Celebrity Style
July 26, 2018
Drake’s Designer Shares A Look At The Rapper’s Former Miami Condo
As a designer for Drake, Antonio Tadrissi of PD Lab is no stranger to jet-setting clients. He got his start designing a home for Raptor’s star Vince “Air Canada” Carter, and created this ultra-glam Miami condo for Toronto’s most famous rapper. “I’m known for modern design, but Drake’s condo was a good middle ground; contemporary with a touch of French elegance.” Click through to see how Antonio mixed contemporary elements with Drake’s traditional tastes in his former Miami home.
Antonio and Drake picked the Jean-Paul Gaultier Roche Bobois Mah Jong sectional together at the Toronto store, and had it shipped over to Miami. A reflector-style floor lamp, typically used in photo shoots, adds a hit of star power. Sheers are a must-have to filter the light streaming in from double-height windows, but Antonio designed the custom glass entertainment unit to minimize glare so Drake wouldn’t have to draw the drapes while watching TV.
Drake wanted a statement chandelier to play up the condo’s high ceilings. The inspiration was the view of Biscayne Bay, with crystals mimicking droplets of water. “The chandelier is made of 16,000 individual crystals,” says Antonio, who digitally designed a deconstructed chandelier. “We had each line of crystal made in a factory, and we installed them each one by one.”
Drake often brings the party with him, whether he’s at a Raptors game in his hometown, or away. A generous patio outfitted with plenty of woven sofas (and a Buddha head statue) provides plenty of opportunity for him to entertain against the striking backdrop of Biscayne Bay’s turquoise waters and Rickenbacker Causeway.
“The original unit had a mezzanine, and so there was no glass upstairs,” Antonio explains. “We turned it into Drake’s room because he wanted a view of the water.” The original kitchen was a bland condo kitchen, which was gutted. “This kitchen has more of a ‘Forest Hill’ look, with its off-white and brass finishes,” Antonio notes. “It’s where Drake was brought up in Toronto, and it’s his reference point. He prefers a more of traditional and classic look, rather than contemporary.”
The wood French doors have a special significance for Drake, says Antonio. “We purchased the handmade wooden doors from a building that was damaged and destroyed after Hurricane Katrina,” he explains. It was Drake’s ode to Cash Money Records, his record label, which is based in New Orleans.
The bedroom is a mix of contrasts. A traditional chevron floor and curvy applied moldings have a French vibe, juxtaposed by a custom entertainment unit (ideal for catching the Raptors in action) and a sleek glass wall overlooking the main living space.
Drake has a preference for waterfall showers, equipped with color-changing mood lights and essential oil diffusers. “What you don’t see at the end of the hall is Drake’s secret door, which looks like bookshelf,” Antonio says. “One book is connected to a mechanism; Drake chose a Harry Potter book, so if you moved it from the bookshelf, the door would open.”
“The whole bathroom is very open concept,” according to Antonio. “Again, touches of timeless, classic design are Drake’s preference, with black and white marble on the floor and fixtures in solid brass.”
Interior shots, Ben Rahn / A-Frame; Headshot courtesy of @champagnepapi
Antonio Tadrissi, PD Design