Having recently completed a home in Miami for the family, Oz was given free reign to remodel and decorate. The owners, who own several homes, told Oz that they wanted the unit to have the “I’m home” feel, even if for a brief stay. With that in mind, Oz transformed the 3,000-square-foot apartment into an elegant yet comfortable and functional living space that satisfies the owners’ tastes while complementing the surrounding aesthetics.

Achieving the client’s vision was easy for Oz, whose classic modern and elegant approach keeps things uncomplicated. Oz custom-designed the key furnishings, which were built in Miami and assembled in New York. Farrey’s Lighting in Miami is used throughout, along with custom chandeliers from NiBa Home from the Miami Design District. Handmade silk and silk/wool rugs by Advanced Trading Inc. and Faith Oriental Rug Co., both in Miami’s Design District, are also found throughout. Silk drapery by Kravet and Jeffrey Michaels & Co., and motorized window treatments by Maria Clara of Urive Window Treatments, both of Miami, are used throughout the home.

The apartment features custom floor-to-ceiling wenge pocket doors that, when closed, become small, individual rooms. When opened, the apartment has the illusion of unlimited, free-flowing space. “I wanted to give each room its own theme, soul and character,” she said. Oz redesigned the layout to maximize the space with very little construction. “My clients needed more storage space for their children and themselves. That took some very creative thinking and execution,” she said.

Another challenge was what to keep of the prior décor. The walls were originally painted in an oxidized yellow-beige and

featured maple parquet flooring. “The unit did not reflect the beauty or the story each room needed to tell,” explained Oz. “My clients were anxious to bring it up to par.”

Oz kept the flooring and used a sand color hue on the walls throughout the common areas. “I thought it would make a great marriage between the yellowish hue of the maple flooring,” she explained. In the kitchen Oz changed the walls to a grey pearlized hue Venetian plaster to play along with the stainless-steel appliances. To warm the apartment, Oz blended the client’s love for dark browns and chocolates with spicy hues and exotic woods.

When redesigning the interior, Oz took advantage of the panoramic view of the cityand the 16-foot-high ceilings. “Having New York City as my backdrop was really the inspiration for this project; it was my canvas. And the ceilings, well… that is the sweetest dream for any interior decorator!” she exclaimed.

Oz began by utilizing the wasted space throughout. For instance, a portion of a hallway was reincarnated into a closet that leads to the master bedroom. The new closet has functional shelving inside and two large beveled doors. Oz framed the entire wall in beveled glass, simulating a custom-made armoire.

Throughout Oz created a focal point for each room that ties into the view. She designed key pieces of furniture to accommodate. In the living room chocolate brown dominates with an L-shaped custom leather couch by Design Within Reach, Miami, and soft micro-suede burnt orange pillows. Here, Oz created two spaces – an Oriental sitting area and an entertainment area. A large silver-framed mirror by Phillipe Starck rests against one wall, creating a sense of even more space. The room also features a dark wood base and glass-top cocktail table by Design Within
Reach.

Dominating the room is a custom-designed wenge entertainment center that houses a plasma TV and artwork and sculpture.
The Oriental sitting area features a 63-inch custom wenge table and six burnt orange ottomans. A wool area rug from Faith Oriental Rug Co. adds color. Across from the sitting area and facing the window Oz created a workspace nook with a floating glass-top desk.

In the dining room, burnt orange Venetian-plaster walls add texture and dimension. The walls and burnt orange chairs blend perfectly with the wenge table from B&B Italia that opens to seat 10. Above, a 12-arm, grey cut-glass chandelier from NiBa Home hangs. The focal point of this room is wall art that Oz created from an antique, floor-to-ceiling mother of pearl inlay armoire that was in the apartment. Here the project’s master carpenter cut the face of the original piece and mounted it on the wall. Oz custom-designed extra chair covers in Alcantara suede in an array of colors.

In the master bedroom Oz created a serene oasis with thoughtful luxury, including a custom-made tufted dark brown Alcantara suede headboard. Because the ceiling is so high in this room, Oz custom-designed a backsplash with wenge squares and stainless-steel inlay with the goal of refocusing the eye. Two floating wenge night tables frame the king-size bed; above, two lamps from Farrey’s are built into the backsplash, allowing for a continuous floating feel. The bed is dressed in a white cotton comforter with navy blue accents and Moroccan motif accent pillows. The highlight of the bedroom is a 14-foot custom-made wenge library/office that houses a computer, copier, file cabinets, plasma TV and small sculptures, as well as a massive book collection. The curtains are a beautiful cream raw silk.

One of the children’s rooms was converted into a double bedroom – one for the nursery and the other serving as a nursing room/guest room. The children’s room was done in baby blue to play off the solid white mica-covered custom beds. Baby blue curtains have whimsy animal prints and ballerinas. In the guest room Oz opted for a darker grey-blue on the walls. The room features a micro-suede dark brown sofa sleeper from Scan Design and a plasma TV. To connect the rooms, Oz designed two area rugs with inverted designs and color that match up to each other.

The end result is a beautiful, high-end Midtown apartment that is inviting and warm. “It’s my pride and joy,” she said.