El Caracol
Silver Bluff, Miami, Florida
Interior and Exterior Renovation, Landscape Design
Interior and Exterior Renovation, Landscape Design
El Caracol is the rebirth of a Spanish Revival Cottage with Mission style elements built in 1926. Dubbed El Caracol, , Spanish for the snail, is an homage to the distinctive spiral, solomonic columns on the home’s facade. Studio Shell leaned into years of historical research to inform the landscape design and renovation.
History: The home was built at a very remarkable time in Miami history. 1926 was just past the peak of the first big land boom. It was the year the Prins Valdemar sank which spurred economic decline when it blocked the port for 50 days. It was the year the “big one” hit (at the time storms weren’t yet given names), ending the boom and marking the beginning of the depression years. The model A Ford had not yet come out so the garage doors on the detached “carriage house” are at a scale more reminiscent of just that rather than a modern garage. Just a block from the house is where The Florida East Coast rail (Where the metro rail and Underline are now) would have brought visitors from the north to Silver Bluff and the grove and later all the way to key west.
Historic Features: Developers at this time employed marketing and craftsman details that would largely be lost in future waves of development. The home embodies the romantic nature of Mediterranean revival that was popular at the time and retains many of its distinctive features. The front facade has a stepped mission style parapet facade with an arcaded front porch. Both entrances to the sun room have arched concrete eyebrows supported by distinctive Solomonic concrete columns with hooded figures cast in the capitals. Around the exterior are wing walls that project from the various changes in the facade. The sunroom floor and side porch are a joyful explosion of colorful cracked Cuban tile. Inside there are several wavy,stepped , ogee like plaster archways. On three facades there are whimsical crests and terracotta attic vents that add visual interest. The truss roof frames are substantial dad county pine members and the roof is 4” thick Dade county pine tongue and groove.
Design Goals: Studio Shells design goals were to preserve and amplify the home's historic characteristics. All decisions would be made through the lens of imagining the home through time to present. Our goal was to stay true to the identity of the romanticized casita and to create a dreamy, sun-drenched, subtropical, Mediterranean escape.
Landscape / Exterior : Silverbluff was named for the coral stone bluffs that front the bay at Alice Wainwright park. This elevated ridge line continues all the way across us 1 to land that was once part of the Vizcaya estate. Originally pine rockland habitat, the pines were cleared (used in boom construction) and replaced with citrus groves which in turn gave way to residential developments. The first step Studio Shell took was to remove plants that were compromising the structural integrity of the homes stucco and water lines. These plants were also not in keeping with a vision of restoring what the land in this area would have original looked like. Large, established native pines and sabals were brought in. The front yard, with southern exposure, was built up with soil removed from the rear to create shell mounds and dunes on which native grasses and coastal plants would thrive in the sun. The shell mounds grow with each oyster party held at the home.
The Chicago brick and keystone was used to redo old deteriorated concrete pathways to the entrances and to create a central courtyard between the detached carriage house and the main house. A new striped swing projecting from the carriage house creates a welcoming entertaining space while a matching awning protect the rear door which serves as the main day-to-day access. New gates were created for added privacy to match the carriage house paneled wood doors. The home was painted a classic alabaster white. Parapet trim, the chimney and window sills are a bright white. “Stone” details like the columns and crests are and a warm grey. All wood was painted in a historic green tone which takes inspiration from the historic Coral Gables city hall window color.
Salvage: Studio Shell salvaged material from two homes unfortunately slated for destruction in Miami Beach and Coconut Grove. The home in the grove was featured in the book “Tropical Cottage” by Beth Dunlop. The home on Miami Beach was designed by Carlos Schoeppl. We were able to bring in several pallets of Chicago brick and florida keystone along with an oolite fountain featuring a stone fish with a strangler fig growing from it , a brass seahorse bell, a solid cast iron table base from the 30’s , and a statue of St Fiacre. We were also able to re-employ two old doors, one with bronze screen, and one with original plate glass, which were found in the carriage house.
Interior: The home is divided into two halves with bedrooms on one side and kitchen dining and living on the other.
Kitchen: The kitchen, which was previously closed off from the dining and living room as was typical in the time, was opened up creating a continuous view through the living side of the home. When doing this we repeated the archway detail in the new opening. Italian concrete tiles were used for a mosaic in the rear entry and in the kitchen. Flat saw oak millwork in the kitchen was stained to complement the historic floors. A closet wall was removed to create a continuous wall of of pantry, panel ready fridge, and coffee station. Arabescato Corchia marble was used for the counters and backsplash. A hand shaped plaster stove hood adds character and warmth.
