Between antique travelogues and tiger claws, porcupine quills from the Bushmen of Botswana, an Alessandro Mandruzzato murano glass box passed down by owner Douglas Baker’s mother and a giant clamshell his father brought back from the South Pacific in the ‘70s, this custom condo is a study in texture and drama. Interior designer Chelon Rieniets sees her designs as a habitat for people’s personalities to live, tailoring each environment to her client’s taste. “There are so many layers to the design,” she says. “Little details are what really make a home and what sets it apart.” Long-time friends, Rieniets took inspiration for Baker’s Savoy condo from his personal collections. “His treasures are what I want to show off and display,” says Rieniets. “The interiors are just a backdrop for his collections.”

Surrounding Baker’s items are a host of standout design elements. “We wanted to design with all the senses,” says Rieniets. To add warmth to the metal entryway doors, the handles are wrapped in Edelman leather and double-cross hand stitched on site by Sarasota company Creech & Co. Dale Rieke of Sarasota’s Wood Street Studio used primarily Macassar Ebony wood to make custom pieces, many of which were copies of antique pieces that were too large for the space. The credenza—a focal point in the apartment—was copied from a French Deco antique found in Chicago after Rieniets and Baker fell in love with the too-large original. “[Rieke] was talented enough to duplicate it on a smaller scale, and it’s just an amazing piece of furniture,” says Rieniets. Carefully thought out details like the creamy-colored Swiss wool tufted couches, the punches of blue accents and the square mirror with a sculptural bubble that draws in the eye are what give the condo life. Yet, Rieniets says the beauty of the home ultimately rests in Baker’s personal collections.








Animal Magnetism: Found on a journey the owner’s father took to the South Pacific in the ‘70s, the giant clamshell that beckons you through the entryway sets the tone for the entire apartment.

Neutral Nirvana: Crafted as a calming environment, the living room proves to be an oasis. The blue mohair pillows and navy drapery are the only color accents, making all the neutral furnishings stand out. The high-sheen wood table and gold- and pewter-leafed wallpaper lend an added air of sophistication to the room.

Global Citizen: “The niche represents everything that is Mr. Baker’s experience of working globally,” says Rieniets. “Every item on that shelf represents things he likes to collect.” The niche, fabricated by Rieke, is custom-made for the space from mahogany wood. The shelves feature Papua New Guinea fertility statues, a Japanese admiral’s naval hat and a Syrinx aruanus sea snail shell among other treasures.

Cloud Nine: The powder room features custom-painted walls and Jonathan Browning sconces. A neutral color palette is complemented by the pop of colored hyacinths and iridescent accents.

Macassar Majesty: A key piece in the condo, the macassar wood credenza provides an anchor for the entire apartment. “If you look down on top of it, it has curves and 45-degree cuts—the front undulates,” says Rieniets. Sarasota company European Marble crafted the Portoro marble top and used laser cutting, indicative of marbling seen in the 1920s. 

Living Walls: Leave the sophisticated confines of the apartment, down to the private Baker garage and you’ll be surrounded by a new world. Baker had four world-renowned graffiti artists leave their marks on the previously drab walls—each artist is a regular at Art Basel and include Entes y Pésimo from Peru, Kanos from Paris and Astro from Toulouse. An unexpected venue for art, distorted faces stare out at you while neon flashes swirl and surround the psyche.


Photos by Gene Pollux.