BOR: Leighton Design Group
In renovating the public spaces of the Chalfonte, Leighton Design Group drew inspiration from the condominium complex’s locale: some of the most desirable beachfront real estate in all Boca Raton. “Together as a firm, we would walk the beach at sunrise and sunset, experiencing all the colors that nature spontaneously provides there,” principal Christian Leighton says. “We took those tones and absorbed them into the interior so there was a sense of connection between inside and out.”
The Chalfonte comprised twin buildings, totaling 378 units. The board members were looking to modernize the dark and closed-off lobby, clubroom, and reception, and it was Leighton’s previous work at the nearby Seagate Hotel—a marvelous evocation of ocean and sand—that convinced them they had found the right firm for the task.
The ground levels of both buildings were demolished and space reallocated. In reception, an oak and travertine desk is backed by waves carved into an MDF wall—a tip of the hat to the sea swells mere steps away. New flooring, a combination of travertine and porcelain, leads into the elevator lobby, where the central feature is a massive seashell-clad column. From the lobby, a hallway lined with hand-painted wallpaper ushers residents to the clubroom. Formerly under-utilized, the space is now a magnet for apartment owners, who ock to the regular movie and games nights held there.
Design Principal: Christian Leighton
Project Team: Catherine Szabo; Andre Manero
