Flashy interior wows all

So what inspired this project? "Interestingly enough, it was Fontainebleau Hotel in Miami Beach; specifically the Bleau Bar," Bryan says. 

He had been at the hotel for a business trip and was blown away by the design. “I went to Michael (Renaud) and said, ‘We’ve got to do something like this!’ When the builders said we could possibly move the stairs, I said ‘I want floating stairs’, and everything else revolved around that.”

"The project’s goal was to analyze the Florida Bungalow vernacular and blend the project with modern elements,” says Michael Renaud, one half of the design team from Sol Design Studio that worked with the homeowners. “The juxtaposition of the classic linear style with contemporary clean lines created a re-interpretation of how historic and modernity can coexist. The central stair’s base floats above the finish floor, to create a delicate connection. This unifying spine bridges eras and acts as a portal between genres. The use of wood acted to blend the styles in a symbiotic relationship.“

The original staircase of this home was removed and replaced with a floating central staircase of thick, maple steps supported on a black steel frame anchored by a column paneled with Afrormosia wood. A built-in wine cooler is hidden behind the column. Sleek, brushed stainless steel railings complete the look. All the floors throughout the home are made of the same light maple wood for a cool, modern feel.

Everyone involved in the renovation couldn’t be happier with how things developed. The homeowners are especially happy with their new, old home. “Once we found out we could defy convention, everything spun out of control and it couldn’t have been more exciting,” says Bryan.