Rafaela Simoes & Laila Colvin

Photo Credit: 2id Interiors

Founders and Creative Directors Rafaela Simoes and Laila Colvin have established Miami’s premiere luxury interior design company, 2id Interiors. Regarded for their relevant and skillful approach to design, 2id Interiors in Miami is an award-winning leading interior design firm servicing clients which are among today's well-known names in professional industries and entertainment, spanning across South Florida, the U.S., and around the world with projects in Canada, Europe, and Brazil.

The dynamic duo behind 2id Interiors sat down with Haute Design and spoke about an eclectic array of topics which covered subjects from collaboration in design to what inspires their work.

Haute Design: Both of you are from Brazil. Do you think part of the Brazilian culture or design criteria carries over into your work?

Rafaela Simoes: Yes. I think the use of wood and organic, essential materials are always present in our design and I think that really comes from the Brazilian style of design. The desire to use natural and organic textures, I think, is very Brazilian and we always apply that into our work.

But because we also cater to so many cultures here in Miami, not just the Brazilians, I think we have learned how to be very diverse. For example, we have Russian clients who like a bit more 'bling-bling,' Brazilian clients who are more 'Earth-y,' and love the use of wood, but then we also have German clients, who have a totally different taste.

We have so many different clients and you can see that in our portfolio because it's so eclectic. We don't only follow one trend or one style. We cater to different cultures, different clients, with different backgrounds, and I think that is definitely reflected throughout our portfolio.

HD: We would agree! You mentioned the use of natural elements within your design. Have you noticed a shift with clients in regard to requesting more environmentally-conscious materials and design principles?

RS: Yes, I think so. Not specifically ecologically conscious material, but definitely more design aspects geared toward nature, more blues and greens. We are doing a lot of green walls on the exteriors of homes, so I do feel that people want the outdoors reflected inside their homes a little bit more. That said, I wouldn't go as far as saying it would be ecologically-friendly thinking.

We do have clients who really want to go in an environmentally-conscious direction and make sure the materials are responsible, but that's rare. That does not happen much.

Rafaela Simoes

Photo Credit: 2id Interiors

HD: That's interesting. Switching gears a bit, considering all the time most of us have spent indoors over the past year or more, do you think clients have reconsidered how much they value their interior living spaces and home design?

RS: We definitely felt that at the beginning of COVID. We were a little bit worried about what was going to happen, as everyone was. So, everyone was remaining indoors and trying to contact us for potential projects and we couldn't do construction. But clients were ready to improve their homes right away.

From the beginning of lockdown, clients wanted to change furniture or change the layout of their homes that we had recently worked on and make things more comfortable. The first thing we did, before lockdown was over - we were already sending proposals to existing clients and new clients . It seemed everyone was desperate to improve their homes because it was a new way of life. No one had ever stayed home for this long so it was an interesting shift in the way people lived.

Everyone wants a comfortable home and they always have. But now, this idea of a comfortable home is really at the top of the list for requests. The requests have definitely shifted toward a more cozy and inviting home because people are working from home, the kids are studying from home, so comfort is key.

HD: To that point, something that has been rightfully addressed often throughout the year has been mental health. Have you noticed this awareness of mental health affect the clients' requests?

RS: I totally think so. But with us, we always thought about that when we started in this business; using materials we love, natural materials, bringing nature inside, including wood and raw materials inside the home, which does not happen in Miami often.

I think the Miami style is very shiny and cold and not very home-y. It's glossed whites and a pearly kind of style. Which, in my opinion, is not the most mentally healthy because it's so cold rather than warm and cozy like one should want their home to be. We are always designing with that in mind. We totally think that the house can be chic and elegant but still include some nature in the home.

We want the home to be beautiful but still feel cozy and warm and I totally connect that to mental health. I think that having a home that is not so cold and stark is very important for mental health.

Laila Colvin

Photo Credit: 2id Interiors

HD: If we had to ask you to name three main principles throughout your design, what would those be?

Laila Colvin: I think our main principle is definitely to design for the client. As Rafaela mentioned, we have clients from all over the world and our portfolio is so eclectic because of that. I don't think we have a specific style. We do have some things that are always present, but we really try to embrace the client's dream home.

We really try to follow their vision and try to put that together for the client. If the style is more traditional, we will keep things more traditional for that project. If the taste is very modern and contemporary, we embrace that. So, whatever dream the client brings to us, we try to really embrace that.

We are not designers that say, 'you know what, that's not my style, go find someone else.' We really love having been able to work on such a variety of projects because that is an asset when trying to satisfy the clients to create their home, not our home.

HL: So, would you say in this case the client can be regarded as a secret weapon within your design team?

