A renovation on Sunset Island embraces bespoke furnishings and a rosy palette of blush and burgundy with a playful approach for a growing family of four.
Blush-hued chaises and an accent table, all by Kettal, lounge poolside. Photographed by Jeanne Canto
THE DESIGN
Nestled within the Sunset Island neighborhood of Miami Beach, this 6,500-square-foot house has all the markings of a MONIOMI Design endeavor. There’s the custom Terrazzo Lux mini basketball hoop installed on the pool terrace. The curved dining table in the great room crafted from oak and marble. And the MADE by Moniomi Tiered ottomans in the living area, perched on a wool, silk and shag rug whose shape recalls none other than the race tracks of ancient Olympian arenas, of course. For the past 10 years, Monica Santayana and Ronald Alvarez of MONIOMI Design (moniomi.com) have been working to keep the home everblossoming alongside the family of four that lives here.
MONIOMI Design curated a rosy dining collection and hanging chairs by Kettal for the loggia, alongside a custom basketball hoop from MADE by Moniomi. Photographed by Jeanne Canto
“Our creative process has been tied closely with the evolution of the family—watching the family as they grow, as their interests change, and as the house continues to be an extension of them and their personality. We’ve loved being able to design everything from their daughter’s nursery to now her colorful tween bedroom,” Alvarez says. “With our custom designs, we were able to develop or create a lot of tailored solutions for the client and allow the language of the design to be consistent throughout the whole house.”
Pink reigns in the kids’ room via wallpaper from Drop It Modern and a sconce from Blueprint Lighting NYC.Photographed by Jeanne Canto
That design language explores the art of play and connectively threads through sumptuous materials and a color palette that is at once bright and fresh with sophisticated and moody overtones. “Our design inspiration has truly been the freedom that our client gives us,” Santayana says. “They trust us, and they love what we do. They love our bold and colorful aesthetic. We leaned into all of our blushes and burgundies layered with patterns and textures. Really, this client loves artistic integration with art and playful objects. We fused all of the above and created a beautiful, fun, eclectic vibe over the years.”
A swing from 1stdibs makes playtime chic. Photographed by Jeanne Canto
THE SCOPE
The design duo has completed a comprehensive home renovation that included interior architecture and design, exterior architecture and landscape consulting, furniture and decor, and custom millwork and cabinetry for the living area, dining area, pool and cabana, and children’s room. The latter space exudes vibrance and joy fit for young imaginations while keeping with the chic quality of the rest of the house. Case in point: The window treatments were fabricated using Kelly Wearstler textiles, and the rainbow niche was upholstered in rich Maharam velvets.
Tiered maroon and peach ottomans perch atop a custom rug in the living room—all from the MADE by Moniomi collection. Photographed by Jeanne Canto
“We curated and customized the entire room,” says Santayana, “allowing us to have incredible details like the acrylic flower-shaped hardware, the mini fringed ottoman or the custom bunk bed area.” A playful swing by Cuban-American artist Gabriela Noelle in this room finds a more grown-up counterpart on the loggia in Kettal’s Club Swing Rope set. The living and dining areas have also continued to receive modifications, “always having that dining component where the kids can do homework and eat breakfast, and it becomes a nice functional great room that we’ve continued to evolve as the family has grown,” Alvarez says. In this space, a design challenge— an awkwardly placed wall and column—turned into a favorite moment: a home bar that MONIOMI outfitted with custom cabinetry and mirror work.
A dining table from the MADE by Moniomi collection features a shapely silhouette and a composition of oak and marble. Photographed by Jeanne Canto
THE OUTCOME
Ultimately, it’s been a decade well spent. The designers have created a stylish haven for the owners to gather and entertain in a curated environment of bespoke furnishings and an air of whimsy. As the family’s narrative further unfolds, the designers will fondly imagine them “at home, surrounded by joy for years to come,” Santayana says.
Monica Santayana and Ronald Alvarez designed a custom bar off the dining room to solve a challenge posed by an existing column. Photographed by Jeanne Canto
DESIGN DETAILS
TYPE
House
LOCATION
Sunset Island
INTERIOR DESIGN MONIOMI DESIGN
moniomi.com
RESOURCES
1STDIBS
Gabriela Noelle swing in the kids’ room
1stdibs.com
DROP IT MODERN
Wallcovering in kids’ room
dropitmodern.com
FLOR
Carpet in kids’ room
flor.com
KETTAL
Dining table, dining chairs, hanging chairs, sofa, pillows and coffee tables on loggia; poolside chaises and accent table
kettal.com
MADE BY MONIOMI
Living room ottomans and rug, dining table
madebymoniomi.com
MAHARAM
Rainbow fabrics in kids’ room
maharam.com
