#circaroadtrip

Design Detour: Alex Alonso

Some design tales begin with a swatch, some with a sketch -- growing up in Miami, Mr. Alex Tate’s Alex Alonso dreamed of designing theme park rides. After stops in Chicago and Los Angeles (where he worked in advertising and entertainment, respectively) Alex circled back to his hometown to launch a globally-minded interiors studio that reflects his belief in a bold mix he calls “modern Victorian.” His role on Bravo TV’s hit design competition Best Room Wins earned him a feature on elledecor.com and a broader audience for his narrative approach to design. “I often pitch my clients on how a room will lead into the next space by using movie references,” he says. “It’s always about the story you tell.”

 

Next up for Alex: a full remodel in the Grove. The house is “super modern, not our typical vibe,” he says, but the clients were excited about flipping the whole design on its head. He’s thinking full-scale maximalism in an otherwise minimal space – think Grand Budapest Hotel meets Parasite meets A Single Man. Now that’s a movie we can’t wait to see.

 

RSVP

The overall design is a little bit country, but the food is a Cuban meets Korean fusion that’s all sorts of unexpected and oh so chic. I’d invite Rene Gonzalez, whose architecture is defining a new Miami, along with Pilar from our new Circa Lighting showroom in Miami and some recent interior design grads from AI, because everyone needs a foot in the door. 

 

AU NATURAL

While we’re still seeing a lot of polished metals, glossy surfaces and tiles in our projects, organic elements continue to make their way into design. Surrounded by so much lush greenery, it’s hard not to incorporate it."


BRIGHT IDEA

“We always use at least three different sources of light (overall illumination, focal/feature and surface/task level), and if the space is less open and more traditional, we’ll often choose wall sconces that make a statement rather than an attention-grabbing pendant or chandelier.”

SHOP MELANGE FLOATING DISC SCONCE HERE

 

HOT TIP
“We can get away with a lot in Miami. Farrow & Ball Babouche is my go-to yellow for projects, and you can’t go wrong with
Sherwin-Williams Gecko."

 

ALL THE TRIMMINGS

“Miami's design skews modern and minimal, so I always find myself going in the opposite direction. I keep the colorful aspect of the city's style, but like to layer the looks in a more maximalist, eclectic way -- like placing a rattan peacock chair in a room with drapery accented by my favorite trim, Schumacher’s Tim Tim tape.”