As an admirer of the work of Donald Judd, Louis Kahn, and Yves Saint Laurent, interior architect and furniture designer Rodrigo Albir, founder of Miami-based Studio RODA, had to go far beyond his usual design references for this modern home.
The reason? His client. Tom Joyner is a man with a larger-than-life personality who, after a successful music career, is now dedicated to philanthropy — and who still dreams big. Rodrigo vividly remembers his first encounter with Tom. He understood immediately that he would have to make something truly special for such a character.
"Tom greeted me as I walked into the apartment for our first meeting wearing a colorful Versace print kimono, large-rimmed tinted sunglasses — he always wears sunglasses indoors — and a cane covered in Swarovski crystals, while the sound of Carlos Santana’s guitar blasted out in the background."
"The idea behind the silk rug was to enhance the dialogue between the sofa’s dips and the coffee table’s rises, with the swirls of color mimicking two-dimensional topography maps, completing the overall unique landscape," says Rodrigo.
Tom had recently purchased this swanky oceanfront condo, complete with its generous sea-view terrace, in the very modern Porsche Design Tower in Sunny Isles Beach, Florida.
At that point, everything inside featured tone-on-tone finishes and beige furniture — far from what Tom envisioned for himself, as he explained to Rodrigo. "I need color! Color is life and makes me happy," he said. "We must give this space life." Decorating with color was the way to go.
"During a work trip in Italy several years ago, I got a glimpse of the chandelier in a magazine and it was love at first sight," says Rodrigo. "A few years later, as I toured Tom’s apartment and stepped into the dining room, it immediately came to mind and I knew it would be perfect here."
His fearless desire to introduce bold hues all over was not his only request. A complete departure from one of Studio RODA’s more typical clients, Tom’s instructions also included: "I do not need practicality; I want wow factor!"
Last, but definitely not least, he also requested "a club in my apartment, a room to entertain and have parties when my friends come over."
"We wanted the kitchen to have an artisanal industrial look consisting of clean lines and a hand-applied metal lacquer, which had the markings of the application process," says Rodrigo.
There's always a place for a wooden bar stool in a scheme — and we love this classy design from Soho Home.
With such a brief, Rodrigo knew he would have to push the limits, think outside of the box, and "explore design ideas we hadn’t even imagined before."
Creating a playful, modern apartment that seamlessly blends nostalgia with the contemporary was the ultimate goal in this home, now adorned with rich jewel tones of green, red, and burnt orange — a subtle nod to Tom’s extensive kimono collection.
"Tucked between the kitchen and the living room, this breakfast corner called out to be a space to begin the day in," says Rodrigo. "Following Tom’s request for color, we clad the walls with tiles in a honey hue."
"Conceptually, we wanted to kick off the design by tying it to Tom’s long history in radio and his brief stint in The Commodores alongside Lionel Richie," says Rodrigo. "We also harnessed inspiration from the glamour of the disco era, as well as 1970s Milan."
That’s why sculptural furniture from this era fills the space, combined with silk rugs and a spectacular, vast Murano-glass chandelier for that added touch of drama.
The modern bathroom and bedroom are clad in various reflective surfaces and mirrored walls — a tinted one-way mirror in the bedroom and a silver-tinted mirror in the bathroom. "The main idea was to expand the space and the view of the ocean," says Rodrigo.
This stylish, metallic mushroom light is an absolute steal from Habitat — and brings all the gilded glamour you could want.
Sebastian Herkner's colored glass design is versatile enough to be used everywhere, from modern living rooms to bathrooms.
Artworks by Seungjin Yang, Anish Kapoor, Ernie Barnes, and Pablo Picasso elevate the design further, enhancing walls and ceilings, which have been finished in custom color Venetian stucco.
"In the living room, we plastered the ceiling with a high gloss to reflect the ocean and bring in more light," says Rodrigo. "When Tom pitched us the project, he requested we 'shoot for the moon!' with the design.
"Ultimately, he went with all of our ideas and proposals, and so on completion we incorporated a wall sconce of the moon in the club room to celebrate our successful 'moon landing'."
The main suite needed to feel as integrated and comfortable as a hotel suite. It features a leather bed with an extended headboard, which houses bespoke storage behind for Tom’s substantial shoe collection.
That success, and the obvious fabulousness of the finished apartment, mean Tom doesn’t have to work that hard to bring the vibes when throwing one of his house parties. We wish we could join him.