Houzz Tour: Personalizing a Miami Bachelor Pad

“My client loves New York City, Jay-Z, tennis, Beirut and London, among other things,” says interior decorator Nicole White. She took his quintessential bachelor pad in Miami and transformed it into a warm, contemporary and masculine home, adding personal touches that meant something to him. Her client — Al Saikali, a lawyer — has also transformed, from a man who owned just one lamp and didn’t know what a backsplash was to one who has caught the decorating bug. Here’s how White saved, splurged and turned his condo into a tailored home.

Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: Al Saikali
Location: Miami
Size: 800 square feet, 1 bedroom, 1 bathroom

Photography by Circle Ten Media

The furniture’s size and placement were all wrong, and the condo had no personality.


AFTER: Vertical pinstripes have a menswear look and make the 8-foot ceilings seem higher. White nestled a sectional close to the corner, which opened up the kitchen bar. “He’d actually never sat there before, because there was no room behind his oversized sofa to squeeze in,” she says. The new sofa is right-sized and placed right, providing a view of the TV and leaving the 11th-floor view of Miami open through the balcony doors. Investing in a nice sofa is something White thinks is worth the splurge.

Saikali’s father is Lebanese; Saikali was born in England, and he also loves New York City. Thus, the photos in the living room include images from all three places. White staggered them to break up all of the strict lines on the wallpaper. The heights chosen suit his eye level.

Sofa: Axis II 2-Piece Sofa, Crate & Barrel; wallpaper: Graham and Brown; rug: Overstock.com; tripod lamp: Modani


“The poor man had no lighting in the living room, except for one sad lamp and that fluorescent in the kitchen,” White says. Good lighting plays a key role throughout the home. Now all of the ceiling lights have dimmers for better control, and floor and table lamps also let him mix up the lighting scheme.


The kitchen was outdated, with older appliances and the aforementioned fluorescent light overhead. “I’m cognizant of not overdesigning; he won’t be here forever, and I wanted to make moves where he’d get a return,” White explains. She worked with the existing cabinets and original granite countertops, while replacing the lighting and appliances and adding a new backsplash.


AFTER: White gave the existing cabinets a makeover, adding new hardware that better matched the scale and contemporary style. Because Saikali never cooks and doesn’t store much food or cooking equipment, she suggested converting two cabinets into open wine racks, which fit up to 30 bottles. Previously, the bottles had been atop a random table in the living room.

A watery blue backsplash works well with the existing granite countertops and is fitting for Miami. White also added six recessed lights on dimmers.

Ceiling paint: Mink, Sherwin-Williams; bar stools: white leather, Modani; backsplash: Home Depot


It had really never occurred to Saikali that his breakfast bar could serve as the dining area, because his couch had blocked it off for so long.

Sleek white leather and stainless steel stools are a contemporary addition and create a proper dining space.


“When I work on a small space, I’m always trying to find multiuse pieces,” White says. “And let’s face it, he still eats while sitting on the sofa.”

An extra ottoman is tucked underneath the coffee table, providing a soft surface for feet or extra seating, while the hard surface is good for drinks, dinner, remotes and display pieces.


A more organized media area provides good storage for components and room to display personal items, while the TV floats overhead.

Instead of using a plant, White brought in some green with a glass jar full of tennis balls.

Console: Antonini Modern Living; paint: Expressive Plum, Sherwin-Williams’ HGTV Collection


This portrait of Jay-Z is composed of lyrics from “Empire State of Mind” and “Forever Young.”

Portrait: ahedgspeth, Etsy


The home doesn’t have a separate entryway, so White created the feeling of one with a floating shelf for keys and mail. A pair of round mirrors with leather straps brings light into this corner.

Floating shelf, mirror: Target


More Jay-Z lyrics set the tone in here.


When White arrived on the scene, the balcony with its great views of downtown Miami was bare. “I knew this was a great opportunity to extend his living room outdoors,” she says.

Riveria Stone Ottoman, Safavieh Paradise ceramic stools: Overstock.com; Coronado Chairs: Modani; throw pillows: Target


She added life outside with low planters to keep the views of Miami open. She also picked some very low-maintenance plants; they require only once-a-week watering.

Planters: Target; rug: Pier One


The bedroom lacked good light.


AFTER: “He travels a lot and is used to hotel amenities,” White says. “One area where he was very specific was mattress and bedding.” The mattress was a splurge, and the sheets are from the Four Seasons Hotel Collection.

At first Saikali was not sold on the chandelier; he polled his friends, and they were overwhelmingly for it. Now it’s one of his favorite features. “He tells me all the time he cannot believe he fought me on the chandelier,” White says.

Light Fixture: Lightology; rug: Modern Furniture Warehouse; lamps: Target; duvet: Overstock.com; Wyatt Queen Leather Bed: Room & Board


“Al had never had nightstands before,” White says. She fixed that with two reflective trunk nightstands that offer plenty of storage. Their four deep drawers allowed him to ditch his dresser.

Nightstands: Modani


The photo over the headboard is of Central Park, one of Saikali’s favorite places.

Wall paint: Outer Banks; accent paint: Homestead Brown, both by Sherwin-Williams


A modern rug and window treatments add warmth. Sophisticated silk curtains tie in the colors from the Central Park photograph. Bamboo shades offer additional privacy and filter the light.


Personal items include a photo of Saikali’s grandfather, favorite books and a box for cufflinks.


Once she’d ditched the dresser, White was able to float a media console and flat-panel TV across from the bed. Another splurge was a larger TV in here, which Saikali really enjoys.


However, the TV Saikali enjoys most is the one on the bathroom wall. He loves to catch CNBC and sports while getting ready, and once the planned glass shower doors are installed, he’ll be able to watch while he shampoos.


White and Saikali have big plans for this bathroom, to be completed in 2014.


AFTER: She made a few easy cosmetic changes to bring it up to date for now. “One happy design accident is the way the bevel on the new mirror functions for him,” White says. “He loves that he can see underneath his chin when he’s shaving.”

Mirror: Z Gallerie


Fresh paint, another round mirror hung on a leather strap and a new shower curtain turned the bathroom into a warm, masculine space.

Now this bachelor’s home is an inviting sanctuary that reflects him to a T.

Paint: Homestead Brown, Sherwin-Williams

URL: Houzz Tour: Personalizing a Miami Bachelor Pad http://www.decor-ideas.org/cases-view-id-22153.html