Kara Miller Interiors Designs Refreshing Respite in Southeastern Florida

For this project, she worked with a New York family who wanted to create a true getaway with a refreshing, easygoing feel. “This house is meant to be a respite for them—a place to recharge their batteries,” Miller says of her clients. The couple, who have grown children, have been coming to the area since their youth and want to continue the beloved vacation tradition for years to come.

Following an introduction from their contractor, Maxwell Building, Miller worked on the home from the ground up. “We are a full-service firm, and I love a good before-and-after project as much as the next girl, but I am really drawn to new construction and envisioning what could be,” she says. Designed with an abundance of windows, including floor-to-ceiling installations in the dining and club rooms, Miller notes that the floor plan is “gracious but not overly large,” prompting her to sprinkle pattern and visual interest throughout the home. “I always like to think through a floor plan and establish a rhythm. What will get a ceiling treatment? Which rooms will have wallpaper?” she asks herself. “That way your interest is piqued as you go through the house. I want the flow to be smooth but for each space to have its own identity,” she adds.

In addition to the light-filled floor plan, the home’s golf community setting lends itself to a less intense palette, comfortable furnishings, and defining details. “They wanted it to have a softer feel than their primary residence,” Miller says. “For our location, pastels are a great tool. People want to feel lighthearted here, and—most of the time—they are outside on the boat or golf course and want a peaceful retreat when they return home,” she adds. Bolder variations appear in the interior powder bath and cabana bath, spaces frequented by guests that allow for a bit of separation from the main arteries of the home.

Miller gave equal attention to each space throughout the home, leaving no room undressed. For example, she notes she was given carte blanche to imagine a room for the couple’s twentysomething daughter. “I thought about what her ideal vacation home would look like and went with something that’s both youthful and sophisticated,” the designer says, pointing to the block print canopy fabric on the bed. She carried the same enthusiasm into utilitarian rooms. “I always pay extra attention to the laundry because no one likes to be there,” Miller says with a laugh. Here, she employed a layering effect with a sky blue wallpaper on the ceiling, a backsplash that extends from the counter to the ceiling, and sconces that dim when it’s time to wind down for the day.

Overall, Miller wants clients’ homes to feel like a reflection of them. “You might be able to see my hand in projects, but my clients are savvy,” she says. “I like to say I help to give them the best version of their ideas.”