HOME & DESIGNANNUAL DESIGNERS DIRECTORY

S T A T E W I D E E N T E R T A I N M E N T C A L E N D A R A N D D I N I N G G U I D E

INT

ER

NA

TIO

NA

L M

AG

AZ

INE

AUGUST 2008

fflloorriiddaaiinntteerrnnaattiioonnaallmmaagg..ccoomm

DESIGNNOW!116 Architects, Designers& Decorators Speak Out

THE INSIDE STORY150+ Pages Of FloridaResidences, Penthouses,Vacation Homes & More

MINDS OVER MATTERStylemakers Showcase Art& Furniture With Soul

PRODUCT LINE-UPNew Furnishings & AccessoriesFrom Foyer To Backyard

EXCLUSIVE:YABU PUSHELBERGUp Close And Personal WithCommercial Design’s Hottest Duo

HOROSCOPEPage 192

FIMCover 8.08 7/8/08 5:55 PM Page 1

Once Brett Sugerman and Giselle Loor started their new life together, bothas a married couple and business partners, they shed some old skin alongthe way. When the time came to buy real estate, the B+G Design principalsopted for a residence that would better reflect the sleek sensibilities for whichtheir work is known. They found it in a 1,400-square-foot loft blocks fromLas Olas Boulevard in Fort Lauderdale.

“I was in Cooper City, he was in Weston, in these huge houses and we were tired of that cookie-cutter lifestyle,” says Loor. “This was anopportunity for us to live in a space like those we create for our clients. It changed everything.”

Urban living meant sacrificing space. So with their new lease on lifecame a whole new way of thinking about space planning and organization.“We got rid of all unnecessary extras,” adds Loor. “It was a little daunting atfirst, but completely therapeutic.”

In terms of design decisions, the approach to decoration not only hadto be esthetically pleasing, but practical as well, especially with two youngboys in the family equation. Minor architectural modifications were made tocreate privacy, mainly through partitions here and there and warehouse-typesliding doors to seal off the bedrooms.

The main living area is one large and continuous footprint with 11-footceilings and proportions that benefit from natural light. Sugerman and Loorstayed true to the industrial principles that are the hallmark of loft living(exposed ceilings, raw walls, uninterrupted floor plans and the like) yetmanaged to add warmth and texture by incorporating just the rightamount and mix of period elements and pops of color. The unfinishedquality of the space also allowed the designers to play with thejuxtaposition of ornamentation. In the foyer, a collection of antique Asianartifacts, including a bronze Buddha head, and a silver leaf mirror proffer ayin and yang of esthetics.

The one unifying element in the vast living area, whichencompasses both the living and dining room, is a 17-foot credenza thatserves as the main — and only — storage compartment since neitherLoor nor Sugerman wanted closets or cabinets here. To delineate thespace by function, yet still keep it cohesive, special attention was paidto the furniture arrangements. In the living room, a white sectional sofaby Steve Grafton anchors the space with its intentional over-scaledproportion. Eastern sensibilities once again come into play withadditional Hindu objects and a blood-red photographic canvas ofgeishas in profile that nods to Loor’s passion for photography. !

LOFT LIBERATIONLimited square footage ushers in a sleek

and fuss-free way of life for a design couple and their familyDESIGN BY BRETT SUGERMAN & GISELLE LOOR PHOTOGRAPHY BY BARRY GROSSMAN

TEXT BY LUIS R. RIGUAL

FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL MAGAZINE | AUGUST 200890

B & G 7/7/08 5:49 PM Page 90

Above: In the foyer, a collection of original Asian antiques and moreclassical elements offer a dichotomy of styles. In the background, GretaGarbo, a silkscreen by Rupert Smith. Opposite: More Eastern touches arefound in the living area with a photographic canvas, Geisha In The Mirrorby Andreas Reimann from Giovanni Rossi Fine Art in Fort Lauderdale. Asectional sofa by Steve Grafton hugs the living room.

B & G 7/7/08 5:50 PM Page 91

FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL MAGAZINE | AUGUST 200892

Above: The dining area doubles as work space for the designers and features outstanding pieces of furniture and art: prints by Le Corbusier, an Eero Saarinen table,Brno chairs and the 9 sculpture by Pop Art master Robert Indiana. More modern touches come in the form of a crystal chandelier encased in a polycarbonate diffuserfrom Moooi and a banquette constructed with specific size specifications for the perfect pitch. Opposite: The bunk beds in the boys’ bedroom were customized toallow for maximum play space. Opposite top: Designers Giselle Loor and Brett Sugerman.

B & G 7/7/08 5:50 PM Page 92

“Because we have limited square footage,we had to be economical with our space. But it was worth it

because we finally have a home that truly reflectsour personal style.” — Brett Sugerman

FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL MAGAZINE | AUGUST 2008 93

The ambitions for the dining room werethreefold: it had to fulfill its function, doubleas a comfortable workspace for thedesigners and serve as an impromptugathering area when entertaining. It alsohappens to be an exhibition space for worksby some of the biggest names in furnituredesign and art of the last century: a 50-yearedition table by Eero Saarinen, authenticBrno chairs, two prints by Le Corbusier(identical except one is colored and theother is black and white) and a metal 9sculpture by Robert Indiana (the Pop Artmaster who created the iconic Lovesculpture). That number has specialsignificance for the family in terms ofbirthdays, special occasions andcommemorative dates. (“It’s our version of aBuddha,” says Sugerman, “even though wehave plenty of those too.”) Much of the artand original artifacts here, and throughoutthe rest of residence, were inherited by Brett from his late mother, interior designerPenny Sugerman. Just as striking are themore modern additions that were added: a custom banquette for extra seating and a crystal chandelier encased in apolycarbonate diffuser from Moooi.

To assure the two boys in the homewould have their own space, their bedroomwas conceived with a playpen frame ofmind. Individual wenge bunk beds in redand blue, each of which has a desk stationunderneath, leave ample space for playing.At night, projected images of the cosmos onthe ceiling give the room the feel of aplanetarium. To personalize the room,oversized portraits of Alessandro, six, andMax, five, hang on a wall, a touch Loor feltthe room needed to completely make it their own.

“Because we have limited squarefootage, we had to be economical with ourspace,” says Sugerman. “But it was worth itbecause we finally have a home that trulyreflects our personal style.” !

B & G 7/7/08 5:50 PM Page 93