An American Modernist Masterpiece
Design + Decor Magazine | November 2015
An uninterrupted flow and view of the main living area was an engineering and design challenge meticulously executed by Michael and his team.
Michael Wolk transforms Mediterranean pastiche into a paradigm of purity and style in this Boca Raton home
The masterful symmetry and sophistication that greet the eye in this elegant coastal home seem almost inconceivable when one considers the eclectic mix of styles that dominated the original 4,000-square-foot space. Michael Wolk of Michael Wolk Designs, in conjunction with Brenner Architecture Group, was tasked with transforming the original Mediterranean/Spanish Colonial Revival-style home into a clean and open 12,000-square-foot masterpiece. Besides completely renovating the existing structure, the architects designed a second-story addition, providing Michael with ample opportunity to realize the clients’ vision.
The living room showcases mid-century modern icons partnered with Michael Wolk custom-designed pieces.
The clients liked the water vistas the original space offered, but the existing layout of the home partially obstructed the view. To open the space, Michael removed the pastiche of non supporting columns and archways and installed a wall of glass supported by steel in the back of the house, revealing the spectacular panorama. He refers to this structural and architectural stage of his design process as “setting the bones.” As he explains, “Coherence is created by moving walls around within the parameters of the construction, and creating passageways, closets, doors and windows. This stage is really about responding and creating.”
In addition to showcasing the views, Michael was intent on opening up the house to improve the flow of spaces. At the entry of the original house, he notes, “a heavy wooden staircase completely blocked the view to the water.” He replaced the staircase with an almost diaphanous, single-spine stairway of stainless-steel posts supporting wood risers, creating an exceptionally light and dynamic ascent. The curved architecture echoes the fluidity of the contemporary sculpture gracing the entryway, just one of many pieces in the clients’ exceptional art collection. A stunning chandelier by German designer Ingo Maurer provides an illuminating crown to the entire living area.
Suspended belief: A fireplace hovers magically in the living room.
Unfettered Elegance
The living room is situated to take full advantage of the home’s stunning water views. Its double-height ceiling also demanded a show stopping display of mid-century furnishings alongside Michael’s custom-designed pieces. “I was greatly influenced and inspired by mid-century designers when I was in design school,” Michael notes. The clients were drawn to Michael’s aesthetic, which he has coined “American Modernism.” He describes this as “a blend of dynamic exuberant American design, married to the refined elegance of European history and design.”
The room is architecturally separated from the adjacent family room by an engineered walnut backdrop, which houses a double-sided antique granite fireplace. Thanks to an ingenious configuration of mirrored glass, the fireplace seems to be floating in space. The seating area includes a pair of Fritz Hansen “Egg” chairs, which offer visual interest and pops of color to an otherwise subdued color palette. “In a space you have to live with every day, pops of color seem to be more long-lasting and soothing,” Michael notes. They are partnered with sling chairs, also from Fritz Hansen, a daybed from Knoll Studio, and a sofa table from Niba Home. The white armless lounge seating and the glass-and-polished-steel cocktail table are both Michael Wolk designs. It’s a testament to Michael’s talent and finesse as a craftsman and designer that his pieces pair seamlessly with these design classics. A Tai Ping wool-blend rug provides warmth and texture while complementing the interplay of various materials and finishes.
The kitchen is also home to a number of mid-century classics accompanied by Michael’s custom pieces. The cabinetry is a Poliform design executed in gray-stained oak. Countertops are Corian. Knoll’s Arabescatto marble-topped Saarinen table with lacquer base is surrounded by Saarinen executive chairs in a light walnut finish and Polack fabric. Made of walnut and resting on a polished chrome base, the Wolk-designed buffet serves to delineate the open layout kitchen from the adjacent family room. The flooring is a neutral-colored Gohera limestone; its soft, contemporary taupe shade with hints of fossil fragments makes it the perfect foundation for the timeless color scheme that predominates throughout the home.
Dining room featuring Michael Wolk-designed table and a glass-and-steel wine rack
The dining area is another space in which Michael obliged the clients’ wish for modern design coupled with sumptuous outdoor vistas. The chandelier is from Bocci, and the clean lines and finishes pair perfectly with the contemporary artwork. Michael designed the dining table and a stunning glass enclosed wine rack. Whether the homeowners are entertaining guests or delighting in a family meal, the room rewards with dazzling touches.
Tailored tranquility in the master bedroom.
Customized Craftsmanship
Michael’s dedication to customization stems from his formal training as a cabinet maker. As a student at Pratt Institute in New York City, Michael started his first business renovating brownstones and spent summers learning the craft of boat building. After graduating, he moved to Florida, where he began designing, building and installing furniture, walls, ceilings and built-ins—truly working “in the trenches” as a craftsman. This wealth of experience and knowledge enable him to offer his clients an exceptional level of personalization. “I can have a meaningful dialogue with manufacturers because of my experience as a designer,” Michael explains. “The clients benefit because they get a high level of personalization and customization.”
The master bedroom is a tranquility staged interior that exudes calm. The purity of the geometry is reflected in the rectangles of the built-in cabinetry, which is executed in a high-gloss lacquer finish. This is another Michael Wolk design—along with the bed, lounge chairs, ottoman, dresser and mirror. The soothing color palette diffuses natural light, which floods the space. Textural layering is achieved through the Edelman embossed-leather headboard and the hide rug by Kyle Bunting.
A Conduit to the Natural World
The spa-inspired master bath is a celebration of Michael’s credo that “design takes precedence over the politics of prevailing trends and styles.” Reduced to the simplicity and symmetry of geometric elegance, Michael custom designed the cabinetry, countertops, mirror, shower, doors, sink and flooring in this oasis. One enters the sanctuary through a set of custom doors that lead to a passageway com - posed of rectangular “stepping stones” that culminate in a sunken Venetian bath. The wall was opened up to reveal a view onto the garden. A rain shower head fills the tub below, completing the ultimate expression of a bathroom designed to connect to the outdoors without sacrificing privacy.
Michael has distilled his design approach and philosophy to the axiom “making design matter,” which underscores the design process as creation and execution—a marriage of functionality and beauty. This exceptionally sophisticated residence is a tribute to the transformative powers of good design. Michael’s creations are, as he notes, “firmly grounded in the reality of time constraints and budgets,” yet the energy that permeates every space seems to transcend any practical considerations. Michael Wolk manages a rare alchemy: He obliges the clients’ vision while respecting often constraining parameters to achieve the sublime.
By Anna von Stelzer-Wirth | Photography by Dan Forer