A small condo is artfully remade - its space designed for comfy living and fabulous entertaining.
By ELIZABETH BETTENDORF
Published September 9, 2005
TAMPA - Two-and-a-half years ago, Christi Newman drove Bayshore Boulevard hunting for post-college digs along what is perhaps one of the country's most sought-after luxury addresses.
A vintage 1960s condominium building at the corner of Howard Avenue and Bayshore Boulevard looked the ideal place for the recent Florida State University graduate to lease. But one look at a 12th floor condo, with its relatively low price tag and postcard view of Tampa Bay - and Newman decided to buy instead.
The 875-square foot, one-bedroom condo in the Harbour House was just the right size and in the perfect location for Christi, now 25, who loved South Tampa, but didn't have a big budget. Plus, she was taken with the building's more traditional, grown-up amenities: a tastefully decorated grand lobby, top-notch security and meticulously groomed grounds.
"It was the first place we looked at and she knew she wanted it. There was so little on the market in South Tampa in her price range," recalls Christi's mother, Patti Newman, who along with her husband, Dan Newman, owns PJ Newman Fine Furniture at 4212 W Kennedy Blvd.
The transformation of the apartment, from a shag-carpeted, vinyl wall-papered relic, was a family affair for Christi, her parents, and PJ Newman's longtime staff designer, Martin Kanigsberg, whose work has appeared on the cover of Southern Accents magazine.
The team chose to selectively gut the apartment, installing large-block creamy beige ceramic tile floors throughout for a more unified, flowing feel. In the cool-pink '60s bathroom, which they wisely chose to preserve, they installed a glass block wall and new vanity, and covered the walls in up-to-the-minute, modern floral wallpaper. In the large living space, they painted the walls a shade of warm cocoa, hung luscious vanilla-colored drapes over the sliding glass door. They transformed the galley kitchen into a sleek, efficient space with ample cabinetry, granite counters, and a built-in breakfast bar.
"I picked out colors, fabrics and furniture, but never did anything without running it by everyone," says Christi, who works for her family at PJ Newman "doing everything from merchandising to marketing and advertising."
Now, the small, well-decorated condominium, a masterfully blended mix of traditional and contemporary furnishings with an Asian flair, fools the senses with its efficient use of space. Newman recently invited 10 people to dinner and was able to seat everyone, with room for five more. That's because the condominium uses space so well that it rivals larger homes for entertaining comfort.
How did they do it?
For starters, Christi found a small, tailored L-shaped sectional that fit perfectly in the corner of the living room. Upholstered in textured khaki linen and tossed with pillows made from the striped fabric that covers the four upholstered dining chairs, it seems to carry on a conversation with the eating area across the room.
The dining room table is made from sea grass and topped with thick glass slab with a polished edge.
Two leather ottoman cubes, made by Hancock and Moore, add additional seating around the sofa and provide a footrest for the Mariette Himes Gomez-designed, cane-back chair next to the sofa.
On the floor, an 8-by-10-foot needlepoint leopard print rug, bordered in red, adds warmth and seems to tie the room together.
"It was the first piece that I knew I wanted - that and the sectional," Christi recalls.
A Mark Rothko inspired print as well as other pieces of well-chosen artwork and antiques, including old Chinese smoky-gray pottery, add visual interest to the living room.
A small balcony provides additional eating and living space. A Brown Jordan, tall, pub-style table and chairs allows guests to enjoy the view of Tampa Bay over the relatively high balcony wall.
When the team redesigned the kitchen, they closed off a second apartment entrance door to create an out-of-the-way pocket for the refrigerator. They also cleared space beneath a pass-through to create a casual eating area and room for two bar stools. On the other side, stands a sleek, contemporary entertainment center, made by Stanley Furniture and a bargain at about $700.
The bedroom, decorated in contemporary cottage-style furniture, already featured 12 feet of customized closet space. Christi chose a shade of bird-egg blue for the walls and placed her bed for maximum view of sparkling Tampa Bay.
"I love the location, I love the view, I grew up in South Tampa," Christi explains. "There wasn't a lot in my price range, but this was perfect. I can step out the door and go running on Bayshore."
Plus, she says, the comfortable, party-friendly design and the condo's world-class view make it an ideal pied-a-terre for entertaining. Christi, who is a vegetarian, is just learning to cook. She invites her family over at least once a month for pasta dinner or hors d'oeuvres and cocktails, and has thrown several dinner parties.
"I like it that this is my own home, my first home, and it really reflects me," she says. "And I want to share it with my family and friends."
