Halfway, friends. We are nearly halfway through winter. While I tend to avoid rushing my way through any season (life is too short!), I’d be amiss if I said I wasn’t looking ahead to warmer days. For those of you with me, thankfully we get to escape off to Miami today, albeit virtually. A coastal classic Miami Shores renovation awaits, designed by Ann Ueno and Meghan Grimbert for Miami Living Co. I had the honor of meeting Ann last October at the HAVEN Workshop and can attest she’s every bit as lovely as her designs and she’ll be the first one I call next time I’m in Miami. Ready for the tour? Light and airy is the name of this reno game and I’m here for it. Join me, below.

From Ann Ueno and Meghan Grimbert for Miami Living Co… When a retired couple from New York was looking to do a gut rehab, all in, including a converted garage, new roof and a massive exterior renovation as well, right in our neighborhood of Miami Shores, we jumped at the opportunity. Our clients wanted to be closer to the children and grandchildren, so as moms ourselves, we loved being a part of this new chapter they were starting.

Our vision for this home was coastal and classic, ensuring we kept the clients New York roots but with a layer of a traditional coastal aesthetic. To set the tone from the exterior design to the interior design, we leveraged the homes original exterior stucco nautical details which was very much aligned with our vision and the clients so it worked perfectly! Alas, the #coastalcasa project was taking shape.

We designed the kitchen intentionally all white but added elements of contrast including black honed granite countertops and timeless walnut-stained white oak flooring which is a rarity in Miami! Walls were knocked down to create an open concept but the vertical beams were load-bearing so we incorporated them into the overall design. Comfort and style were key so sourcing the stools from Serena and Lily and adding a custom breakfast nook with leftover remnants from the counters, we were able to give the homeowners their dream kitchen that was both practical and beautiful.

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One of our favorite features is the laundry room which is directly off the kitchen, where we also added a door to the exterior backyard patio (perfect solution for a ‘mud room’ given the house no longer has a garage or formal entryway). We wanted to make a statement with the backsplash but staying true to our aesthetic and we did just that, thanks to Cement Tile Shop.

Another design element that we loved was the facelift on the fireplace. It was previously very drab and standard, with no special touches. We maximized the leftover marble tile from the master bathroom and gave that fireplace some love – and character. It needed updating and this was an inexpensive way of doing so.

While the guest bathroom is modest, we wanted to push the design a bit here as well. We chose circolus cement tile floor and paired those up with a beautiful custom blue vanity and traditional white shiplap on the walls. Nautical with a hint of energy and fun – we love it!

From classic black Studio McGee seating and pops of coastal blue hues throughout, from a new backyard patio featuring native Florida keystone tile and timeless Carrara marble used in the master bathroom, we are thrilled how our #coastalcasa project in Miami Shores turned out. As are the clients which is the most important part!