Centerline Architects | Sawitz Residence

Say ran one of Miami’s most successful famous South Beach restaurants for over 40 years. His goal: World class kitchen, intimate scale, open feeling for comfortable entertaining with food preparation, integral to the dinner experience. Norma’s goal: Updated modern finishes with a sculptural feeling of forms and creating an open plan with clearly defined spaces for different living functions.

The existing home was like a dumb bell with an entry/mudroom and the interior with living areas on one side and the master suite and sitting room on the other. We designed the kitchen and new entry so that it brought the divided house together. Soaring spaces captured light up high to both three distinct sculptured pieces; the stairs to the fireplace and the arched entry dividing screen in a directional light.

The result is a house that accommodates a dinner for 20 as comfortable as a dinner for two. The flow of space is both open yet carefully controlled. The play of maple floors, cabinets set against red brick, fir beams and the blood red granite counters gives this space a sauce of excitement. You just cannot help but feel good in this space. (And look good too, as red is both as a good color for serving food as it is for your complexion.)

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