Elegant Florida Apartment

After having a kid and upgrading to a larger apartment, interior designer Arnold Schulman’s clients wanted his aid with another new addition in their lives: a collection of fine artwork in their part-time home on Fisher Island, Florida, once a one-family island home to the Vanderbilts.

Schulman’s clients wanted to make a smooth and accumulated look whilst resisting a Smithsonian-like feel. “This is a home that needed to reflect my customers’ discerning taste,” Schulman says,”without getting away from their warmth and personality.”

in a Glance
Who lives here: Part-time home for a household of 3
Location: Fisher Island, Florida
Size: 3,800 square feet
That’s intriguing: The apartment is located on a private island accessible only by boat.

Arnold Schulman Design Group

In its previous incarnation, the apartment had a dated design with large beamed ceilings that made the room feel smaller. Schulman eliminated the beamed ceilings and replaced them with 3-inch drop ceilings, allowing the use of low-profile recessed lighting that highlighted a clean, open area.

The transition from the dining area to the terrace is created seamless with floor-to-ceiling sliding glass doors that allow light in and provide an opinion of the surrounding palm trees and other plant.

Living room dining table, light fixture: DCOTA; sculpture: Corbin Bronze

Arnold Schulman Design Group

Schulman, an art gallery owner, felt enormous joy in assisting his customers select a few art pieces to match their own collection. “Art is a private addition to any area,” he states. “There are several key locations throughout the home in which the artwork becomes particularly important. The main hallway is a truly prime location.”

Schulman created a gallery-like feel in the apartment, devoting wall markets and surfaces to exploited photos by Richard Bluestein. Here, the mirror reflects among Bluestein’s”Lifeguard” photos in reverse; the partitions’ art pays homage to Fisher Island’s coastal setting.

Arnold Schulman Design Group

The stylish entrance is anchored by Jurgen Selleck’s oil on canvas”Connections 1 and 2,” using 2 individual elements. The topics’ bent arms soften what might have been a rigid and staid tablescape plus a static wall area. The entrance sets the tone for the remainder of the home and lets visitors know that art and exquisite pieces abound in the home. Schulman encourages his customers to mix media: oils, prints, photography and sculptural art.

“Consistency is achieved in the house’s art display when the collection reflects the design length of the area,” he stresses. In this case the design is modern with touches of art deco.

Arnold Schulman Design Group

Schulman averted framed artwork pieces in the primary living area near the sliding balcony doors. “The glass creates a glare and makes it difficult to love the piece within the framework,” he states. Instead he helped the bunch display their sculptures on shelves.

The neutral palette of creams and wood tones complements the deeper ocean colors, a refined resistance into the splashy Miami Beach lifestyle. Crema Marfil marble floors and chiseled limestone walls represent sand.

Arnold Schulman Design Group

The evocative lighting, decor symmetry, sleek and glistening curves of this table legs, and wood accents of this bar chairs hint in the room’s art deco influence, but the oversize his-and-hers art roots the interior design in modern style. Schulman’s customers love the leather club chairs fronting their bed; they are among”the most comfortable recliners in the world,” he states.

Chandelier: Boyd Lighting; club seats: De Sede

Arnold Schulman Design Group

Much to the customers’ delight, Schulman combined what used to be independent his-and-hers baths that felt obsolete to make one lavish space. He utilized chiseled limestone, honed French limestone floors and walls, and pecan wood accents to make a spalike atmosphere. A tubside still-life picture by Che Sandoval encourages meditative thoughts.

Toilet and bidet: Duravit; tub: Le Bain; place rugs: Kyle Bunting

Arnold Schulman Design Group

A backlit onyx counter bottom representing the colors of the sand and coastline heightens the modern look without overwhelming the pub, in which the homeowners can unwind and entertain.

Pendant lights: Xian, Estiluz

Arnold Schulman Design Group

One of Schulman’s favourite areas of the residence is this magnificent powder room, using a backsplash swathed in precious mother-of-pearl wall tiles. Elegant framed art deco–inspired art hangs on the wall adjacent to the mirror. “If you believe a piece could be appreciated in the powder room, then go for this,” says Schulman. “There are certainly optimal placement areas in the home for artwork, but there is no right or wrong place to display artwork that you just love.”

More: 10 Jewel-Box Powder Rooms

Mirror: DCOTA; sconce: Brand Van Egmond; wall tiles: Maya Romonoff; artwork: Jurgen Selleck, Ambiance Gallery; background: Phillip Jefferies; sink: Steel, Vitraform

See related