Buenavista Bungalow

In the Heart of Miami

This sweet tropical bungalow with gleaming floors and a gauzy, breezy atmosphere occupies a tidy plot in the heart of Miami’s Design District, only minutes from Miami Beach. Out back there’s a Japanese-inspired, shared rock garden for outdoor entertaining. Inside, the styling by Emmanuelle Design feels organic and low key, making a tranquil retreat that pulls nature indoors via plants, wood furnishings, and vivid Florida sunshine.

One in a collection of getaways created by self-described dreamers who aim to create art through architecture, this Design District bungalow features rich natural finishes, a cook’s quality kitchen, beachy textiles, and an abundance of inhale-enhancing house plants and organic fibers. A little bit surf shack, and a little bit manicured coastal cottage, the bungalow’s overall mood is peaceful and muted, an above-the-fray stay in a much sought-after district. 

Please note: the backyard garden is a community space, shared with the neighboring loft rental by the same owners. 

AROUND

Miami’s Design District is an 18-block area known for its contemporary architecture, interior design and fashion boutiques, and trendsetting restaurants in an oasis of public art. Notable works include Buckminster Fuller's geodesic creation Fly’s Eye Dome, the DASH Fence by designer Marc Newson, Xavier Veilhan's fiberglass likeness of architect Le Corbusier, and the Myth Fortuna, a giant plaster replica of supermodel Kate Moss doing yoga. Luxury shoppers and window shoppers will find boutiques from Gucci, Celine, Louis Vuitton, Givenchy, Hermes… and the list goes on. A gastronome’s wonderland, the district is home to Mia Market, an international food hall, as well as restaurants and cafes from the low brow to the five-starred. 

Museums and galleries include the ultra-modern Institute of Contemporary Art (showing emerging artists alongside Picasso and Lichtenstein), the De La Cruz Collection (the dazzling private collection of Carlos and Rosa De La Cruz), and The Haitian Heritage Museum (the sole US museum dedicated to promoting Haiti’s heritage and culture). The neighborhood is easily accessible to Miami Beach, and stretches north of Midtown and I-95. Developed from a few warehouses into a dazzling artistic hub, the district holds the annual Art Basel Miami Beach show.

LOCATION

Miami, Florida, United States. Nearest airport: Miami (20 minutes)

BEST TIME TO VISIT: Year round