Awarded Best of Houzz 2020 & 2021, Sensi Casa isn’t like other design firms. Their elevated approach offers what only very few firms can: turnkey homes in record time. Sensi Casa’s mission is to assist clients in achieving a high-end aesthetic through detail-oriented curation that fills a space with luxurious furniture and accessories.

Principal Owner Diego Guarderas joined Haute Design for a conversation about Sensi Casa's company philosophies and what sets them apart.

Haute Design: What do you believe to be the most valuable service that Sensi Casa provides to its clients?

Diego Guarderas: In terms of interior design services, I would say that our Presto Design service is our most interesting offer because it is what makes us unique and sets us apart from other interior designers. With Presto Design, we are able to offer turnkey solutions and turnkey homes in record time. So, this is something quite interesting for many clients who are actually looking to move to other houses in a timely fashion. This way, the client does not have to go through the headache of visiting 10 to 15 stores and exploring numerous options just to pick out one sofa.

I would definitely say that the ability to offer a turnkey, fully furnished property in record time, within the client's budget, would be the most appealing service that we currently offer.

Photo Credit: Sensi Casa

HD: Would you be able to explain how this Presto Design Service, which you do so well, came about?

DG: Well, as you know, we do home-staging as well. So, because of our staging experience, we have learned to move pretty fast while doing interior design projects. We are taking all of the know-how of staging properties but offering much more leeway to the customer.

Because when staging a house, the realtor or the broker or the developer does not have much of an opinion on what we do other than telling us what type of style they want. So it's not like we can ask them whether they like this chair or whether they prefer this table over another. They will simply tell us, "I want a modern look," or "I want an Italian look," etc. And, of course, we just follow their orders. However, when it comes to Presto Design we combine the speed of our work along with a detail-oriented and customer-collaborative approach. For example, would they prefer an easy-to-clean sofa because they have children in their home? Would they prefer a King or Queen-sized bed in the master bedroom? Would they like sectionals in the family room or are they okay with three-seaters?

We certainly ask a lot of questions throughout the process with our customers. We begin with presenting options for what we feel would look best in each room and go from there. We completely avoid what other companies do sometimes which is to present a showroom-look.

Photo Credit: Sensi Casa

For example, there is a well-known furniture store in Miami that is probably the biggest home stager in the city right now. This store has been able to create a great brand and following, and people love their furniture. So of course, since they have their own inventory in each of their stores, it's pretty easy for them to furnish an entire home within a week because they own the inventory. So for them, it would be super simple to just pick a bed, a sofa, and armchair or what ever they have in stock. The downside to this, is that each home will look exactly like the one next door and exactly like their showroom in Aventura.

They have a great business model and it's a great solution for clients who may not care about their home's design as much. They have great-looking furniture but some clients prefer something unique and different even though that may normally take longer. That's where our ability to offer a unique look in record-time becomes very interesting.

Photo Credit: Sensi Casa

HD: You mentioned your home staging experience. What would you say are three key factors that go into your thought process when staging a home?

DG: The first thing we do when we home stage a property is to ask the owner, developer, or realtor if they are facing problems while showing the house. If you're showing a property and every time, someone says, "I don't know about this bedroom, it looks pretty small." So then of course, we try to make that problem disappear. In this case, we could showcase the room with a king bed, two night stands, a credenza and a rug or another furniture that could make the room look bigger.

In other words, the problem is that empty rooms look smaller than rooms which are fully furnished. People can have a hard time imagining how they could all their possessions into that room.

The first thing we do is to ask the client if there is any area in which they would like us to devote more attention toward. This helps us ensure that the client's house is sold as quickly as possible, which is our main goal. Not only will we help you sell the property as quickly as possible, but we will be able to do so while applying beautiful design. This is what sets us apart from other home stagers.

We also try to mainly use branded furniture so that we match the properties we stage with the same quality of furniture. Often times, in these three, four, five-million-dollar- homes, are staged with furniture that does not match the property. So what happens is, they have only tried to fill the home's space, rather than enhancing the house to make the property look better. Of course, by doing so, you would make the property sell faster.

