By: JEAN NAYAR
A quartet of diverse dwellings in South Florida highlights how being well and living well go hand in hand.
If breathing room is what you crave, then this stunning $10.25 million 9,290 square-foot gem in North Pinecrest is sure to please. Set on a lushly planted acre-and-a-quarter lot, the new eight-bedroom, nine-and-a-half bath contemporary dwelling features easy-on-the-eye interiors that straddle the line between traditional and modern and emphasize warmth and character. “The home offers ample space and privacy as well as beauty and comfort in one package,” says Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices listing agent Oscar Arellano, who sees creature comforts and expansive grounds as keys to wellness. “Integrated elements that support well-being give people the flexibility to stay healthy in their home and work out whenever they want,” he says. “In this home, a dedicated gym space with sliding glass doors overlooks the big backyard, allowing you to workout inside, then finish up with sprints around the grounds outside in the same session.” A stunning pool centered at the heart of the home offers another way to get the oxygen flowing and the heart pumping with laps early in the morning or to calm down with a relaxing swim at the end of the day. An expansive patio around the pool offers plenty of space to take in the sun or chill beneath an overhang in the shade, while large terraces off the bedrooms on the second floor bring the pleasure of the outdoors in first thing in the morning or last thing at night. Attention to detail inside, including sun-drenched rooms with louvered filters, high ceilings sheathed in Peruvian teak wood, a top-of-the-line Italkraft kitchen, and MiaCucina closets and bath vanities enrich the atmosphere with a sense of warmth and luxury. And a spacious home theater allows you to be transported to whole new worlds without even leaving home.
The living is easy—and luxurious—all year round in this stunning half-floor condominium in Elysee, a premier new resort-style building in the Edgewater neighborhood of Miami along Biscayne Bay. “You wake up to breathtaking views of the bay, Miami Beach, and the ocean to the south and east in the morning and, since the home is a floor-through unit, you can see the twinkling lights of the hottest part of the city, including Wynwood, the Design District, and the Arts & Entertainment District, to the west at night,” says Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices agent Jacqueline Joseph, who holds the $4.4 million three-bedroom, five-bath listing. Perched high above the city on the 29th floor, the 2,743-square-foot corner unit with more than 350 square feet of expansive terraces and interiors designed by Lisa Hynes and Heater Weiz of Palm Beach-based H&W Interiors also comes fully fitted out with wide-plank European white oak floors, plush furnishings, a custom-crafted wine and coffee bar, and rich finishes that offer an air of beach-y luxury throughout. “All you need to bring to this turnkey residence is your toothbrush,” notes the agent. Situated at the nexus of world-class art, design, and culture, the boutique building offers easy access to galleries, shops, restaurants, and retail to stimulate the mind and senses. And the stunning wellness center occupying the entire seventh floor of the building offers everything you need to pump up the body or soothe the spirit within the complex itself. “The wellness center faces the water, which is so inviting and relaxing,” says Joseph. “It includes a fully-equipped gym, a spa, meditation space, and sauna, steam, and massage rooms, plus yoga or breathing sessions are often scheduled as are special events introducing new juices, protein drinks, and treats,” adds the agent. Two pools—a sunrise pool to the east and a sunset pool with lanes for swimming laps on the west—add more options to stay fit or relax throughout the day. “And an inviting owners’ suite with homey lounge and office spaces on the 30th floor, as well as a beautiful dining room and chef’s kitchen, feels like an extension of your home for private events,” says Joseph. “The building also has a few guest-suite apartments, so you can host out-of-town visitors in quarters of their own nearby while maintaining the peace and privacy of your home during their stay.”
“Today’s buyers are quite sophisticated and understand very well the importance of a regular wellness practice,” said Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices agent Seth Bloomgarden. “These successful people know that quality self-care is not optional in today’s world.” Given that priority among so many home buyers in South Florida, it’s hardly surprising that the vast array of wellness amenities at the Paraiso Bay Condominium in the Edgewater neighborhood of Miami, where he recently sold this three-bedroom-four-bath condo over the asking price, were vital selling features. There’s nothing like expansive water views—like those seen from several rooms of the $1.57 million 1,650-square-foot unit—to lift the spirits. “The beautiful open blue bay views from the unit and the elevated pool deck (where you’ll get frequent dolphin and manatee sightings) coupled with the relaxing green foliage around the property make you forget you are right in the center of the city,” says the agent. But this complex includes a plethora of assets for the body as well. “The immaculately clean gym rivals five-star luxury facilities with brand new top-of-the-line equipment, and the stunning minimalist modern design almost makes you feel you don’t want to sweat in—but of course, you will,” says Bloomgarden. “There’s also no need to rush across town to make it to a cycle class when you have a pro-level spinning room right in your building.” A bay-view park with a children’s playground and dog park, boat docks, 3-plus acres of resort decks and lounging areas, outdoor hot tubs, bowling lanes, a putting green, and in-house massage treatment rooms amplify the wellness factor. “Who wants to leave a relaxing message, only to stress out in traffic driving back home?” adds Bloomgarden. “Here, you can leave the spa and be comfortably at home in minutes—perhaps after a quick pit stop in the private wine-tasting room on the way.”
An emphasis on wellness means different things to the diverse range of occupants in a multi-generational family home. This 8,335-square-foot seven-bedroom, seven-bath compound on a cul-de-sac in Miami’s Kings Creek North neighborhood offers something for everyone. “Set amid a beautifully landscaped acre and a quarter with mature palms, bromeliads, orchids, and fruit trees, the home’s setting is like a tropical oasis, where parents can relax, and kids have room to play,” says Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices listing agent Jeannie Montes de Oca, who recently went into contract on the elegant $4.5 million property. For sporty types in the family, says the agent, “the grounds include a spectacular tennis court oriented north and south, making it inviting for play any time of day from sunrise to sunset, while the extra-long pool is ideal for anyone who prefers to get their exercise by swimming laps.” An adjoining spa pool makes it easy for grandparents to relax and refresh nearby, while a two-bedroom-two-bath apartment with a living room and kitchen lets elders retreat to their quarters, separate from the main house when the day is done. Overlooking the gardens, the primary suite in the main house includes its gym plus a luxurious onyx bathroom with double sinks, a spa tub, and a shower with massage jets. Plus, a billiards room and an 11-seat home theater offer recreational spaces for the whole family to enjoy together. “A bonus,” adds Montes de Oca, “is the built-in surround sound that allows you to enjoy your choice of music throughout.”