MODERN LUXURY INTERIORS 

It is hard to not feel at peace when your eyes are gazing upon Miami’s majestic water views. Taking cues from the picturesque canal that this Sunset Harbor project sits on, Miami designer Jessica Jaegger of Jaegger Interior Design (jessicajaegger.com) created a tranquil vacation destination for the owners who were looking to dock their boat and embrace the water lifestyle Miami offers.

In collaboration with Plaza Construction (plazaconstruction.com), Jaegger and senior designer Giselle Torres Rodriguez completely reimagined the two-bedroom, 2 1⁄2-bath apartment; creating an interior design that maximizes the space while also taking advantage of the apartment’s position along the waterfront—making it feel more like a house and the perfect vacation oasis. To this end, it needed to be kid friendly and function in such a way that the couple and their family could access and move through the spaces comfortably—nothing untouchable or unapproachable, Jaegger says. However, the apartment itself isn’t a typical pied-a-terre. “We wanted the owners to feel at home,” she continues, “and to give them a space that they could truly use while still maintaining an elegant aesthetic.”

Sculptural, unique light fixtures from The Lighting Studio appear strategically placed throughout the unit. To maximize the size and height of the spaces, the designers used perimetral soffits with recessed LED lighting to provide homogeneous illumination throughout and help delineate each area in the open floor plan. In the dining room, a custom-built oversize mirror elongates the space and gives the room a more voluminous quality, reflecting back on the water vistas.

One of the challenges that presented itself during the design process was a large structural column right in the middle of the living and dining areas. The team embraced this as an opportunity and decided to clad the entire column in white oak panels, extending the paneling to the wall and creating a custom bar that frames, without completely dividing, the living and dining areas. What once felt like an obstruction now feels wholly integrated. “We cladded the column but kept an opening in the middle to minimize the impact of the wood,” Jaegger says of the waist- height opening. “No one would have guessed there was once a column in the middle of the living room.” Taking a look at the space now, one would never know that the built-in bar was not part of the original design concept.

Pulling inspiration from the water, Jaegger incorporated soft, neutral tones and added pops of color with furniture pieces that became focal points. While color is used sparingly in the space, accents of eggplant and terra cotta link together throughout, furthering the light but warm aesthetic. Different materials and textures catch your eye and aid in the serene feeling the owners and their guests experience while spending time here. The apartment features an abundance of light oak wood, glass and porcelain tile on the floor that evokes sandy beaches and complements the neutral, earthy tones used in the residence. “We wanted to incorporate wood without making the apartment feel too heavy,” Jaegger shares. So while the TV wall in the living room is sheathed in wood, a floating glass console breaks up the paneling and helps keep the space feeling airy and light. Staying away from heavier materials like velvet, linen wallpaper lines all the walls in the bedrooms and a bone-colored suede on the headboard in the primary bedroom creates an elevated sophistication; mirrors were once again used to visually expand the space.

In the powder room, natural stone forms a floating counter with an integrated sink, referencing an earthy undertone that travels through the design of the apartment. A three-dimensional mosaic tile lends dimension and adds further texture to the space. The quality craftsmanship of Italian furniture is evident in many of the pieces arranged throughout the unit, most of them procured through Luminaire including the quilted dining chairs that help convey a sense of calm and ease, and the mindfully crafted bed in the primary bedroom.

To accommodate the owners and their two grown children with families of their own, Jaegger and the team set out to create an inviting and luxurious space. “We wanted to work with materials that were resistant—it had to be practical but at the same time be elegant,” Jaegger says. “We wanted them to feel comfortable and relaxed in a sophisticated space, and that’s the reaction we got.”