Photo Credit: Sensi Casa

HD: Correct us if we're wrong, but do you find there is a misconception regarding your design approach? Because Sensi Casa turns projects around so quickly, one might imagine for you guys to overlook some of the details but that could not be further from the truth, correct?

DG: Exactly! We see Sensi Casa as a boutique firm. We have been growing and accepting more and more projects at the same time. That said, we would never overbook ourselves.

We prefer to schedule less projects because we are so detail-oriented. In fact, one of our other key offerings is how well we accessorize properties. We have even been hired by interior designers in the past just because they love how we accessorize homes. There have been instances where designers have done all the furnishing of a home but they will contract us to work exclusively on accessorizing.

What people may not notice is that it's often-times the accessories that place the cherry on top of the cake for a home. It's what makes the final touches so special, you know? The final rug or that final art piece is what gives that extra touch.

By the way, we do our own art in-house and of course we also partner with art galleries so we will hang pieces from well-known artists within our homes. However, most of the time, we use our own products and people have loved our art pieces so now we are growing our inventory in art pieces as well and clients are buying our art now, even though that was not the idea initially.

Because of all these varied services we offer, we are only adding more solutions in order to help our clients with better options for specific items. We have also begun our own Sensi Casa rug line. We are now providing bespoke rugs, hand-made in India. Customers can ask for any size they need and we offer custom sizes and, of course, all in record time (less than a month).

Photo Credit: Sensi Casa

HD: Is this a service that is available right now, as we speak?

DG: Yes, it is available as we speak. We have an instagram account besides our original page (@sensicasadesign) that is called @sensicasa.

That is the account we are using to showcase are rugs of all different kinds of materials. We are not doing colorful rugs. We are more favorable to the organic look because that is what we have been doing the most. That said, we will still honor any request.

If a client chooses a very colorful rug, filled with lines or patterns, we will do it because it's a custom order. What you will most likely be seeing on that instagram page is more organic, natural or neutral colors. The same applies to our linens we are currently working on as well. We are no working on bed spreads, pillow covers, bed sets and throws. Currently, linen is very fun en vogue and clients are in love with a specific hotel-look, especially here in Miami.

So we get a lot of clients asking more and more for this linen look which we are now offering.

If you wish to get in contact with the Sensi Casa team or learn more about them, CLICK HERE.

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Throughout different eras and across regions, art may change in medium, style, and motif but some aspects will always remain fixed: art’s recollection of history, storytelling ability, and its impact on the current and upcoming culture. Acclaimed artist, Yusuke Shigeta, pays homage to Japanese historical events and heritage by intersecting the modern digital with traditional Japanese aesthetics and designs. 

Shigeta’s installation piece, a six paneled animation of the 17th century Japanese folding screen titled The Battle of Sekigahara, serves to depict one of the most important wars in Japanese history. The innovative piece represents the blending of culture and time periods, and both honors and signifies the impact and importance of Japanese aesthetics in the art world.

Shigeta’s multi-dimensional folding screen ties the post-modern mediums of pixel animation and 3D modelling with long-established imagery of Japanese Samurais and the region’s natural flora and fauna.

The piece’s customary motifs, coupled with Shigeta’s original simulation component, add a layer of juxtaposition and intersectionality, as well as interesting movement to the overall folding screen.

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Web store Billy for Sale has announced its second installment of rare archival furniture pieces from IKEA.

The first time the IKEA archive platform offered a collection, it sold out within one hour. The project reportedly formed after a five-year process of sourcing rare furniture items from the '80s and '90s, when the Swedish conglomerate first launched in the UK.

This second installment features an eclectic collection of playful, iconic pieces alongside some not-so-popular ones. The collection launched earlier this week via Billy For Sale's web platform, with prices starting around $92.

Noteworthy items within the collection include the 1994 VILBERT chair by Verner Panton, as well as the 1972 IMPALA lounge chair by Gilis Lundren.

After the second collection is sold, BILLY intends to provide archival stock on a more consistent basis, as well as producing original designs to compliment its available stock.

The post Archival IKEA Pieces Return To Spotlight With BILLY For Sale’s Second Installment appeared first on Haute Residence by Haute Living.

