After Katrina roared through his hometown of New Orleans in late 2005, attorney Stuart Smith purchased a condo at the Continuum South Tower at the tip of South Beach and called in interior designer Claire Tully & Associates.
Her assignment? To build out the space in a clean, contemporary way that might complement Stuart’s collection of pop art, including a substantial number of Andy Warhol and Keith Haring prints. His reference point? The Mondrian Hotel in Los Angeles.
“We built it with the artwork in mind,” Stuart said. “We changed all the finishes, with Venetian plaster on the walls and Montblanc brushed white, reconstituted marble floors.”
In the bath, on a wall above the sauna, an Italian firm installed a custom mosaic scene lifted directly from Vincent Van Gogh, with one modification. “It’s there to test people’s knowledge of art,” he said. “It’s ‘Starry Night’ without the town.”
Perhaps the biggest challenge lay in an extensive web of electronics for the smart home. Touch screens control the lights, music, entertainment center and burglar alarm, which can also be accessed by iphone or ipad.
At the 33rd level of the 50-story Continuum South complex, the unobstructed views encompass much of Miami Beach. “It’s literally on the last piece of South Beach,” said local realtor Dina Goldentayer. “And he’s got the largest terrace in the building – it’s 700 square feet overlooking the ocean, almost like a cruise ship looking out.”
Interestingly, while other nearby properties have dropped in value during the recent downturn, the Continuum South is holding its own. “It’s a Class A+ property, and it’s held its value,” Dina said. “Everything else collapsed except this building.”
For more on Claire Tully & Associates, go to http://www.clairetullyandassociates.com
For more on the Continuum South and Dina Goldentayer, go to http://www.thedsteam.com
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