We explore the design patterns and architectural tradeoffs for achieving interoperability across communication middleware platforms, and describe uMiddle, a bridging framework for universal interoperability that enables seamless device interaction over diverse platforms. The proliferation of middleware platforms that cater to specific devices has created isolated islands of devices with no uniform protocol for interoperability across these islands. This void makes it difficult to rapidly prototype pervasive computing applications spanning a wide variety of devices. We discuss the design space of architectural solutions that can address this void, and detail the trade-offs that must be faced when trying to achieve cross-platform interoperability. uMiddle is a framework for achieving such interoperability, and serves as a powerful platform for creating applications that are independent of specific underlying communication platforms.