LC: Yes, that would be a fun way to say it, yeah. We definitely listen to them. There are a lot of exchanges between us and the client so that we have a better understanding of their desires. I do not understand how other designers can have a style that is so specific. You know, some designers have a style that once you see the work, you know it's them right away.

I don't know how they do it! Because they either need the client to totally buy into their personal vision so the client agrees to everything they recommend, or they say no to a lot of clients. We cannot do that. We actually love the difference between our projects and clients.

If you would like to learn more about 2id Interiors, CLICK HERE to visit their website.

The post 2id Interiors’ Rafaela Simoes and Laila Colvin Talk To Haute Design About Their Design Philosophy appeared first on Haute Residence by Haute Living.

A duplex residence at 210 West 77th Street will cost up to $21 million.

Enter developer Miki Naftali and Danish architect Thomas Juul-Hansen, whose 210 West 77th Street project will nourish the Upper West Side community with 18-stories of luxury apartments, slated for occupancy in early 2016. West-siders who are already salivating better prepare to pony up some dough, as apartment prices will reportedly range from $4.85 million to over $21 million.

77th Street residences are half- and full-floor units ranging from 2,058-square-feet to a .5,973-square-foot duplex penthouse

Inspired by Danish modernism, the 210 West 77th Street building resembles an edifice you’d bicycle past in Copenhagen rather than New York City (and that’s a good thing). Juul-Hansen’s building design features hand-formed Danish brick, Juliet balcony façades, and oversized mahogany windows that are harmonious with the Upper West Side’s architectural character. Not since Danish immigrant Jonas Bronck (for which The Bronx is named) has a Dane given New York City so much in a time of need.

“I’m a big believer in the beauty of natural materials,” said Juul-Hansen, whose résumé includes interiors at luxurious developments, private homes and Michelin star restaurants such as Jean-Georges. “I believe this gives the architecture and design a timeless quality.”

The 210 W. 77th Street project offers fireplaces and outdoor terraces.

The 77th Street residences are half- and full-floor units ranging from 2,058-square-feet for three-bedrooms, to a 5,973-square-foot duplex penthouse with outdoor space. Select residences offer fireplaces and outdoor terraces. All units offer private access via an elevator that transports directly to the apartments.

The residences boast contemporary features—open layouts, solid oak-plank floors, large chef-quality kitchens with Miele appliances, polished Everest Grey quartzite slab countertops, and sleek white-lacquer cabinetry with polished chrome handles.

Chef-quality kitchens come with Miele appliances, Everest Grey quartzite countertops and sleek white-lacquer cabinetry.

Master bathrooms offer Grigio Piove marble, custom wenge wood vanities and Waterworks bathtubs. Meanwhile the powder room showcases beautiful polished Marron Imperial marble slabs on the floor, accent walls, and custom carved sinks. The lobby design is highlighted by a sculptural double-height glass ceiling, detailed white oak wall panels, and Omani limestone flooring.

The building’s amenities include a 24-hour doorman and concierge, a roof terrace, a fitness center, bicycle storage, and perhaps (according to design renderings) select garages. The residences are close to popular eateries such as Ouest, Spiga, and Telepan, as well as a handful of gourmet markets.

An elevator transports directly to the private residences.

“210 West 77th Street presented a unique opportunity to innovate architecturally while respecting of the character and beauty of the Upper West Side historic district,” said Miki Naftali, founder, chairman, and CEO of the Naftali Group, whose portfolio includes The Seymour at 261 West 25th Street, The Landmark Park Slope, The Bergen, and 33 Beekman.

The Upper West Side is an iconic neighborhood immortalized by pop culture—including the tragic assassination of John Lennon, and Seinfeld, You’ve Got Mail, Woody Allen’s Manhattan and most famously, by the Oscar-winning classic "West Side Story." Many artists, actors, celebrities, educators, and professionals call this community home. Dominated by five-story brownstones, famous Central Park towers with ornamented façades (The Dakota, San Remo, El Dorado) and older grand buildings topped with water towers, the Upper West Side is tight on space—despite its wide sidewalks and avenues. The 210 West 77th Street development is a rare example of recent new construction.

Upper West Side living space has always been a premium. During the construction of Central Park in the 1850s and 1860s, squatters moved their shacks into the Upper West Side (laying claim to any space they could find). This led to undesirable boarding houses and rowdy taverns.

One hundred years later, tenements used in the filming of "West Side Story" were razed to make way for Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts. Today, the luxurious 210 West 77th building represents the latest call for urban renewal. But this modern west side story doesn’t require movie gangs or squatters to reclaim turf—just luxury space for its restless citizens.

Academy Award-winning film West Side Story was filmed on the Upper West Side, near where Lincoln Center now stands.

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