Since departing their original public storefront galleries in Manhattan and Williamsburg, The Future Perfect now occupies appointment-only locations worth seeking out. Whether it’s the discrete West Village townhouse, an apartment in SF or a former movie mogul’s mansion in LA, each showcases collectible design and furnishings in a residential context.
During Miami Art Week 2025, the latest outpost opened north of the Miami Design District in the Little Haiti neighborhood. The structure, Villa Paula, originally served as a Cuban consulate and residence for its consul, Domingo Milord and his wife Paula Milord. Constructed in 1926, it functioned as a consulate for only a few years before changing hands to house a wealthy widower, then senior home until it ended up abandoned in the 1970s. Villa Paula was eventually bought by Cliff Ensor who undertook a restoration and claimed to experience paranormal activity and see ghosts in the house including a beautiful one-legged Cuban woman thought to be Paula Milford.
Even without the backstory, Villa Paula doesn’t run short on character and mood. A central hallway bisects the interior from front to back, likely to provide air circulation during the oppressive Florida summer months. The surfaces of the interior aren’t pristine and there’s beautiful original patterned tile throughout. The inaugural exhibition combines pieces that echo the forms and colors of the building and surrounding tropical environment.
A garden wraps around the side and back of the building including both the original pergola and a few outdoor pieces from the exhibition. The one remaining place to explore is the garage which features two nearly hidden spaces. The first is a small room completely wrapped in deep maroon drapery with a chandelier by Lindsey Adelman over a Floris Wubben ceramic table, both one of a kind pieces. With the door closed, the chandelier appeared to hover in blackness.
Through the front garage doors lies the only space that’s been freshly built out. The metal panel wrapped lounge room is the most futuristic-feeling and a completely unexpected way to end a tour.
Photos and Text: Dave Pinter
