Some of the world’s most luxurious and largest private residences and estates are found in Miami. Although the city is known for its modernist architecture, there are many historical buildings as well.

As an interior designer, one of the things I like to do is to celebrate the place I am in. If I’m in the mountains, be rustic and bold; if I’m in the city, be sophisticated and urbane; and if I’m at the beach, then be casual and light.

In Miami, for example, it is important to emphasize and use colors that celebrate Miami – the warmth, the light, the colors of the sea and the sky, and the drama of the sunsets. The Miami design palette is full of lightness. The walls are creamy sand, just like the beach. The fabrics are light and airy, with lots of natural fibers and colors, and accents of blues and aquamarines, as well as brighter tones of red and orange. Interest can be found in the counterpoints of dark or painted furniture, bold lamps, and artwork.

Maintaining a light palette is all about restraint. Keep the furnishings spare. Fewer large pieces in the rooms make the rooms more airy and light. It is refreshing to be in a room where there is space to move. Space and light are as much a part of the furnishings as a sofa.

It is always better to have a few really high quality things instead of many lesser quality items. A few fine antiques show off so well against an open room, where the details and patina of a piece can stand out. I like to mix antiques and contemporary furnishings. Good design knows no borders or time periods. A fine old armoire or desk can go really well with a contemporary, spare, elegant sideboard.

Another important thing to do when designing interiors for the beach is keep things casual. However, this does not mean sloppy or inelegant. Rooms should be treated with crown moldings of the proper scale, and perhaps added wainscoting for the more important rooms like the living room, dining room and entry areas. Then the materials are kept light, the spaces open and the colors fresh and pale. The lines of the furniture are neither heavy nor fussy. Chairs are often open-armed and not fully upholstered.

This is all part of the effort to create the open, easy mood that celebrates the sense of space in Miami, Florida.