This design gallery found the perfect location for a future in Miami

The Future Perfect loves a house with heritage. Like its historic brownstone in Greenwich Village and its clapboard cottage in Pacific Heights, the esteemed gallery is most comfortable showcasing its collectible design in a space that merits as much admiration as the furniture. Still, with its new Miami location, founder David Alhadeff has outdone himself. Properties like Villa Paula, in blazing-hot Little Haiti, don’t come along every day. The 1920s neoclassical villa near the enclave’s historic core has had a storied century as a Cuban consulate (the architect, Cayetano Freira, was imported from Havana), luring emigré artists and musicians. And it retains all its original stucco, tilework and ionic glamour.

Alhadeff has populated the 2,000-square-foot landmark with designs by the international talents they support — Lindsey Adelman, Faye Toogood, Vikram Goyal and Floris Wubben, to name a few. Yet he’s adapted each piece to its environment, set against rich ochre plaster, lush greenery and stained glass. ‘Our work has always been about creating environments that transcend traditional gallery models, says Alhadeff. ‘Villa Paula’s history and architecture give us the opportunity to create something that is both site-specific and globally resonant.’ The weathered tiled floors and original doors become important figures in the tableaux. And a programme of contemporary brands like Bocci, Boon Editions, Arflex and De La Espada joins the cultural conversation.