Located on the 20th floor of the Paramount Bay building and overlooking Miami, Fla.’s Biscayne Bay, the location is one of the area’s newest residential hot spots.
The challenge for Lindsay Pumpa, lead designer with Miami-based Tui Lifestyle, was to put a livable, contemporary spin on the area’s urban-chic lifestyle without compromising comfort or aesthetic, a challenge that started literally from the ground up.
“When I started looking at flooring, I was looking for something that was really going to contrast with the modern element of the furniture,” Lindsay Pumpa, the Miami-based interior designer overseeing the project, said. “A lot of people, when they hear ‘modern,’ they instantly go to marble, to white glass, and I knew I didn’t want to go that route. I wanted something that would really pop and make the furniture stand out.”
The Castillian collection from Mullican Flooring, one of the sponsors of this year’s HGTV Urban Oasis, features 12 engineered hardwood products in oak, hickory and walnut, each displaying an unusual surface treatment.
“When we started talking wood, I was thinking maybe a reclaimed wood, that kind of feel,” Pumpa said. “The Castillian collection was the perfect choice. The color palette was perfect, I love the white whiskering effect, and it looks a little like driftwood. It’s dark enough without being toodark, so the furniture really pops.”
Pumpa selected Castillian oak driftwood, a wire-brushed, 6-inch plank running throughout the entire residence.
“Interior designers are particularly drawn to this collection,” Brian Greenwell, vice president of sales and marketing for Mullican, said. “They like the different surface treatments and say the flooring goes well with the crisper, cleaner lines of contemporary interiors.”
And what of Pumpa’s literal take on the idea of a “floor to ceiling” renovation in the master bedroom?
“The bed is white, and the wall being a light gray, it wasn’t really making the statement I wanted it to. I loved the floor already, and I thought, what if we carry it up the wall?” Pumpa said. “I look at it as almost a faux canopy for the four-poster bed. It’s just enough of a statement to breakup the wall, and it does a great job preparing you for the darker elements deeper in the room.”
“When I first heard that Lindsay had selected oak driftwood, my first thought was, ‘Wow, this is going to be different!’ Neil Poland, president of Mullican Flooring, said. “And it is different, and it’s fantastic. That’s one reason it’s so great working with professional designers, because they can look at things and present options and opportunities you might never have thought of otherwise. The Urban Oasis is a perfect example of that.”
To see more of the HGTV’s Urban Oasis 2012 Giveaway, go to hgtv.com/urbanoasis.
