Florida Design Vol. 11 No. 3

Provence Comes to Miami
Tropical And European details capture The Essence of a French- Inspired Manor

Inspired by their travels to the South of France, Tom and Leslie Murphy decided to build a permanent reminder of Provence in Miami. Set amid an acre of live oaks, their residence near Coral Gables captures the essence of Provencal architecture.

"We wanted to make it a blend of France and Miami," says Tom, who is a builder. "It was imporant for it to be authentic, so we had the flooring hand-chipped to look 100 years old."

To transform their visions into reality, the Murphy’s turned to husband-and-wife team of architect William Taylor and designer Phyllis Taylor.
" Our clients wanted something Mediterranean but more like the homes in the South of France," William says. "We did some research and were inspired by the homes we saw in Uze, a small village near Avignon."

The exterior expresses the home’s duality. Balconies with wrought-iron railings and rotunda reference Provencal styling, while the keystone façade and wood shutters incorporate materials native to Florida.

Inside, an Old World ambiance takes precedence. The stair hall, furnished with Louis XVI-style chairs establishes the home’s French influence. A sweeping marble stairway leads to the second-floor bedrooms.