|
Real estate agent Nino Fernandez enjoys traveling and often chooses to visit exotic places. Off the beaten path - and often in jungles - he doesn't ask for much in the way of luxuries.
But at home, he says, he goes for "elegant" rather than "exotic," and true beauty, for him, means an Old World classical-style interior in rich Tuscan tones accented with gold.
With more travels on the horizon, Fernandez has decided to downsize and is selling his lavishly decorated oceanview condominium at 3600 S. Ocean Blvd. in South Palm Beach for $1.625 million, furnished. He's listed it with the firm he works for, Palm Beach-based Martha A. Gottfried, Inc.
 |  |
| Nino Fernandez | Lavishly furnished with a European sensibility, the living room of this apartment in The 3600 Building in South Palm Beach offers a wide view of the Atlantic Ocean. The condominium is listed for sale, furnished, for $1.625 million by Martha A. Gottfried, Inc. |
The 2,400 square-foot residence offers 300 square feet of balconies, and because it's positioned on The 3600 Building's second level - above the parking area - he can step outside his ocean-side sliders and instantly be poolside, while another few steps lead right to the sea. The condo has a master suite and a guest suite, as well as a media room.
When the decor of the condominium was being planned a few years ago, Fernandez worked closely with interior designer Perla Lichi, ASID, of Tamarac, whose work he had admired in a model condominium at the Toscana in Highland Beach.
"I wanted to walk into my home and feel that I was in Europe," explains Fernandez, who retired from a successful business career in the Northeast and today sells real estate. "I love this type of decor."
He points to the ocean through the large expanses of glass on one end of the salon-like living room. "For me, this is not the Atlantic," he says. "It's the Mediterranean."
An elevator opens to his own private foyer through an iron gate with grille work. Floors are travertine marble, while walls are pearlized, embellished with architectural details - columns, arches and niches. One of the latter holds a bust and turns out to be inset into a hidden door. When swung open, it reveals a powder room.
 |  |
| Paneling, columns and woodwork are made of maple with a cocoa glaze. Interior designer Perla Lichi also chose a luxurious touch for the walls and ceiling: 'The pearlized finish adds depth and richness,' she says. 'It also reflects the light.' | A paneled half-wall with an arch above it acts as a buffet. It separates the living area from the formal dining room, which, in turn, offers access to the media room at the rear through an archway. |
In the living areas, Lichi says, she purposely chose an understated finish for the many wood details.
"It's maple with a cocoa glaze," Lichi explains. "We didn't want the woodwork to be (overly) ornate, because we were looking for that casual elegance."
The living room and adjacent breakfast room overlook the ocean. Furniture in the living room includes a curved couch upholstered in gold-textured chenille edged with a luxurious fringe. Two armchairs, a settee and a coffee table continue the Tuscan theme with gold upholstery and burnished-white wood frames.
A bar to the north separates the space from the breakfast room and, to the west, a built-in serving table acts as a divider between the living space and the dining room, with the built-in cabinetry continuing as a buffet in an L-shaped arrangement. Beyond the dining room is the media room with built-in arched bookcases providing room for media equipment and travel mementos.
The kitchen, meanwhile, has high-gloss white cabinets, stainless-steel appliances and granite countertops.
Two bedrooms ensuite are on the west side of the apartment, down a hall lined with Fernandez's collection of paintings. The entry to the master suite is through etched-glass French doors with gold- and silver-leaf details on scrolled metalwork.
The master bedroom features a large dressing area and a soaking tub. The bedroom itself is furnished with an upholstered sleigh bed.
The guest suite is also nicely furnished, and both bedrooms have balcony areas.
The condominium's decor has won a number of awards, including two from the Builders Association of South Florida: one for overall design and another for Florida's Best Home Theater in 2002. The project also won the prestigious Gold Coast Prism Award in 2002.
Even though Fernandez's personality is outgoing, he appreciates his privacy - one of the reasons the building's private elevator access so appealed to him.
"I don't like negotiating hallways and lobby," he says. "That's why I like this building. It reminds me of some of my favorite Manhattan boutique hotels. It's not pretentious and it's homey. You can't get any closer to the ocean than from my unit, and I don't have to walk through the lobby to get to it.
"There are only 24 units in the building and five full-time residents, and the people are nice. It's a cheerful place, and I have made friends.
"I can walk to the theater, eat at the Ritz-Carlton and walk to the Village Marketplace for a container of milk."
For more information about No. 103 at 3600 S. Ocean Blvd., call Nino Fernandez at (561) 252-6079.
 |  |
| Interior designer Perla Lichi used a muted color pattern with plenty of texture and pattern for furnishings throughout the apartment, including the dining room chairs. The frosted glass doors mask the entrance to the kitchen. | Comfortable armchairs and an ottoman provide a relaxing spot to sit and watch television in the media room, which is decorated with a tapestry and also has a built-in desk area. |
 |  |
| In the master bath, broad steps lead to the sunken tub, while a large statue presides over the room. | The apartment's sliding-glass doors open to the pool-deck level, which has steps that lead to the seashore. Photos courtesy Martha A. Gottfried, Inc., and Perla Lichi Design |
By Christine Davis
Marketing Writer
Friday, March 16, 2007 - PalmBeachDailyNews.com
[ return to news index ]
| 