Brussels

Photo Credit: Shutter Stock

Dirk Somers, founder of Belgian studio Bovenbouw Architectuur, created an entirely fictional city as his contribution to the Belgian Pavilion at this year's Venice Architecture Biennale.

The display is called Composite Presence and it is comprised of 50 models of projects recently completed throughout Brussels and Flanders, in northern Belgium. The models were completed by 45 separate architecture studios and are displayed at a 7:100 scale.

Visitors of this year's Venice Architecture Biennale will be able to walk among the models, which have been placed in miniature neighborhoods.

The display lends itself to an eclectic fictional city, as the models were selected among new buildings and refurbishments that represent visual themes common to the Flanders region.

The Belgian pavilion provides visitors with a surreal Architectural experience and also aims to underline the role that competitions  play in urban design.

The Venice Architecture Biennale opened its doors on May 22nd and will be open until November 21st.

The post Dirk Somers Combines 50 Flemish Buildings To Create Fictional City appeared first on Haute Residence by Haute Living.

Robert and Cortney Novogratz

Haute Residence hosted its “Designing The Future” webinar, featuring acclaimed designers Cortney and Robert Novogratz, to discuss their creative process and body of work, recent collaboration with Sarah Jessica Parker, influence taken from the geographical locations they’ve visited or which exist around them, and to offer exclusive tips on bringing space, light, and most importantly, life and family into the home.

They were hosted by Haute Living Editor-in-Chief, Laura Schreffler. Watch the full webinar here.

Highlight quotes:

Cortney Novogratz: 

“It’s been a strange year we've all had, it's shown us that we can really go anywhere and even if we’re just there for a brief moment, we can set up a shop and bring our homes and love of houses all over. This is so important, now more than ever. People's homes are their sanctuaries, and their offices too. Everything revolves around our house, especially at this moment.” 

“Show the house as people really live in it, so you know, a bench, a hook with actual coats, the backpacks or a basketball. There's ways to make it feel lived in so that people can really visualize their own family moving, but still making it stylish and really beautiful. Plants are really important, they help to bring life into the house.”

“If you come to us, it's about function and about beauty. Every place we've designed has been created with our family in mind. But we also want to keep falling in love, over and over, and so designs need to reflect that. They need to be sexy; all of those kinds of things are so important.” 

Robert Novogratz:

“When I think about designing, I always reference the restaurant Balthazar in New York City, because, there's probably better restaurants, there's probably better food, but when you walk into that restaurant with your girlfriend, your children, your grandmother, whoever it is, you feel like you’re more in Paris than in New York. It is an atmosphere. That's why with this pandemic, where all of these restaurants are closing down, Balthazar is one who survives. And it will always be around, because of its energy. And that's how a hotel and a home should be designed. When you walk into a home you want to feel happy, relaxed, and warm, and that is achieved through all the little touches.”

To watch more webinars curated by Haute Residence, visit http://dev.hauteresidence.com

The post Watch: “Designing The Future” Celebrity Design Webinar By Haute Residence With Cortney And Robert Novogratz appeared first on Haute Residence by Haute Living.

Justina Blakeney x Target

Photo Credit: Shutter Stock

Interior designer Justina Blakeney has grown something of a cult following since she burst onto the scene back in 2009 with the founding of Jungalow. In the years following, Blakeney's blog became a lifestyle brand. This week, the Jungalow founder announced that she has officially teamed up with retail giant Target for a new home line called Opalhouse.

"I believe that good design increases the quality of life," said Blakeney, as she revealed the good news to her 502 thousand instagram followers. "This is an incredible milestone for me and my team, and working with Target to bring to life these nearly 300 pieces was truly a pleasure, an honor and just really, really fun."

The distinct boho flair for which Jungalow has gained so much fanfare is present throughout the Opalhouse home line. The first iteration of the Opalhouse Collection includes bedding, furniture, wall decor, bath products, wallpaper and more.

According to Blakeney, her debut collection with Target will be available at most store locations as of June 13th and on June 26th on Target.com.

For a preview of the entire collection, click here.

