{"id":185296,"date":"2026-03-10T06:41:08","date_gmt":"2026-03-10T06:41:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/185296\/"},"modified":"2026-03-10T06:41:08","modified_gmt":"2026-03-10T06:41:08","slug":"inside-a-1940s-miami-home-reinvented-as-skyfin","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/185296\/","title":{"rendered":"Inside a 1940s Miami Home Reinvented as SkyFin"},"content":{"rendered":"<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-margin-lr-auto  lrv-a-font-body-m   \">\n\tJust north of the bustling Design District in <a href=\"https:\/\/robbreport.com\/tag\/miami\/\" id=\"auto-tag_miami\" data-tag=\"miami\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Miami<\/a> lies the guard-gated enclave of Morningside, a leafy waterfront neighborhood largely built out in the 1920s and \u201930s. Amid its mix of Art Deco and Mediterranean Revival homes cloaked in dense tropical foliage stands something altogether different: a strikingly revamped residence originally designed and completed in 1948 by architect <a href=\"https:\/\/www.usmodernist.org\/nims.htm\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">Rufus Nims<\/a>. A master of South Florida tropical <a href=\"https:\/\/robbreport.com\/tag\/modernism\/\" id=\"auto-tag_modernism\" data-tag=\"modernism\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">modernism<\/a>, Nims pioneered passive-cooling strategies that helped homes adapt to the region\u2019s hot, humid climate. He was also known for coming up with the design for the hundreds of Howard Johnson\u2019s motor lodges that once dotted highways across the country.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-margin-lr-auto  lrv-a-font-body-m   \">\n\tPreviously known as the Charles Roman House after its original owner\u2014who held the singular property until about 1975\u2014the home entered a new chapter in 2022. That year, according to records, the long vacant property was acquired for $1.5 million by architect <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gabrielaliebert.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">Gabriela Liebert<\/a>, who embarked on an ambitious renovation and expansion aimed at honoring the home\u2019s original design while seamlessly ushering it into the 21st century.<\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"c-lazy-image__img lrv-u-background-color-grey-lightest lrv-u-width-100p lrv-u-display-block lrv-u-height-auto\" src=\"https:\/\/robbreport.com\/wp-content\/themes\/pmc-robbreport-2017-v2\/assets\/public\/lazyload-fallback.gif\" data-lazy-src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/5261NE5th-Street_MIA18.jpg\" alt=\"5261 NE 5th Avenue Miami Rufus Nims Gabriele Liebert\" data-lazy- data-lazy- height=\"683\" width=\"1024\" decoding=\"async\"\/><\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\t\tCurvaceous forms add fluidity and movement to the 1940s home.<\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tMiranda Kruse<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-margin-lr-auto  lrv-a-font-body-m   \">\n\t<a href=\"https:\/\/robbreport.com\/shelter\/homes-for-sale\/miami-buyers-building-super-compounds-1237012018\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">RELATED: Forget a Mansion. Miami\u2019s Ultra-Wealthy Are Amassing Luxury Compounds.<\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-margin-lr-auto  lrv-a-font-body-m   \">\n\tThe transformed home\u2014described in press materials as \u201cpure architectural audacity\u201d\u2014has been reborn as SkyFin, a name that evokes the fluid, sculptural form seemingly suspended above a generous roof terrace off the main bedroom. Throughout, sunlight streams through the expansive glazing, casting shifting patterns across the rooms and emphasizing the home\u2019s sense of movement, while the curving lines and airy volumes create a rhythm that carries the eye seamlessly from one space to the next.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-margin-lr-auto  lrv-a-font-body-m   \">\n\tOn the lower level, walls of glass dissolve the boundary between interior and exterior, while the original support beams punctuate an open-plan great room, its pale wood floors grounding the space in warmth. The living area frames views of the curving exterior staircase that once led to the home\u2019s front entry, while the dining area peers onto a garden vista. Anchoring the space, a sleek Boffi kitchen is defined by a dramatic oval window above the sink, a signature detail that perfectly balances form and function.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"c-lazy-image__img lrv-u-background-color-grey-lightest lrv-u-width-100p lrv-u-display-block lrv-u-height-auto\" src=\"https:\/\/robbreport.com\/wp-content\/themes\/pmc-robbreport-2017-v2\/assets\/public\/lazyload-fallback.gif\" data-lazy-src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/5261NE5th-Street_MIA3.jpg\" alt=\"5261 NE 5th Avenue Miami Rufus Nims Gabriele Liebert\" data-lazy- data-lazy- height=\"683\" width=\"1024\" decoding=\"async\"\/><\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\t\tWalls of glass fill the home with light and integrate it with the tropical landscape.