Home tour: A tropical modernist house in Miami by Evan Edward, designed with art deco influences

Peek inside this mid-century modern tropical home in Miami Beach that takes inspiration from Sri Lankan architect Geoffrey Bawa

Nestled along the sun-kissed stretch of the Biscayne Point neighbourhood in Miami Beach, Florida lies this beautiful mid-century modern tropical oasis. Taking inspiration from the location and setting, this 4,500 sq ft South Florida home is at once both sophisticated and relaxed, with a clever mix of art deco elements and natural materials.

The owners–a young family with two children–recently relocated to Miami Beach from Dallas, Texas and love spending time out on the water. They sought an abode that resonated with their active lifestyle and entrusted the design of their home to Josh Evan and Michael Edward Moirano, co-founders of Evan Edward, an architecture and interior design studio based in New York City.

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Above Josh Evan (left) and Michael Edward Moirano (right), co-founders of Evan Edward

“Our client knew she wanted to take advantage of the Miami deco influences but not in an obvious way. It had to feel like a beach house but sophisticated and functional,” shared Evan about the owners. “Her amazing sense of fashion and confident style really informed the process. Miami is known for its lush landscape, beautiful water views, and spectacular sunrises and sunsets all of which were considered when designing the residence.”

For Evan and Moirano, who have backgrounds in fashion and architecture respectively, this was a particularly significant project. “We had just launched our firm one month before connecting with the clients,” says Moirano. “This is our first major ground-up, new build project. We always bring intense passion to our projects but with this, we really had something to say and achieve for our clients and ourselves. It organically took on a life of its own.”

Photo 1 of 7 The formal living room features a pouf sectional by Stahl + Band, a bespoke rug from Mitchell Denburg, and vintage armchairs designed by Jindřich Halabala

Photo 2 of 7 The outdoor terrace features a custom table designed by Evan Edward to accommodate large gatherings

Photo 3 of 7 The entrance of the playroom

Photo 4 of 7 The playroom features an Ottavio Missoni No. 1 Hexagons wall tapestry

Photo 5 of 7 This mudroom connects the garage to the rest of the home

Photo 6 of 7 The tropical modernist style of the home was inspired by Geoffrey Bawa

Photo 7 of 7 The typical parapet flat roof line is softened with inverted angled roof eaves with Garapa wood cladding to add warmth to balance the overall design

With the use of floor-to-ceiling glass panels, Evan Edward created a seamless fluidity between the indoor and outdoor space, drawing in natural light and celebrating the view of Biscayne Bay. This sense of openness and fluidity is immediately apparent from the moment one enters the foyer and main living room, which features a mix of vintage furniture and opens up to a spacious covered terrace, garden, and pool area.

To create an intimate and separate primary foyer within the main living room while maintaining views of the water when entering the home, Evan Edward turned to the artist John-Paul Philippe of the Cristina Grajales gallery to design a custom screen. “The raffia screen between the foyer and formal living room is a piece that we commissioned with John Paul Philippe,” says Evan. “We set out to create something that would provide privacy without obstructing or dominating the view of Biscayne Bay, the lush garden and pool. John Paul's design was absolutely meant to be. The voids and dimensional shapes give you a peek of the living room and view beyond.”

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Above The custom raffia screen designed by John-Paul Philippe serves as a divider between the foyer area and the living room

Above In the pool bath, the Portofino light fixture by Servomuto recalls a sun hat

Extending naturally from the living area lies the large and spacious open-plan kitchen, dining, and family room, which embraces natural materials for a relaxed aesthetic. “We adore the way that [Sri Lankan architect] Geoffrey Bawa uses simple material palettes to weave the interiors of his projects within the greater natural context,” says Evan. “We wanted all the spaces we designed to feel like they blurred that same line, such as creating a garden as the backsplash to the bar at the stair or using the unique natural form of the Pandanus tree just outside of the family room as our influence for the family room fabric selections. We tempered this with our love of art deco furniture by throwing in splashes of parchment everywhere we could.”

Photo 1 of 5 The two storey volume creates a monumental stance from the bay

Photo 2 of 5 Subtle two toned white oak cabinetry adds a layer of warmth to the heart of the home, with semi reflective cabinets pulling in blue tones from the bay

Photo 3 of 5 The family room features furniture from Dune, and a sliding panel that conceals the television

Photo 4 of 5 The dining area is furnished with vintage chairs designed by Ernest Farmer for George Nelson Associates

Photo 5 of 5 The unique natural form of the Pandanus tree just outside of the family room inspired some of the fabric selections

Leading to the upper floor is a beautiful staircase with a bar area and a lush garden backsplash. The functionality of the bar, coupled with the sculptural quality of the stairs and the overall material and colour palette grounds the centre of this home. “The entire project flows seamlessly from the stairs,” shares Moirano. “It was a joy to establish the language of materials used throughout the project in such a challenging space that serves so many functions.”

Above The stairs and bar area is set against a lush garden backsplash

Above The airy and well lit stairwell features a vintage chandelier

The kids’ bedrooms ooze personality and were inspired by the children’s respective passions and interests. The daughter's room was designed with a surfer chic aesthetic in mind and included a playful and colourful mix of textiles and fabrics. In the boy's bedroom, skateboards hang on the wall, and custom millwork by Evan Edward even conceals a secret room.

Photo 1 of 2 The boy's bedroom, with custom millwork by Evan Edward

Photo 2 of 2 The girl's bedroom is decorated with colourful textiles and fabrics

With a minimalist feel and simple colour palette, the primary bedroom is an understated and restful sanctuary. Inspired by the owners’ travels, the rattan headboard of the bed ties the modern beach aesthetic together. Maintaining a simple material palette, the primary bathroom is clad in travertine marble and oak millwork, making it both luxurious and serene. Last but definitely not least, the primary bedroom also features an incredible private balcony, allowing the owners to enjoy the beautiful sunset view.

“We were very involved in all aspects of the process and forged a very close relationship with our clients,” says Evan. “We are still collaborating with them–on the artwork, and finishing touches–they have a great appreciation and understanding of the process. We have formed a cherished relationship and love getting to spend time with them at the house for holidays or sunset drinks.”