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Sims 4

Photo Credit: Shutter Stock

The latest expansion pack included in the Sims 4 simulation game offers an interior design career path.

Whether you are a new fan looking to learn as much as possible about the beloved simulation video game, or a veteran follower of the Sims series, there is something new exciting in the game's latest included in the Dream Home Decorator Game Pack.

Players will be able to live out their interior design fantasies as they engage in the video game's newest career path. Sims 4's latest expansion allows players to meet with clients, discuss likes and dislikes within design and even give a big reveal once your project is finished.

The 'Gig Tasks' included in this career path is said to grant more player control than previous editions of the game.

Apart from living out grandiose decorator fantasies, players will be able to do one thing that any designer will admit they have wished to have had the power to do once or twice in their careers: there is a 'send client away' option. After all, what's the fun of playing Sims if it's too close to reality, right?

For more information on The Sims 4: Dream Home Decorator, head to the EA website and see all the information you need to start your latest simulation fantasy.

The post Have You Ever Wanted To Be An Interior Designer? Sims 4 Allows You To Live Out Your Dream appeared first on Haute Residence by Haute Living.

Christian Siriano

Photo Credit: Shutter Stock

Christian Siriano, winner of season four of Project Runway, has pivoted from fashion to interior design by launching his debut furniture collection.

The 35-year-old designer partnered with e-commerce market place, 1st Dibs to offer an eclectic and impressive debut furniture collection. According to a report from L'Officiel, Siriano's collection includes sculptural stools, coffee tables, settees and everything in between.

Siriano first burst onto the scene when he became the youngest champion of Project Runway in 2007. Since then, he has gone onto design looks for Michelle Obama, Lady Gaga, Amy Adams, Angelina Jolie and more. He nearly broke the internet along with Billy Porter after the actor debuted an exclusive Siriano-designed look to the 2019 Oscars.

Billy Porter at 2019 Oscars

Photo Credit: Shutter Stock

Multiple pieces from Siriano's debut furniture collection continue to be available on 1st Dibs. Whether it's a stool, chair or ottoman you're looking for, this impressive collection has something to offer for any need.

The post Project Runway Winner Christian Siriano Launches Debut Furniture Collection appeared first on Haute Residence by Haute Living.

Michael Scigliano and Fernando Alvarez

Photo Credit: Juan Pablo Castro

Curved Upholstered Sofa

Photo Credit: Troy Campbell Studio

The post Michael Scigliano Of MS2 Design Studio Reveals One Of His Greatest Design Secret Weapons appeared first on Haute Residence by Haute Living.

Today, Stefano Balli answers a few questions from Haute Design.

Giorgio Balli & Stefano Balli

Photo Credit: Balli Group

How did you get into real estate development?

Originally, my intentions were to go into private wealth management, but I realized within a short period of time that it was not a true passion of mine. I found myself leaving the Business School at Florida International University to join the Architecture School. One afternoon after a large final studio presentation, it hit me. Real Estate Development is that balance between my passions - Architecture and Finance. I graduated from the School of Business with focuses in Finance and Real Estate. That year in Architecture school carved out my true passion.

What is the legacy of Balli Group?

Balli Group is a legacy company. My Grandfather, Giorgio Balli Sr., arrived from Lima to California in the early seventies and never looked back. A few years later, he arrived in Miami and designed most of Cocoplum and Gables Estates in the early eighties. Soonthereafter, my Father, Giorgio Balli Jr., joined the company and exponentially grew it to have designed and built over 300 Luxury Custom Homes all of South Florida. Over the years, we've been able to expand our services to our clients to now become a fully-integrated development firm. Balli Group will continue to produce its high-quality level products for decades to come.

What trends have you been seeing and incorporating into your projects?

Given the current conditions, at-home gyms, spas and offices are at the top of the list. One item I’ve been focusing on incorporating into our upcoming projects is technology integration within our projects.

Where do you see the company going in five years?

I see the company continuing to lead the South Florida’s Residential Luxury Market while branching out into Commercial Markets.

Hammock House

Photo Credit: Balli Group

What has been one of your favorite projects to date?