<\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tMiranda Kruse<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-margin-lr-auto  lrv-a-font-body-m   \">\n\t<a href=\"https:\/\/robbreport.com\/shelter\/homes-for-sale\/ultimate-homes-111-e-dilido-dr-miami-beach-1236872852\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">RELATED: Inside a 1930 Miami Beach Colonial With a Funky, Modern Soul<\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-margin-lr-auto  lrv-a-font-body-m   \">\n\tThe home spans just over 4,200 square feet and offers five bedrooms and six bathrooms in total. A ground-floor bedroom with a private bath is ideal for guests, while the second floor features an en suite study that can easily convert into an additional bedroom, as well as a casual lounge. The primary suite unfolds across multiple levels, encompassing a sunken dressing area, a spacious bath, a fitted walk-in closet, a semicircular bedroom, and a lofted study that opens onto a roof terrace. There, a sculptural fireplace\u2014bulbous\u00a0and suspended from the arched vaulted ceiling\u2014serves as a striking focal point.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-margin-lr-auto  lrv-a-font-body-m   \">\n\tThe overhaul was guided by a desire to maximize the corner parcel\u2019s modest 0.19-acre footprint. Two expansive covered patios provide shaded retreats from the relentless South Florida sun, while a crescent-shaped plunge pool echoes the home\u2019s flowing, sculptural lines. Lush lawns and verdant foliage knit the outdoor spaces together, creating a tranquil, seamless garden oasis.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-margin-lr-auto  lrv-a-font-body-m   \">\n\tSkyFin is available at <a href=\"https:\/\/www.elliman.com\/listing\/5261-ne-5th-ave-miami-fl-33137\/29070663\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">$6.5 million<\/a> with Pietro Belmonte and Carlos Fernandez of Douglas Elliman.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-margin-lr-auto  lrv-a-font-body-m   \">\n\tClick <a href=\"https:\/\/robbreport.com\/shelter\/homes-for-sale\/gallery\/skyfin-miami-photos-1237672235\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">here<\/a> for more photos of the Miami home.<\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/robbreport.com\/shelter\/homes-for-sale\/gallery\/skyfin-miami-photos-1237672235\" class=\"c-lazy-image__link lrv-a-unstyle-link\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"c-lazy-image__img lrv-u-background-color-grey-lightest lrv-u-width-100p lrv-u-display-block lrv-u-height-auto\" src=\"https:\/\/robbreport.com\/wp-content\/themes\/pmc-robbreport-2017-v2\/assets\/public\/lazyload-fallback.gif\" data-lazy-src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/5261NE5th-Street_MIA_GI1.jpg\" alt=\"5261 NE 5th Avenue Miami Rufus Nims Gabriele Liebert\" data-lazy- data-lazy- height=\"576\" width=\"1024\"\/><\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tMiranda Kruse<\/p>\n<p>\tAuthors<\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" class=\"pmc-article-author-bio__avatar-image\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Mark-2.jpg\" alt=\"Mark David\"\/><\/p>\n<p>\n\t\tMark David\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n<p>Mark David got his start writing about real estate with the saucy cult-favorite blog The Real Estalker, on which he obsessively tracked the secretive world of celebrity property transactions. A much\u2026<\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/robbreport.com\/author\/mark-david\/\" class=\"pmc-article-author-bio__link text-uppercase\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t\tRead More\t\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Just north of the bustling Design District in Miami lies the guard-gated enclave of Morningside, a leafy waterfront&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":185297,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[9],"tags":[1602,16236,123,125,124,12487,115],"class_list":["post-185296","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-miami","tag-architecture","tag-home-design","tag-miami","tag-miami-headlines","tag-miami-news","tag-modernism","tag-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/185296","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=185296"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/185296\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/185297"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=185296"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=185296"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=185296"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}