Just north of Miami’s bustling design district lies the guard-gated enclave of Morningside, a leafy waterfront neighborhood largely built in the 1920s and ’30s. Amidst the mix of Art Deco and Mediterranean Revival houses draped in dense tropical vegetation, there’s something starkly different: a strikingly remodeled residence originally designed and completed in 1948 by architect Rufus Nimes. A South Florida specialist in tropical modernism, Nims pioneered passive cooling strategies that helped homes adapt to the region’s hot, humid climate. He was also known for coming up with the designs for the hundreds of Howard Johnson motor lodges that once lined highways across the country.
Formerly known as the Charles Roman House since its original owner owned the sole property until 1975—the house entered a new chapter in 2022. That year, according to records, the long-vacant property was acquired for $1.5 million by architect Gabriela Libert, who began an ambitious renovation of the home. Bringing it into the 21st century.
Curved shapes add fluidity and movement to a 1940s home.
Miranda Cruz
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The converted home—described in press materials as “pure architectural audacity”—has been reborn as Skyfine, a name that evokes the fluid, sculptural form that seemingly hangs above a grand ceiling beyond the master bedroom. All the while, sunlight streams through the expansive glazing, casting transitional patterns across the rooms and emphasizing the home’s sense of movement, while curved lines and airy volumes create a rhythm that moves the eye seamlessly from one space to another.
On the lower level, glass walls dissolve the boundary between interior and exterior, while original support beams punctuate an open-plan great room, its yellow wood floors grounding the space warmly. The living area offers views of the curved outdoor staircase that once led to the front entry of the house, while the dining area looks out over the garden vista. Anchoring the space, a sleek buffet kitchen is defined by a dramatic oval window above the sink, a signature detail that perfectly balances form and function.
Glass walls fill the house with light and integrate it with the tropical landscape.
Miranda Cruz
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The home spans just over 4,200 square feet and offers a total of five bedrooms and six bathrooms. A ground floor bedroom with private bath is ideal for guests, while the second floor has an en-suite study that could easily be converted into an additional bedroom as well as a cozy lounge. The primary suite opens onto multiple levels, including a sunken dressing area, a spacious bath, a walk-in closet, a semi-circular bedroom, and a lofted study that opens onto the roof terrace. There, a sculptural fireplace—suspended from the bulbous and arched ceiling—serves as a striking focal point.
The overhaul was guided by a desire to maximize the corner parcel’s modest 0.19-acre footprint. Two expansive covered patios provide a shaded retreat from the unrelenting South Florida sun, while a crescent-shaped plunge pool echoes the home’s flowing, sculptural lines. Lush lawns and greenery tie the outdoor spaces together, creating a tranquil, seamless garden oasis.
SkyFin is available for $6.5 million with Pietro Belmonte and Carlos Fernandez of Douglas Elliman.
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Miranda Cruz
The authors
Mark David