This is a very difficult question because each and every project is so unique and special in its own way. One of my favorite projects to date must be Hammock House, a beautifully appointed Tropical Modern compound located in the gated community Hammock Lakes. What made us purchase the property was the abundance of mature oak trees (70+). This created a challenge during the design phase, but Giorgio managed to design everything around and between the oaks - creating an incredibly surreal experience once inside the home. The success of this project lead to a recording breaking sale prior to the project’s completion. One of our next projects will be located in the gated community Snapper Creek Lakes and we anticipate a completion date of 1Q 2023.

The post Stefano Balli Sits Down For Q&A On What Sets Balli Group Apart appeared first on Haute Residence by Haute Living.

Ariana Grande

Photo Credit: Shutter Stock

Ariana Grande sent her 238 million instagram followers into a frenzy this week when she shared images from her in-home wedding to real estate agent Dalton Gomez.

The young couple tied the knot at the two-time Grammy-Award-winner's Tudor-style home ion Montecito, California.

According to exclusive image released by Vogue, the two-time Grammy-Award-winning artist's lovely home is the very same she purchased from Ellen DeGeneres last summer.

A quick look at Grande's posts reveals how perfectly the Tudor-style details and architecture compliment an intimate wedding backdrop. Between the exposed wooden beams and the white walls with brick fireplace, the imagery screams of Tudor influence.

Tudor-themed Interior

Photo Credit: Shutter Stock

According to a Vogue report, the couple decided early on in their engagement that the wedding would be held at home. This week's ceremony was reportedly attended by no more than 20 guests.

The post Ariana Grande’s Wedding Decor Was Every Designer’s Dream appeared first on Haute Residence by Haute Living.

Golden Isles II Living Room

Photo Credit: Emilio Collavino

With clean lines and a monochromatic palette, this Hallandale Beach home steers away from formality warming its contemporary tones with soft textiles and rich wood.

Designed in a soft palette of grey and white with pops of vivid red, the living and dining spaces blend seamlessly together to define the great room. Porcelain tile flooring weeps through the main floor and connects to the outdoors. The plush, red-velvet “Mad King” armchair by famed designer Marcel Wanders catches the eye immediately. 

Golden Isles II Dining Room

Photo Credit: Emilio Collavino

In the dining area, a glass-topped table seats 10 guests comfortably on sophisticated black leather-clad chairs. Near the stairway, a stone wall reaches up to the second floor. Just off the entry, the wine room is a well-lit space fashioned with a grid-like bottle display.

Golden Isles Bottle Display

Photo Credit: Emilio Collavino

In the clean-lined kitchen, Calacatta marble tops both the large island and a unique backsplash that extends up to the ceiling. Stylish, oversized counter chairs are a fun creation. They are dressed in metallic silver vinyl, each seating two comfortably.

Golden Isles II Kitchen

Photo Credit: Emilio Collavino

A tufted white headboard, an abstract area rug and gauzy draperies add texture to the airy master bedroom.

Golden Isles II Master Bedroom

Photo Credit: Emilio Collavino

In the luxurious master bath, a shower that doubles as a steam bath features a relaxing wavy chaise. Beyond, a custom marble wall designed by 2id Interiors creates a dramatic backdrop for a spa-like step0-up tub.

Golden Isles Master Bath

Photo Credit: Emilio Collavino

Successful in fulfilling the owner’s vision, this contemporary home is product of a 14-month collaboration between a client with a dream and a design team with the expertise to translate it into a functionally elegant home.

The post 2id Interiors Presents Latest Residential Project: Golden Isles II appeared first on Haute Residence by Haute Living.

Cineflix, which produces Property Brothers on HGTV, is still facing a lawsuit from a couple who appeared on the TV show and felt “bamboozled and tricked” after discovering multiple issues with their costly home renovation.

Despite Drew and Jonathan Scott’s aim to help couples unearth their dream homes using “state-of-the-art” programs for construction and remodeling, the production company behind Property Brothers is now facing a lawsuit from a Las Vegas couple who allegedly found several problems with their home renovation, which was featured on an episode of the hit reality HGTV series.

