Room With a Vue

REFLECTIONS

Nicole strikes a reflective pose in a David Meister gold beaded dress, $1,155; a Trilogy fur shawl, $1,170; Alexis Bittar black drop fringe earrings, $390; and an Elie Tahari olive gold clutch, $248. All are from Neiman Marcus at The The Mall at Millenia.

by Marianne Ilunga
hair and makeup by Elsie Knab
photographs by Rafael Tongol

A two-story penthouse on the top floor of The Vue got the royal treatment in more ways than one last month.

First, a team of five local designers invaded the stylish downtown high-rise and revamped the 36th-floor unit for a designer showcase benefiting the Hope & Help Center.

A few days later, Orlando Home & Leisure took over the spectacular space to stage a showcase of holiday looks combining high-fashion fabrics, furs and statement jewelry.  

The model: Nicole Amidon, Prodigy Models. The designers: Julie Koran; Jose Cabrera; Michael Duval; Ted Maines, SteTed Interiors; and Hattie Wolfe and Abigail Rizor, Wolfe-Rizor Interiors.

For more information about the designers and additional photos of their respective rooms, see LEVEL, Taking it to New Heights.

A BEDROOM RETREAT

The bedroom of the condo, designed by Hattie Wolfe and Abigail Rizor, is contemporary but cozy. “The gray flannel bed [above] comes off as nice and sexy,” says Rizor. “And we combined elements that were antique with elements that were contemporary when we approached the room.” The framed artwork in the background (below) is a series of sketches of antique horse bridles.

GAME ON

Checkmate? Nicole (above) makes a move in a Calvin Klein metallic button-up shirt, $79; a Calvin Klein black sequin maxi skirt, $195; a Michael Kors gray fur jacket, $175; and Dolce Vita glitter-accent black suede pumps, $99. All are from Bloomingdale’s at The Mall at Millenia. She’s also wearing an Alexis Bittar crystal-encrusted cocktail ring, $255; an Alexis Bittar chain-link necklace, $350; a Fragments gunmetal pavé silver cuff, $175; and a Fragments gunmetal and crystal pavé chain-link bracelet, $250. All jewelry is from Neiman Marcus at The Mall at Millenia.

STEELY MAGNOLIA

Nicole (above) captivates with metallic mystique in an ABS silver-gray, one-shoulder tiered gown, $460; and Alexis Bittar crystal-teardrop statement earrings, $275. Both are from Neiman Marcus at The Mall at Millenia.

A FEAST FOR THE EYES

The dining room (above), designed by Michael Duval, is a visual feast. “A lot of interesting things happen in dining rooms,” says Duval. “But visually, there’s usually just a table and chairs. Visually, dining rooms are boring.” Duval ensured that this one wouldn’t be by imagining the space as a “sculpture garden,” complete with vividly colored wall sculptures that resemble giant sea urchins. The table he selected was crafted from the wood of a submerged magnolia tree trunk, which was dredged up and reclaimed from a Central Florida pond.

LEATHER LUX

Striking in leather and tweed, Nicole models a Michael Kors gold tweed jacket, $175; and a Michael Kors black studded blouse, $99. Both are from Bloomingdale’s at The Mall at Millenia. She’s also wearing Alice + Olivia black leather pants, $698; Miu Miu sparkle pumps with gold toe, $690; a Fragments multicrystal jeweled necklace, $350; and a Fragments multicrystal bracelet, $275. All are from Neiman Marcus at The Mall at Millenia. The Kenneth Jay Lane gold clip-on earrings, $40, are from Saks Fifth Avenue at Florida Mall.

VIVA LA VELVET

Nicole gets back to basics with a Rachel Zoe strapless velvet-trim dress, $325; Stuart Weitzman velvet pumps, $365; and Oscar de la Renta matching earrings, $250; bracelet, $440; and ring, $195. All are from Neiman Marcus at The Mall at Millenia. The aqua fur short-sleeve jacket, $98, from Bloomingdale’s at The Mall at Millenia.

A PERSONAL SPACE

Like the other designers who worked on the condo makeover, Ted Maines, who redesigned the home office/library, tried to imagine the kind of person who would be living in the space. “What would this person’s politics and personality be like?” Well, the hypothetical resident would have a sense of humor. “We had some whimsical touches in that room,” says Maines. “A photo of a poolside gossip session in Palm Springs. A picture of dinosaurs going to the World’s Fair on a barge.” He or she would also have a social consciousness. A lamp base made from an automatic assault weapon is meant to make a statement about domestic violence. “The platinum finish represents the glorification of the weapon,” Maines adds. “If you look closely at the inside of the lampshade, there are small crosses representing the victims of domestic violence.”

IN THE SPOTLIGHT

For the holidays, red never fails. Nicole proves it in a Laundry red one-shoulder gown, $275; a Kenneth Jay Lane ruby jewel necklace, $295; a Kenneth Jay Lane bracelet, $215; and Kenneth Jay Lane earrings, $40. All are from Saks Fifth Avenue at Florida Mall.

A GRAND SALON

The living room, or grand salon, designed by Jose Cabrera, has an organic feel. “The Joshua tree is a perfect image for that,” says Cabrera. “We had it blown up on canvas. Then the colorized Plexiglas panels were added to make it more sculptural.” Cabrera combined sharply angled metallic chairs, pops of bright color and natural elements, such as an end table fashioned from the roots of a tree, throughout the room.