Miami plastic surgeon Dr. Julio Gallo on transforming his classic ‘Old Miami Beach’ home
A quest for privacy and increased square footage brought Dr. Julio Gallo to a highly coveted, winding residential street far from the fray of South Beach, where he lived in a smart, contemporary townhouse for several years. He saw this house in the initial search and went on to look at other properties, “but it kept calling me back,” he explains. “The house was built in 1939 on an oversized lot and has a great vibe. I love it because the layout is open, which allows for easy entertaining, there are a lot of windows and the garden is lush and beautiful.”
He yearned for an oasis as a respite from his intensive work schedule -- and more wall space. “So the art can breathe,” he adds with a smile, referring to the more than 200 pieces in the eclectic collection that is in rotation between his medical practice and the house, with other pieces coming in and out of storage. “I also wanted a lot of indirect, natural light which makes the art look better and the house feel happier.” He has no rules when it comes to collecting. “I buy what I like. Things that inspire me, motivate me or illicit an emotional response, whether positive or negative. I don’t just collect one type of art. It can be grotesque, pretty, satirical, have a social message,” he pauses, “or no message.” In his collection there are international artists, several Miami artists -- some of whom are friends -- as well as pieces by his late father, artist Enzo Gallo.
FAMILY PORTRAIT
Gallo’s own artistry and his love of art are in his DNA. His father, Enzo Gallo, who was born in Italy, descended from five generations of artists and sculptors specializing in marble. Enzo moved to Cuba as a young man, where he met and married Gallo’s mother and attended the respected San Alejandro School of Art, earning a Masters in Fine Art. “He not only taught me to appreciate art but how to think in three dimensions,” says Gallo. “When dealing with the length and width of the human face what you do to one area affects all the others. That’s why I love facial plastic surgery, because it is like sculpting.” Gallo has been in practice since 1995 and is now in partnership with Bio Station in Midtown. “We do aesthetic medicine and wellness on their side,” he says with a smile. “They rejuvenate the inside, I rejuvenate the outside.”
When Gallo was about ten years old, his father started bringing him to friends’ gallery openings. “On vacation in many countries, we’d always go to museums,” he says. “Because my father also taught art, he made it fun, like traveling with a historian.” The stylish, multi-lingual doctor, who was born in Hollywood, Florida, after his parents fled Cuba, is also known for his philanthropy, supporting charities that include No More Tears, Angels for Humanity and the Rene Moawad Foundation in Lebanon.
A CANVAS OF COMFORT
When Gallo bought the four-bedroom home in 2017, he updated it to a warm, contemporary style. Few design elements remained of the home’s original interior architecture, except for the stately, limestone fireplace mantel in the living room. “The hardwood floor is also original,” says Gallo. “It was in great condition, but had a very dark, reddish stain which was sanded down to its lighter, natural color,” he explains. Outdated dark blue and burgundy accent walls were quickly remedied with his go-to paint color, Designer White by Pratt & Lambert. Extra walls were removed to open up the house to more light.” He adds that every hall opening had a door. “So I took the doors out. Now there are fewer distractions and it maximizes the amount of wall space for the art. Simpler is better and the house feels bigger and more vibrant.” And adds, “Home is where I feel safe and comforted. It’s where I share part of myself and my art collection with friends and invite them into my heart and life.”
This story was originally published January 11, 2021 at 12:00 AM.