Paul and Mindy King told KTNY that they’re suing Cineflix (the company that produces Property Brothers) and the local contractor, Villa Construction, that worked on their home after discovering wires left exposed, uneven baseboards, improperly attached doors, and a number of renovations not executed according to code. The brothers themselves were not named in the lawsuit. 

To clarify, in order for the Scott brothers to work with local contractors on the properties featured on the show, the homeowners in each episode must take care of the expenses first.

The Kings paid over $193,000 to Cineflix for their home remodel in 2019 after hearing about a Property Brothers casting call in 2018. With promises of a perfect HGTV quality remodel, the couple said they passed on a honeymoon to set aside money and signed the contract that guaranteed all the work would be done to code. 

However, the couple’s confidence plummeted after discovering the shoddy renovations, which Paul told KTNY that “for somebody just walking in, it’s really good from far, but it’s far from good.”

Prior to taking legal action, the couple claimed they gave Cineflix and Villa Construction enough time to fix the issues that they had identified in their home. Nevertheless, the production and construction companies have thus far disputed this. 

Mindy filed a complaint with the Nevada State Contractors Board (NSCB) listing over 90 deficiencies, but the board only addressed 10 of those listed to be warranted and issued a Notice to Correct such deficiencies to Villa Construction.

The couple’s claims regarding the access they gave the contractor to repair the damages in the house — that is, the property remained vacated for two months before the couple moved in, and they permitted the contractors to enter the house more than 10 times over a four-month period after moving in — were by contradicted the NSCB after it closed out the complaint citing the Kings for declining to let the contractor inside. Villa Construction and Cineflix both agreed.

Cineflix released the following statement from its lawyers: 

“We recognize the responsibility we are granted by the homeowners who choose to take part in our television shows. Cineflix (Property Brothers 7) Inc. works with dedicated professionals who take pride in their work. We are aware of Paul and Mindy King's claims and have worked to resolve the short punch list of items that were identified by the Nevada State Contractors Board (NSCB). When the Kings rejected our attempts to complete the work, the NSCB closed the case and the punch list of items remain unresolved. As this matter is now before the courts, we are unable to comment any further at this time.”

Meanwhile, Villa Construction President Todd Christensen released his own statement: 

“We always strive for customer satisfaction in all projects we undertake. Regarding the project at 7400 .... Ave, we were contacted by and contracted with a production company to participate in several home remodel projects. After completion of this project, the initial, detailed Construction Punch List created by the homeowner was completed. We have been made aware of additional items, several of which were only brought to our attention over a year after the work was completed, by way of the homeowner seeking a third-party inspection by the Nevada State Contractor's Board (NSCB). We cooperated with the inspection and tried to work with the homeowner to resolve the short list of items that were identified by the NSCB. Access to the home was denied by the homeowner. The NSCB made the decision to close the matter on October 21, 2020 via letter which stated, ‘Since you have not provided the contractor access to make the necessary corrections, we will take no further action’. We understand that the homeowner is now pursuing a legal claim, and therefore we have no further comment at this time.”

Additionally, the Scott brothers’ lawyers issued their own statement to Channel 9: 

“The Property Brothers (“Brothers”) are not named defendants in Paul and Mindy King's (the “Kings”) lawsuit initiated against Cineflix (Property Brothers 7) Inc. and Villa Construction, nor are they responsible for the Kings’ alleged claims. The Kings have rejected Cineflix (Property Brothers 7) Inc.’s and Villa’s reasonable attempts to remedy the remaining punch list items in the Kings’ home. Instead, in what appears to be an attempt to secure a substantial monetary settlement, the Kings have engaged in a negative publicity campaign against the Brothers. It is unfortunate that the Kings have resorted to such conduct.”

As of now, attorneys for Cineflix filed to have the Kings’ case dismissed, which is set for a hearing scheduled at the end of this month. 

The post “Property Brothers” Production Firm Sued Over Shoddy Home Renovation appeared first on Haute Residence by Haute Living.

