern and visually light. The bold red Pangen pendant is by FontanaArte, a re-edition of a 1961 design. The colorful folk art piece on the back wall is a Chilean telar weaving by Constanza Arentsel.

Granda also created a comfortable adjacent family room area, again using varying shades of blue to unify the spaces, including a wallcovering by London-based contemporary Impressionist artist Jessica Zoob that creates a focal point. The hues are picked up in the blue-and-white- lacquer cocktail table, custom silk rug and pillows on a sofa that the couple brought from Switzerland, reimagined in creamy leather. 

A wall in the family room appears to be hand-painted with Impressionistic flowers, while it’s actually a wallcovering by artist Jessica Zoob for Romo’s Black Edition. The colors are reflected in the furnishings, including in the owners’ sofa re-covered in Kirkby Design's Laser fabric, a custom bicolored lacquer cocktail table, and linen accent pillows.

Granda was indeed mindful of views to the outdoors, assuring that there is something beautiful to see at every turn. To that end, she raised the floor of the terrace off the living room with ipe decking, built a water feature, installed striking and inviting chair swings, and put up V-shaped trellises from which to hang orchids. In another space, she had an American oak tree planted, adding to existing oaks and palms. And she tweaked the rest of the landscaping with strategically placed zinc pots. Inside, Granda was sure to add green with a fiddle-leaf fig tree in the family room. 

For a terrace that lies between the living room and guest room, Granda had the floor raised and clad in ipe wood, plus she added a fountain and latticework designed for orchids. The hanging Maia Egg swing by Patricia Urquiola for Kettal features a lacy weave.

The couple’s rustic-modern dining table proved to be a good fit in the open scheme, and Granda teamed it with modern chairs made of white leather and stainless-steel legs beneath a whimsical multi-glass bubble chandelier.

A geometric mirror designed by Granda and installed by Avery Glass & Mirror overlooks the dining room and reflects a sculpture by Ignacio Gana in the living room. ET2 Contemporary Lighting’s chandelier features a shower of teardrop glass orbs that cascade over the owners’ dining table.

The nearby kitchen is well-appointed with sleek cabinetry and a large island that awaits the children for their afternoon snack.

The existing all-white Record Cucine kitchen by MiaCucina is punctuated with a striated gray laminate backing the island. Appliances are by Sub-Zero and Wolf. The aquamarine L’Eau barstools by Calligaris nod to the ocean with ribbing that suggests the movement of water.

A linen wallcovering from Aesthetics’ Newcastle collection creates a quiet textural backdrop for the master bedroom. The Hästens bed is covered with crisp white linens and blue accents, taking cues from the custom blue-and-white rug. At the foot is a tufted-leather bench by Artefacto; the MiMo bedside tables are by Copeland Furniture. Dashes of red pop in the Excel lamps by Roll & Hill, an accent pillow and a coral motif on the ginger jar. Another sculpture by Gana perches on the built-in, white-lacquer custom desk.

A minimalist modern bathroom features walls and flooring sheathed in Carrara marble, with floor-to-ceiling smoky glass panels framing the shower. A warm wood floating cabinet is topped with a thick-profile quartz. The faucets are by Dornbracht and the shower fittings are by Hansgrohe.

A loggia provides extra entertainment space, and an electric cover helps make the pool safe for the children and their friends. 

Granda designed a covered terrace with a slatted roof topped with Plexiglas to protect the galley- style outdoor kitchen from rain. Opposite the grill is built-in seating topped with Sunbrella cushions with storage inside. The balcony off the master bedroom suite on the second level overlooks the pool.

But the husband’s biggest concern was the outdoors. “He loves to barbecue,” Granda says. So together with the owners, especially the wife, Granda designed an outdoor kitchen, complete with a built-in storage banquette and a tall backsplash and counter that would hide the grill from the living room view. For some shade, she mimicked the pitched roof line, designing a sloped, slatted ipe-wood ceiling topped with Plexiglas to provide shelter from the rain. Roberto Sampellegrini of Archt Design and Regosa Engineering Services oversaw the construction of the addition, and other changes Granda made during the project.

Open-weave furniture by Patricia Urquiola for Kettal suits the breezy loggia, including a Mesh sofa and woven Maia chairs. A coffee table, also by Kettal, joins the setting on a rug by Ralph Lauren Home. RH pendants hang over the outdoor kitchen beyond, and RH draperies lend a resort-like feel.