When the developers of an old Bell South switching station—the oldest commercial building in Fort Lauderdale, Florida—decided to divide the space into one-thousand-square-foot residential units,
they asked Barbara Murtagh Nash to create the interior design. Nash is the
owner and lead designer of Blue Sky Environments Interior Decor, located in
Coral Springs,
Florida. “The owners wanted the units to appeal to a youthful audience,” Nash explains. “They were looking for something sophisticated, but with a younger attitude.”
Nash needed to liven up the bland, industrial atmosphere of the unit and chose
to do that with color. “We kept the essential elements of the building clean and neutral, occasionally
introducing a new texture or finish,” she says. “For example, we covered the existing concrete columns with a chunky used brick
for interest. We found old, reclaimed wood for the floors and refinished them
with a rustic, burnished surface.” Nash incorporated moveable partition walls to help define the space, allowing
the areas to be open to each other when desired. Exposed beam ceilings and duct
work retain the commercial building feel and take advantage of the
thirteen-foot-high ceilings. In keeping with that look, Nash added simple metal industrial lighting that hangs from the high ceilings. “Once we had the neutral background,” she says, “we could introduce the punches of color and softer textures that would turn this
industrial space into a home.”
Nash wanted to bring in colors that are reminiscent of Florida and its relaxing
environment. “There is no formal foyer, so we created the illusion of one with the placement
of a simple neutral cabinet in front of a wide patch of brilliant orange wall,” she explains. “A green, yellow, and orange vase picks up other accent colors used in the
adjoining living room. On the orange wall, there is an arrangement of several
circular mirrors that are projected about two inches from the wall and reflect
contrasting blues and neutrals from the opposite side of room.” The orange complements the warm brick tones and is carried throughout the
living room in small pops of color.
If only warm colors such as orange were used in the design, the resulting
feeling would be overpowering and overstimulating, Nash says. “So we added a Caribbean teal and an apple green to the palette to cool things
down,” she explains. “Since these are also Florida-style colors, they worked beautifully in the
design. A plush velvet sofa in citrus green with rich, pale silk throw pillows
in a teal add a luxurious texture and contrast the ruggedness of the brick and
concrete.
The striped armchair brings all the colors together.”
Photography by Brantley Photography.
The neutral walls serve as a backdrop for brightly colored artwork that also
ties into the living room color tones. A chocolate brown coffee table and side
table and the simple beige rug blend quietly with the wood floor and the dark
wenge wood window frames and niches. “We placed a collection of crystal candleholders and vases on the coffee table
for that little touch of glitz,” adds Nash. A wall between the bedroom and living room, also accented with wenge
wood, can be left open on a casual evening or can separate the bedroom from the
living room on more formal occasions.
“Our goal was to maintain the sophisticated allure of an industrial loft, yet bring a hominess or coziness to it without becoming ‘cutesy,’” concludes Nash. “By using refined finishes and a cosmopolitan contrast of powerful and cool
accent colors, we were able to create an edgy yet completely livable,
comfortable environment that can adapt to the needs of any homeowner.” Written by Carolyn M. Runyon.
