Oceanfront Contemporary

The challenge was creating an open, welcoming space while remaining within the parameters of the client’s personal design style. And Lisa had some very specific requirements. “When we design such a personal space, we really want to capture the style of the client and not put our own style into it,” Charles explains. “And, in this instance, the client was very specific; she wanted the interior to feel very contemporary. Specifically, she wanted all black walls and black floors. She didn’t want any color. We guided her decisions in such a way that the house was not all black. She also had an Asian aesthetic, and we designed each room with very clean lines.” The main living space is open and flows from the entryway through the living room to the kitchen and dining area. Realizing the living room and its fireplace were significantly taller that the rooms square footage, Charles dropped the ceiling level slightly, using ebony slatted boards to establish proportions. He paralleled this design in the master bedroom upstairs, so that in both rooms, the glass walls extend past the ceilings, creating airy spaces filled with natural light. To maintain the unity of the open floor plan, the kitchen was designed with almost all the fixtures and appliances out of sight, shielded by an island built form ebony wood and black marble countertops. There are no upper cabinets, and the refrigerator is clad in bronze. Dropping the ceiling by two inches allowed for recessed lighting features: the ceiling itself mirrors the wood with ebony tile and bronze tile detail. In stark contrast, the wall throughout the open space are white marble. “What I found interesting. “ Charles says, “is that Lisa kept saying “no color, no color, and no color.” And then when the kitchen was completed she brought in paintings of lilies, which is so colorful, but it works beautifully in that space, especially with the outside water views.”