Master bath : The master bath was redone with terracotta and Zellige shower walls , light oak vanity and carrera marble top. Features ceramic artwork by Lauren Shapiro
History: The home was built at a very remarkable time in Miami history. 1926 was just past the peak of the first big land boom. It was the year the Prins Valdemar sank which spurred economic decline when it blocked the port for 50 days. It was the year the “big one” hit (at the time storms weren’t yet given names), ending the boom and marking the beginning of the depression years. The model A Ford had not yet come out so the garage doors on the detached “carriage house” are at a scale more reminiscent of just that rather than a modern garage. Just a block from the house is where The Florida East Coast rail (Where the metro rail and Underline are now) would have brought visitors from the north to Silver Bluff and the grove and later all the way to key west.
Historic Features: Developers at this time employed marketing and craftsman details that would largely be lost in future waves of development. The home embodies the romantic nature of Mediterranean revival that was popular at the time and retains many of its distinctive features. The front facade has a stepped mission style parapet facade with an arcaded front porch. Both entrances to the sun room have arched concrete eyebrows supported by distinctive Solomonic concrete columns with hooded figures cast in the capitals. Around the exterior are wing walls that project from the various changes in the facade. The sunroom floor and side porch are a joyful explosion of colorful cracked Cuban tile. Inside there are several wavy,stepped , ogee like plaster archways. On three facades there are whimsical crests and terracotta attic vents that add visual interest. The truss roof frames are substantial dad county pine members and the roof is 4” thick Dade county pine tongue and groove.
Design Goals: Studio Shells design goals were to preserve and amplify the home's historic characteristics. All decisions would be made through the lens of imagining the home through time to present. Our goal was to stay true to the identity of the romanticized casita and to create a dreamy, sun-drenched, subtropical, Mediterranean escape.
Landscape / Exterior : Silverbluff was named for the coral stone bluffs that front the bay at Alice Wainwright park. This elevated ridge line continues all the way across us 1 to land that was once part of the Vizcaya estate. Originally pine rockland habitat, the pines were cleared (used in boom construction) and replaced with citrus groves which in turn gave way to residential developments. The first step Studio Shell took was to remove plants that were compromising the structural integrity of the homes stucco and water lines. These plants were also not in keeping with a vision of restoring what the land in this area would have original looked like. Large, established native pines and sabals were brought in. The front yard, with southern exposure, was built up with soil removed from the rear to create shell mounds and dunes on which native grasses and coastal plants would thrive in the sun. The shell mounds grow with each oyster party held at the home.
The Chicago brick and keystone was used to redo old deteriorated concrete pathways to the entrances and to create a central courtyard between the detached carriage house and the main house. A new striped swing projecting from the carriage house creates a welcoming entertaining space while a matching awning protect the rear door which serves as the main day-to-day access. New gates were created for added privacy to match the carriage house paneled wood doors. The home was painted a classic alabaster white. Parapet trim, the chimney and window sills are a bright white. “Stone” details like the columns and crests are and a warm grey. All wood was painted in a historic green tone which takes inspiration from the historic Coral Gables city hall window color.
Salvage: Studio Shell salvaged material from two homes unfortunately slated for destruction in Miami Beach and Coconut Grove. The home in the grove was featured in the book “Tropical Cottage” by Beth Dunlop. The home on Miami Beach was designed by Carlos Schoeppl. We were able to bring in several pallets of Chicago brick and florida keystone along with an oolite fountain featuring a stone fish with a strangler fig growing from it , a brass seahorse bell, a solid cast iron table base from the 30’s , and a statue of St Fiacre. We were also able to re-employ two old doors, one with bronze screen, and one with original plate glass, which were found in the carriage house.
Interior: The home is divided into two halves with bedrooms on one side and kitchen dining and living on the other.
Kitchen: The kitchen, which was previously closed off from the dining and living room as was typical in the time, was opened up creating a continuous view through the living side of the home. When doing this we repeated the archway detail in the new opening. Italian concrete tiles were used for a mosaic in the rear entry and in the kitchen. Flat saw oak millwork in the kitchen was stained to complement the historic floors. A closet wall was removed to create a continuous wall of of pantry, panel ready fridge, and coffee station. Arabescato Corchia marble was used for the counters and backsplash. A hand shaped plaster stove hood adds character and warmth.
Master bath : The master bath was redone with terracotta and Zellige shower walls , light oak vanity and carrera marble top. Features ceramic artwork by Lauren Shapiro