House of Style
Design District | Spring 2010
Michael Wolk Design Takes Cue from the Ocean and Beach
Real estate developer Gil Dezer and his father, along with business partner, Donald Trump, built the three-building complex at Collins Avenue and 180th Street known as Trump Grande Ocean Resort & Residences. It’s no coincidence that the younger Dezer took residence in Trump Palace, one of the two residential buildings of the project. The apartment has uninterrupted views of the Atlantic Ocean and Intracoastal Waterway.
Dezer commissioned Miami-based Michael Wolk Design Associates – the firm designed the common areas in Trump Palace – to design the coolest bachelor pad tailored to living large in Miami. More than half-way through the project, Dezer became engaged and asked Wolk Design to redesign the space to create a family home suitable for the couple and future children.
“The original intent changed dramatically – we went from a cool palette primarily consisting of steel and stark white flooring to a much warmer tone of browns and sand color limestone flooring. It became more of a home",” said Michael Wolk. “We took our cues from the ocean, beach and sky,” he added.
Wolk Design worked with the existing architecture to create a livable space that also “picks up on the building as an ellipse.” The 8,000-square-foot luxury apartment combines three floors. The team installed an interior glass and sapele wood elevator that travels all three levels. The home also features a double-helix staircase made of steel and cherry wood that allows access to the second and third levels.
The beach level features a wine cellar, sauna, steam room, five-car garage, cabana and maid quarters. The sprawling, multi-level design is contemporary in look and feel, and features a second-floor entrance that opens to a foyer that immediately leads to a warm yet dramatic welcome area. Here, Wolk and the team removed the top floor to allow for viewing of the third level. At this level the view pulls one toward the main living space and its panoramic floor-to-ceiling views. In this welcome space Wolk Design paired its Tucker chair in tobacco with a stone wall. “We added the wall for texture,” Wolk said. Against the wall sits a buffet table in mahogany by Jeup, available at J. Batchelor in DCOTA.
The main living space is huge, with base tones of wood and sand. Wolk divided the space into the kitchen, dining room, Great Room with bar area, media room/office, studio and powder room. Sheer drapery by MWS Drapery hangs on an electric track. In the Great Room, or living room, Wolk and his team created two areas – a bar and conversation area. The bar is made of rosewood with a bronze frosted glass and stainless-steel counter. On the back wall, four glass shelves were added to a cut-out wall. There are six tobacco-colored suede/leather barstools by A. Rudin.
The second sitting area is a custom-designed circular couch with a high back to provide a sense of privacy. “You feel as though you are walking out on the bow of a boat,” said Wolk.
To further help warm the space, Wolk chose two brown leather chairs by Della Robbia, a mahogany coffee table by Wendell Castle and a custom area rug. The first and second levels both feature wide structural columns. To give purpose to the column being here, Wolk wrapped a custom-designed seating bench around it.
On the other side of the column is the dining room. Simple in decor, Wolk gave a nod to Morris Lapidus by creating what he calls the “Swiss cheese ceiling” with oval and circular-shaped wood base and glass top and comfortably accommodates for eight Brueton “Wolk” chairs covered in fabric.
The kitchen is a blend of stainless-steel, glass and granite. A custom island with a floating glass countertop and six leather bar stools designed by Wolk for Patrician is the focal point. Above the stainless-steel hood that serves as a lighting source. A granite backsplash wraps the counter areas. The cabinets are a mix of wenge and glass.
This level also features a private balcony with three decks and a patio, a zero-edge pool and Jacuzzi. The deck areas are adorned with floral arrangements, palm trees and furniture by Brown Jordan.
The main level also features a powder room, known affectionately as the Egg Room. An egg-shaped door handle hints at what’s on the other side. Originally an oval-shaped bathroom, Dezer said it reminded him of an egg. Wolk Design carried out the egg concept with detailing. The inside of the door is arched, extending the lines of an egg. The room is white with an egg-shaped toilet and sink that sits on a custom vanity. On the floor, Wolk placed a round bright yellow rug, representing the yolk.
The top level houses the master bedroom, master bath and three bedrooms. Upon entry to the level is greeted by a glass bridge which tracks to the master bedroom and looks below to the second level. “The bridge was inspired by the movie Matrix,” said Wolk.
The doors leading to the master bedroom features a frosted glass option for privacy. Inside, the bedroom suite is rich and warm, and features a cherry wood floor and three spaces: sleeping, sitting and work. Wolk designed a rosewood bed with a leather headboard and two nightstands that floats out from the wall. At the base of the bed, a flat screen TV pops out from the footboard. From here the owner can control all the electronics, including TV, sound system, lighting, draperies and temperature.
To again encompass the structural column, Wolk wrapped a bi-level sapele wood desk and incorporated a makeup sitting area. The sitting area features two white chairs by Loards Upholstery, two Drummer tables by Clodagh and a custom area rug. Recessed lighting above provides for an intimate space.
Off the bedroom is a dressing area with a wall of cherry wood-clad closets and a seating bench. This area leads to a set of frosted glass doors that hide a beautiful master bath made of cherry wood, glass and limestone. The color palette is sand, brown and cool blue. Inside, the space features identical his and her baths, each with its own picture window looking out to the beach and ocean, an elliptical shower with 26 nozzles, a Jacuzzi tub and a flat screen TV.
“It’s always great to work with a client who knows exactly what they want and accepts or rejects your ideas immediately, but at the same time allows you lots of freedom,” said Wolk.
By Debra Kronowitz