Brandon Zarco, Todd Michael Glaser

Photo Credit: Romain Maurice

Glaser’s success throughout the decades required him to find the right individual to help him with the next phase of his business, which he found in Zarco. “Brandon is here to help me manage and grow my development and owner’s rep company,” he said. In just the first four months of 2021, the team has transacted on $170M of real estate.

Zarco added, “Todd’s expertise is in very high demand. Our process is intentional and systematic. We don’t build fast; we build efficiently.” Glaser said, “We would like to take on more projects, but we are nearing capacity. We need to grow.” This is where the Glaser-Zarco dynamic comes in.

If the last name of Glaser’s new deputy sounds familiar to Haute Living readers, it’s not a coincidence: he’s the son of a long-time Haute Partner, attorney Robert Zarco.

The interview session was a short glimpse into the day-to-day rapport Glaser has  developed with Zarco, each of them complimenting and complementing the other’s talents and sentences, respectively.

Glaser saw the development experience Zarco acquired with the builders of The Four Seasons at The Surf Club, The Four Seasons Fort Lauderdale, and The Four Seasons Palm Beach as he considered and promptly brought him into the fold. Zarco achieved his MBA at the Robert H Smith School of Business at the University of Maryland, College Park with a focus on Finance, and later honed his skills in Washington D.C. where he spent a few years in real estate banking.

Photo Credit: Romain Maurice

“I saw a lot of me in him,” said Glaser, as he identified Zarco’s qualities. “There’s a lot of serendipity between us. His grandmother, an interior designer that predominantly worked with one wealthy family her entire career, gave Brandon his first design book for his Bar Mitzvah when he was 13 years old. It was a Zaha Hadid book. Years later, I co-developed the building, [One Thousand Museum by Zaha Hadid Architects in Downtown Miami].”

On that building, with a little prompting, Glaser added proudly, “It’s the best building in the world. There’s no residential building like it.”

Looking into the future, “The next chapter of Todd Michael Glaser 2.0 will focus on ‘Legacy Properties’,” said Zarco. “Our Palm Beach acquisitions approach is currently centered on procuring and developing uniquely positioned legacy properties. There are a few in the pipeline that we are excited to bring to market throughout 2021 and early 2022.”

Famous for purchasing historic estates in Palm Beach, Glaser and his wife, Kim, bought Villa Fontana, located at 127 Dunbar Road, for $17 million in mid-2020, and sold it in March of this year for $28 million. Keeping up with the efficiency rate he employs, Glaser added that they already have new, “Haute Living spectacular,” projects to acquire into their growing portfolio. To start, Glaser recently put under contract 10 Tarpon Isle, a 2.26 acre private island accessible via private bridge in the heart of Palm Beach with 1300’ of waterfront located just 0.5 miles south of Worth Avenue.

Tarpon Island, Palm Beach County, FL

Photo Credit: Jay Bruns

An impressive detail to highlight about Glaser is that he knows the addresses of every one of his projects, radiating a paternal tone in his approach to each of them. More directly, he said, “I’m good with numbers and making my partners money. We have a great track record. I’ve been fortunate to have great partners throughout my life, including Alan Lieberman, Scott Robbins, Craig Robbins, Jerry Robbins, Armin Mattli, Jared Posner, Sean Posner, Rony Seikaly, Jonathan Fryd, and David Lombardi to name a few.”

One of Glaser’s top projects at the moment is a collaboration between architecture firm Kobi Karp, high-end furniture brand Artefacto, and Todd Michael Glaser, located at 394 S Hibiscus Drive. It’s the first endeavor between the three companies.

On their goals for the rest of 2021, as an active third of the year is in the books, Zarco said, “We’re in the process of restructuring and streamlining the operations of the business in a way that invites scale while maintaining the highest level of quality and unmatched style. Over the years, Todd has built a tremendous brand for himself. We want to take that brand, and coupled with newly envisioned legacy properties, be able to expand, so when people from anywhere in the country hear ‘Todd Michael Glaser’ they know the type of business and excellence of product that we provide.”

As the dialogue was coming to a close, the last question for Glaser generated his fastest response: Would you choose one of those $50 million waterfront homes in Palm Beach or the $50 million estates in The Hamptons? His answer, “I’m a Palm Beach guy.”

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