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Monday, July 4, 2011

Could You Die?


I didn't think any one was still building like this anymore in Florida!!
I am in LOVE.


We ( all of us bloggers) are always saying....
'It's in the DETAILS.'


This what I am talking about.
Could you die???


Now here is the thing I wanted to point out....
The room behind this one
{through the shutters}
is the kitchen.
You can see that you are looking at the 
tops of the palm trees through the window...
this means that the 'main floor' 
is on the second floor ;
the living room, kitchen, den and 
maybe a bedroom or two, etc etc

In the 1920's it was not uncommon 
to build homes with the main floor
being on the second.
This was done because of a deadly hurricane 
that blew through Miami in 1926.
This way when the hurricane 
blew through and the flooding began,
it could just roll through the first floor 
without flooding your living quarters.

This is Miami Beach after the 1926 Hurricane.

I grew up in a historical home on Miami Beach - Palm Island 
{next to Star Island}
where the likes of Madonna and 
other blah blah famous people have owned homes through out history.
The original owner of my childhood home 
was the 
Legendary 'Silver Dollar Jake'
Several famous people had stayed in our home 
during the 1920's, 30's,40's and 50s. 
I know one of them was  
The President of the United States.
 if you want to know all the names....
she will be happy to tell you.
*See how this was designed for the water to rush through the first floor?

The house was built in 1924.

The main living quarters started on the second floor.
The entire 1st floor was built in such a way 
that the rising waters would just rush through
the 1st floor {hopefully} without reaching the 2nd floor, or 3rd....
where we lived!!!!


*This is the second floor

The new home owners made the dining room into a bedroom.
I guess they wanted the view.
It's a big house for those times....
4600 sq ft.


The view from the dining room terrace.

This is Al Capone's house during a big hurricane.
Do you see how it would be nice to have 
your living quarters start on the second floor.
Do you see the dock 
at the bottom of the picture?
And do you see the water has risen and flooded the island?

In fact, Al Capone's house was just down the street from my house.
Oh what fun we had playing in it,
it was abandoned for many years.

I twisted my ankle when I 
fell through the spiral staircase in his living room.
This is the front of Al Capone's home TODAY.
Boring.

I hope every one has a happy holiday.
I am heading to Maine to be with my 
dear ole' mom on July 6-11.

I have been crazy busy...
forgive my absence 'in the commenting department' please.


The view from Palm Island 
looking at downtown Miami on the 4th of July.


P.S.
No blowing off fingers .
Please. 

{Sorry that I went off a on a tangent,
but this home being designed and built 
in the way it was....
just brought back memories.}

XXX's


The builder's are in Miami -
Halmac Fine Home Builders
click here to go to site
Renée Finberg 'TELLS ALL' in her BLOG..... To 'The Trade' Interiors,To The Trade inc. ,Boca Raton,Palm Beach,Boca Raton Florida,Interior Design Resources,All custom upholstery, wood furniture, stainless steel,window treatments,and re-upholstery. Including built-in, wall units, and built in banquette sofa seating. All Hospitality custom interior work, upholstered walls and niche doors, Halmac Fine Home Builders, Halmac Fine Home Builders
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14 comments:

  1. OMG!!!!!
    it sold for what.?

    I am sick.... Love Mamma

    ReplyDelete
  2. Beautiful! Can you imagine sitting by the pool and have a cocktail for at least a week? Perfect.
    Teresa
    xoxo

    ReplyDelete
  3. Wow! Your childhood home is something else!! I always wondered why building smart isn't the norm..., oh I know why. Money. I'm spending the summer at Canyon Ranch Resort Miami, 8th floor -I should be good, haha! Have a great 4th of July!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Have a wonderful holiday weekend Renee and love to your Yvonne....xv

    ReplyDelete
  5. What a house! Yeah, that would be a nice little abode to have. :) Have a wonderful time in Maine - I'm sure the weather is gorgeous right now. Happy 4th!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Very interesting post about needing to build for hurricanes. I can't believe you played in Al Capone's house! (I visited another one of his abodes a couple of years ago, Alcatraz. We took a nighttime tour and it was the eeriest place I've ever been in, gave me the chills...)

    Happy 4th of July and have a great time in Maine!

    ReplyDelete
  7. De tout, de rien

    hahahah
    alcatraz!
    there was some great view from that house too!
    xxx

    ReplyDelete
  8. Gorgeous place you grew up in! Have a marvelous 4th with your Mama!

    ReplyDelete
  9. How lovely... and yes! it's in the details ♥


    I'd definitely enjoy a view like that. And I love the structure of the house and how one room leads to another in a very interesting way.

    ReplyDelete
  10. What a lovely neighborhood! Not to mention the gorgeous views! Enjoy the beautiful weekend, Kellie xx

    ReplyDelete
  11. Renee, what a fabulous place to grow up, and the second floor living space is VERY smart in any location prone to these natural disasters!

    xoxo
    Karena
    Art by Karena

    ReplyDelete
  12. OMG!!!!!
    what a dream!!!!
    lila

    ReplyDelete
  13. I've lived in several homes where the living areas were on the 2nd floor, and I LOVED it, so much so that in one house I even turned an upstairs bedroom into a sitting room so I could "live" above the street as much as possible. :)

    Now - how much fun must YOUR childhood have been? I'm absolutely envious! Wish I'd been there to explore Al Capone's abandoned place with you.

    Hope you're having a blast in Maine!

    xo,
    Susan

    ReplyDelete
  14. Thinking of old times. Mamma xxxx

    ReplyDelete


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About Renée Finberg

I have been in this business since the age of 22.

I love what I do and cannot imagine my life without Design.

Design Challenges are great.

And because of those challenges

I have imported fine antique pieces from Paris,

Designed and Manufactured Furniture,

Created Fantastic Window Treatments,

And solved all kinds of spatial & architectural issues

With my unique style.

If I can't find it, I create it.

My rooms would make excellent movie sets.

I am a visual, tactile and audio sensitive individual.

Creating is what I live for, not math, not spelling, not science.

Just Great Design.

Just imagine how it would be if each of us,

If only for a few hours of everyday,We could be in a space that is our very own.A place that is exactly the way we want it to be

Surrounded by all the things we wanted to see,

The atmosphere we wanted feel, smell and the sound we wanted to listen to.

Private Paradise

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