Magazines: Florida International
(July - August 2002)

Shuster's Hacienda

A fantasy home from another time, another life

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In the design world Louis Shuster is very visible. He participates in a multiple number of design organizations, he's on the design board at DCOTA (Design Center of the Americas) and he frequents design showrooms on an almost daily basis. His clients are heads of Fortune 500 companies and his ability to transcend styles has kept him at the forefront of design, enabling the firm to win a host of awards.

In his own world, sequestered among thousands of antiques and sentimental treasures in a Mission revival Mediterranean enclave, discreetly carved out of a city block in Fort Lauderdale, Shuster is private. He spends weekends and time off on the perpetual hunt for collectibles that fit into the period of his house, built in 1928. Art chosen for its subject matter as it relates to the overall ambiance of the lifestyle born at the turn of the century. It was the nostalgia of owning a grand old Florida home that beckoned Shuster to this particular gracious dwelling.

"I've been drooling over this house for years, never imagining I would at some point own it," says Shuster. "I walked by it practically every day."

As chance had it, one day the For Sale sign went up and Shuster made an offer the same day. More ironic than the quick purchase was what happened next.

"While I was viewing the place and instantly falling in love with it, I asked the current owner why he was leaving this marvelous estate," Shuster explains. "He said he was over the large home syndrome and wanted something a little more intimate that required less care."

Still life collage of Louis Shuster's reverie, including a framed photo of Shuster as a young boy.

View from interior gallery hall off the courtyard. Painting: 'Faces of Woman,' circa early 19th century and pair of French Art Nouveau vases from Axe Antiques, Jupiter. Floor lanterns from Farrey's, Miami. Wood inlay chest by Maitland Smith.

Loggia of main entrance. British colonial antique carved settee adorned with assorted throw pillows from ABC Carpet. Pair of antique burnt rattan club chairs, circa 1930's, from Time After Time Antiques, Fort Lauderdale. Series of four American Indian lithographs, circa 1837, from E.C. Biddle, Philadelphia.

Dining room with view of loggia and courtyard beyond. Table and chairs, circa 1940, from Mizner Estate, Palm Beach.

Within minutes, Shuster boasts, "I took him to look at my own intimate contemporary home a few blocks away and he bought it on the spot, fully furnished!" Of course, the turn of events may have had something to do with the fact that Shuster's 'intimate home' is a gem.

Villa Nora (named after Shuster's mother) was originally built for the first Cuban Consulate in South Florida, which instead moved to Coral Gables. The consulate staff never occupied the estate or had the opportunity to enjoy architect A.R. Dunne's vision. Designed around a beautifully landscaped courtyard, with arched floor-to-ceiling windows that at one time were open passages to the garden area, the house employs all the amenities of a small hotel.

Guest suites each have their own kitchen. The loggia at the entrance to the house is reminiscent of a club or greeting room in Havana where guests may have gathered for some heady conversation, vintage liqueur and cigars. Shuster's interpretation today takes it a step further. Replete with humidor and a pipe collection, the densely layered retreat is home to British Colonial antique seating and an enviable box collection from world travels.

Throughout the space, from galleried halls to the dining and lounge areas, Shuster plants appointments styled for a dramatic pre-war picture show. A jazz enthusiast, Shuster has played the piano since he was six. Ties with the past are prevalent throughout his home. Most of his collections have been acquired in just six years. The accessories, adornments and top layers of design are the visitors' first involvement with the home.

However, stepping into each room, sitting down and engaging in the environment fully, one comes full circle with the sensitivity and labor of love that has gone into the restoration of Villa Nora. "I had my work cut out for me," says Shuster. "The only thing I brought from my previous home was my baby grand piano.'

Every ceiling is different: vaulted, slope, tray and, in the library, pyramid, which on the original floor plans is described as 'piramide de poder' (translation: pyramid of power), which would have been fitting for a consulate and certainly applies to the current occupant.

The solid concrete walls, some 18 inches thick, were all scraped down to uncover layers of pink, blue, yellow paint and refinished to their original smooth quality. The hefty Dade Country solid beams received the same treatment until an antique patina finish was achieved. The kitchen was designed according to the 21^st. century standards, but with tongue-and-groove wood walls from the original architecture, cabinets of distressed stained maple, an antique French butcher block and a collection of old copper, brass and bronze pots and utensils, all of which recall the styling of past era.

Throughout the house Shuster applied the same attention to detail. His obsession with preserving the original architecture has been rewarding. Comments Shuster, "I've become an antique freak, I will go anywhere."

He's acquired these treasures through a worldwide hunt -  from flea markets in Paris, Provençe, Mount Dora and Dania to sophisticated dealers in Philadelphia and New York. "I've just came back with 38 pieces from Puerto Rico and they don't appear in the photos," says Shuster.

Obviously this is an ongoing project, one that he manages to fit in between working with his design clients. Loved by his sources and respected among peers, this fine gentle soul has a self-assured attitude, fabulous sense of humor and fears no one. He knows his stuff and operates one of the most successful luxury design firms in the state. His reputation precedes him and his legendary design has been acknowledged with dozens of prestigious awards. Just one more thing - subtlety is not in Shuster's vocabulary or anywhere in his design.



(Below) The master bedroom is masculine in a character replete with a Victorian men's writing desk and old English riding boots. Wood-framed leather bed and linens by Ralph Lauren Home. Scenery painting is dated circa 1931.

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