Talia M. Grijalva
California Closets Miami
900 Park Centre Blvd., Ste. 476 Miami Gardens
305.623.8282
CaliforniaClosets.com/Miami
One of Talia M. Grijalva’s favorite things about Miami is that it is a true international destination. “I love that you can find extractions from different cultures wherever you go,” she says. “Whether you’re in Calle Ocho, Miami Beach, Brickell or Key Biscayne, you will find a mix of people, fashions and styles. I love that the California Closets proprietary 3D CAD program makes the process so much fun for the client and completely dissolves the idea of a language barrier affecting the project. I’m able to work with someone from France, Spain or Japan while having a smooth and enjoyable process from start to finish.” In her many years of experience, she has helped her clients’ families grow. “It’s wonderful to help clients design their closets in their first home, or their first nursery, or family room where beautiful memories are made,” she says. Her clients become part of the California Closets family knowing they can contact her at anytime with any project, expansion or repair they will have in the future. “Nothing is more gratifying than to see the smile of a customer and to hear them saying they got exactly what they wanted and California Closets changed their lives for the better!”
Take full advantage of the height and depth of the spaces. “Make mix use of a room — turn your office into a guest room with the addition of a Murphy bed.”
Make sure to assign specific areas for your items. For example, “Don’t throw that robe on the floor. We offer a valet pin that discreetly pulls out to hang items when needed.”
“Hide! Hide! Hide! Use pull-out hooks instead of hanging rods and tilt-out hampers instead of standard laundry bins that take up usable space!”
James Duncan, Inc.
200 Crandon Blvd., Ste. 107
Key Biscayne
305.979.2520
JamesDuncanInteriors.com
JamesStuartDuncan.com
DuncanFramed.com
James Duncan has had a lifetime of interesting design experiences. His childhood was spent living and traveling in Asia and Europe where his creativity was nurtured in a family whose main passion has been to renovate houses and make them beautiful with interesting furniture, books and art. “After university, I went to NYC and worked with celebrity interior designer Thom Filicia,” he says. “I then moved to England to continue renovating and designing houses.” He met his wife and fellow designer Miriam in Spain and the couple decided to move to Key Biscayne where the built a business designing high-end furniture for the trade. “As we began to raise a family, our imaginations turned to the designing and redesigning of houses and gardens in this lush tropical environment. Once again, we found ourselves in the interior design business,” he says. “At the heart of our work is the belief that a beautifully designed home is the most enjoyable capital investment that one can make and an investment that is enjoyed by the whole family. The couple are continuing to expand their successful practice in New York and Aspen and recently co-founded a civic project called “Fill-A-Bag” which is a Clean Our Beaches initiative. Their first station is at Key Biscayne Beach Park.
“Make sure everything fits. The most common mistake many people make when they are designing a room is getting the scale wrong.”
“When you sit down to relax or entertain at home, can you reach your coffee table? If you can’t, what’s the point? The standard is 18 inches.”
“Don’t be afraid to have some fun and tell a story. Interiors should say something about you and your family. Hopefully all the furniture comes from different places.”
Sean Daigle
Downsview Kitchens
12800 U.S. Hwy One, Ste. 100 Juno Beach
561.799.7700
DownsviewKitchens.com
Sean Daigle’s signature style is a fluid aspect of his work. “Coming from an architecture background, I can appreciate different styles,” he says. “Design trends are always changing, so I also avoid getting locked into a particular style. It’s important to be authentic, but you have to be a good listener with your clients. I regularly like a more classic approach and try to stay away from extremely popular trends that are often killed quickly by their own success.” He sees Downsview Kitchens as his foundation, with its beautiful showrooms, renowned product quality, attention to detail, and styles ranging from ultra-contemporary to extremely traditional. “It’s never boring,” he says. “The custom capabilities of the line allow us unrivaled flexibility. I really enjoy the product development side of the business — it’s always exciting to see and work with new materials, products and technology.” Along with a superior product he believes service needs to be flawless. As in any other field, unavoidable issues within the construction process may arise, but it’s how those issues are handled that makes all the difference. All his skill and hard work is paying off. “We are in the planning stages now for a new cutting-edge 4,400-sq.-ft. Downsview factory showroom in DCOTA in Dania,” he says. “It’s so exciting!”
“Kitchens now seem to be less about cooking than ever. More open social kitchens have replaced formal or isolated kitchens. The kitchen should be the soul of the house and where households gather with family and friends.”
“Combining different cabinet materials and metals has become incredibly popular. Handle-free cabinetry and appliance integration is a current trend, with kitchens starting to blend in more with other rooms of the home.”
“Clients today are avoiding fads and taking the simple, timeless approach to their kitchen spaces. The heavy details of traditional kitchens have become more muted. Kitchen spaces are also reflecting a homeowner’s unique personal style more often these days.”
Miriam Moore
Miriam Moore Design Studio
3060 Blaine Street
Coconut Grove
305.285.7182
MooreDesignStudio.com
Miriam Moore favors classical contemporary environments that are simplistically sophisticated and timeless, yet functional; but most importantly, a reflection of her clients. “There’s always a certain formality to the spaces I create,” she says. “I love tailored environments that have order and symmetry. Proportion is key in all of my spaces. I’m constantly changing, evolving and unfolding new layers of sophistication within the spaces I create.” As such, she’s always up for a challenge such as when a new client said: “I’m open to anything you want to do except the following: I don’t want any wood, and my palette is white, red, cobalt blue and metal.” Miriam left thinking she simply could not take the project, as she believes that the element of wood, and the warmth it brings to a space is primordial, even if in a restrained, limited way. However, it presented a challenge that she decided to take on. By bringing in textural fabrics, rugs and architectural elements, the overall interiors did not look, (or feel) austere and sterile. As a result, she did many other projects for that client including their yacht. “I’m the interface between an aspiration and reality,” she says. “So turning over a personal space that truly makes my client happy is an amazing feeling.”
“I’m an advocate for everything natural and organic, and I love natural stone — however, the wood looks will, in my opinion, dominate the market for many years to come.”
“Tile format continues to get larger and larger as time goes by. Tile sizes of even 5’x10’ are readily available now. Now is the time to take advantage of this increasingly popular trend.
“Another big change in the industry is the availability of ultra-thin materials. There is a high demand from architects and designers for ultra-thin materials that are light in weight and carry seamlessly throughout spaces.”
