Having been recently remodeled by the homeowners and architect Giorgio Balli, this 9,000-square-foot Coral Gables property was ready for its moment. When it came to the interiors, the design directive was clear: The home should be representative of its location. Rather than bombard the senses with overt references to grand Floridian splendor, Maggie Cruz let the 1920s Spanish Mediterranean Revival architecture and lush landscaping shine.
When Cruz started, the interiors were a blank slate. "We were tasked with infusing the character that existed on the exterior of the home in the mostly white interiors," the designer says. So, she got to work creating neutral but nuanced schemes. Furniture in various wood tones and whites play off one another, making the large-scale rooms feel both welcoming and uncluttered. Natural materials add texture while vintage carpets provide a touch of pattern underfoot, and abstract artwork introduces color. And then there are the plants, which bring the outdoors in.
As Cruz says, "We incorporated a mix of classic and contemporary texture, color, and pattern into every space—from cane to bouclé, you can find it all in this home."
Exterior
In designing the interiors, Cruz took inspiration from the Spanish Mediterranean Revival architecture of this historic 1920s home.
Living Room
The soft curves of the living room furniture—a dreamy rounded sofa, caned barrel chairs, and a marble coffee table with an oval top and legs that follow its form—echo the arched openings to the adjacent rooms. "To let the architecture and natural light sing, we selected softer pastel tones that pulled together the tones used throughout," Cruz says.
Artwork: Kelly O’Neal. Chairs: Maggie Cruz Home. Chests: Lily’s Living. Coffee table: RH. Lamp: Legend of Asia. Rug: Heir Looms. Sofa and ottoman: Custom by Maggie Cruz Home.
In the foyer, which can be seen through the arched door of the living room, Cruz nods to the tropical landscape of Florida—without going overboard—with banana leaf wallpaper in subtle gray tones. Live banana plants flanking a bench from the designer’s own furniture line provide natural greenery.
Artwork: Verónica Pasman (living room) and Monti Morin (foyer). Bench: Maggie Cruz Home. Coffee table and sisal rug: RH. Pillows: Custom and Moss Studio. Wallpaper: Milton & King.
Dining Room
Abundant natural light allowed Cruz to go with darker finishes for the furniture in the dining room. There, she pulled in blush tones (and nature!) via a framed print modeled on an early 19th century ornithology book. The artwork hangs above a fluted, two-tone sideboard. Brass pendants with Moorish flavor add a touch of glam above.
Chairs: Four Hands. Pendant lights: L’Aviva Home. Rug: Heir Looms. Sconces: Visual Comfort. Sideboard: Maggie Cruz Home. Table: RH Window treatments: Guzman Interiors.
Breakfast Room
Wallpaper in a similar tone to the home's façade warms up the breakfast nook, where abstract artwork makes a colorful splash. The easy-to-clean bistro chairs have a morning casual vibe.
Artwork: Verónica Pasman. Bench: Custom by Maggie Cruz Home. Chairs: Selamat. Table: Four Hands. Wallpaper: York Wallcovering.
Bedroom
Cruz grounded the primary bedroom with a custom taupe velvet bedframe and vintage bone-inlay nightstands, then infused texture with the wallpaper, roman shades, and tiered woven pendant light. "The homeowners really loved our material board," the designer says.
Bed and pillows: Custom by Maggie Cruz Home. Wallpaper: Fabrics & Walls. Pendant light: Palecek. Rug: Loloi. Window treatments: Guzman Interiors
Drapes hung as close to the ceiling as possible make the windows seem even larger.
Chairs: Four Hands. Sofa and pillows: Custom by Maggie Cruz Home
Guest Bedroom
Cruz creates an oasis of calm with soft blue walls and white furniture atop a neutral rug with a hint of pattern and color. Since this guest suite opens to the pool, "We did not want the interiors competing with the landscaping, so we went with softer tones and variety of texture" she says.
Bed: Custom by Maggie Cruz Home. Chairs: Essentials for Living. Nightstands: Made Goods. Rug: Heir Looms. Window treatments: Guzman Interiors.
The tall bed creates a room-within-a-room effect.
Patio
Neutral patio furniture doesn’t overshadow the landscaping or architecture.
Accessories: Maggie Cruz Home. Dining table and sofa: RH. Woven outdoor furniture: Serena & Lily.
Multiple furniture groupings on the patio are ideal for dining al fresco or lounging by the pool. The natural woven pieces complement the lush foliage around the perimeter.
Chairs: Serena & Lily. Dining table: RH.
Q&A
House Beautiful: Did you encounter any memorable hiccups, challenges, or surprises during the project? How did you pivot?
Maggie Cruz: Our biggest obstacle when completing this project was sourcing challenges due the supply chain issues. Our clients had a very tight deadline so we had to reselect pieces a few times to be able to meet their move-in date. In some cases, we opted to make custom pieces with our favorite upholsterers. This gave us the opportunity to use beautiful fabrics and finishes with unique details; we love that this home has so many one-of-a-kind furnishings.
HB: Were there any DIY moments?
MC: We got crafty with the plants. Our team put together most of the arrangements on-site on the day we installed the furniture.
