We transformed a landmark Tudor home in the South of Fifth neighborhood into an eclectic seaside retreat, reflecting some of the best of what defines the locale —art, surf culture, and the beach.

The property embodies the home of an artisan living by the water. Inside, the interiors are filled with airy spaces, textured details, and a decorative color palette that lends itself to the roots of the artist’s primary palette, reinterpreted in modern hues of sienna, golden amber, and deep jade. 

True to our name, we bring historical properties to life through interpretative design that honors the original structure of the property and the essence of the neighborhood—bridging past, present, and future. As with anything living, it’s in constant evolution. In reanimating architecture, we endeavor to create a point of pride and communion for the entire neighborhood. 

Henriette Kockum, Life House's VP of Design, shares what goes into creating the experience of our Houses, her inspiration and process for crafting these layered and intricate spaces, and the design story behind our new South of Fifth property.

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THE TEAM’S INSPIRATION + PROCESS

Kockum’s inspiration and influence come from studying art history in Paris, along with museums, antique stores, Instagram, Pinterest, and traveling. When designing the interiors of our Houses, Kockum says, “I always look at the context of a space—what is the neighborhood, what is the architecture, who is using the space, etc. All this informs [the] decisions. This is a big part of why I love our design approach at Life House because every hotel’s interior comes from a place of research.”

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THE VISION FOR THE SOUTH OF FIFTH HOUSE

What makes our South of Fifth House different from the rest of our properties? It's intimacy. “It’s less formal and truly hones in on the sensation of walking into someone’s home. Our CEO had envisioned this as an elevated artist's eclectic beach house; the beach inspiration makes this lighter and airier than our other work,” Kockum says. 

Cream-colored walls and design elements like shiplap, wicker, and jute come together to create a coastal living vibe, while an eclectic mix of furniture and decor imbue the laid-back energy and creative influence of the area. Richer undertones and luxe elements weave throughout the property like the high gloss, deep jade lobby ceiling, and sienna and golden amber design accents.

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LAYERING THE SPACES

“I try to layer in design elements like vintage pieces and a variety of textures and materials to give a sense of richness,” Kockum says of her process, “I like to treat every space as an open canvas and get inspired by the contextual research. It’s almost like letting the property speak for itself, uncovering its soul and identity rather than enforcing something onto it.”

One of the most notable design features at South of Fifth is the unique, eclectic furnishings and decor. Kockum shares how a lot of the furniture is sourced from local vintage shops. "Some of them didn’t even have storefronts [so] we connected with [them] online or through word of mouth. [We found] one of the mid-century sofas through a local husband and wife antique collector.”

In addition to the unique and eclectic furniture, several other hand-made design pieces make a statement at the South of Fifth property, including a custom bar back and umbrellas crafted and sourced from Bali.

THE RETRO STAINED-GLASS BEACH BAR BACK

One of the property’s most notable design features is the retro, stained-glass bar back located in Pretty Swell—our in-house environmentally conscious and coastal inspired restaurant. The statement piece was inspired by the Arts and Crafts movement that influenced the area and was custom designed uniquely for the space.

The Life House team sourced reclaimed stained glass panels and worked with local multidisciplinary design firm, McKenzie, to create the massive bar back. Due to the delicate nature of the stained glass, they worked with the existing glass dimensions to precisely cut and craft the mahogany wood and door mullions around the glass to preserve the shape and integrity of the colorful panels. This resulted in an asymmetrical piece that is unique and playfully show-stopping.

THE BALINESE UMBRELLAS

A personal favorite of our Founder & CEO, Rami Zeidan, these Balinese umbrellas populate the front porch lounge and are another handmade design feature of the property. The decorative umbrellas are crafted with hand-painted details and hand-woven bamboo supports, and provide a textured, bohemian aesthetic to our outdoor spaces.

About four years ago, Anh Nguyen, founder of the Wicked Boheme, the company that sources these umbrellas, decided to showcase the beautiful craftsmanship from one of her favorite places—Bali. While Balinese umbrellas are traditionally used for ceremonial purposes and weddings, Nguyen wanted to bring their beauty into the home for everyday use.

“We work closely with our wonderful artisans in Canggu [to create] both traditional Balinese umbrellas and modern ones [...] We love that each item has been lovingly crafted by hand.” 

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Life House South of Fifth is now open in Miami Beach.

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