The award-winning…
Austin-based interior designer Christina Cole is known for imbuing her interiors with warmth, texture, and rich details with a sharp focus on comfortable minimalism. Her eponymous practice eschews patterns and bright colors, preferring a more pared-back aesthetic that explores material contrasts, spatial depth, and the relationship between artificial and natural light to create tactile elements and interactive experiences in a home. Her projects are highly curated, using fitted and freestanding elements to create a relaxed look that conveys a strong sense of personal style tailored to each individual client. This Soho loft, completed in collaboration with the architects at DXA Studio, is a case in point; designed as a place to refresh, renew, and relax above the bustling streets of Manhattan.
The living room…
immediately establishes the apartment as a sanctuary full of discerning furniture pieces, tactile fabrics and idiosyncratic touches. Note that there is nothing timid about her studio’s use of neutral tones. Discretely hidden bespoke oak cabinets are a centerpiece that surround a faceted marble fireplace; together, this pairing sets off a striking tonal gradation that starts with cool ivory and warm honey and progresses to soft creams and caramel tones softening the atmosphere. Tan modular sofas and a curved C-shaped coffee table are from her own design studio and have been matched with a vintage brass and opaline-glass floor lamp, a Fritz Schlegel model 1594 lounge chair and an array of tactile cushions, including spherical ones from Zak+Fox. By her own admission, Cole is a fan of curved organic forms as demonstrated by a ceramic vase on a Dutch wabi sabi-style vintage oak table and an original Isamu Noguchi Akari 120A light which hangs over a long custom white-oak dining table surrounded by woven-seat chairs. Both table and chairs were also designed by Cole’s studio which is known to pull from the principles of Japanese interior design, with its Zen philosophy and appreciation for the handmade.
Having retained…
the configuration of the original floor plan, DXA Studio used the original column grid to delineate the kitchen space, adding a marble backsplash and counters, as well as a dramatic marble island, all surrounded by a triumvirate of wood types: veneered, solid, and engineered on cabinetry, chairs, and flooring, respectively. The team gave the apartment its own identity by cleverly dividing the shared living space into a series of unique niches that nonetheless feel open, light, and connected to one another. For example, a separate lounge area is partitioned off from the main dining room by a Japanese-style folding tracked screen with translucent reeded panels by DXA Studio, affording the inner space beautiful, diffused light and privacy. This peaceful nook features a sofa by couture upholstery company Dmitriy & Co., a handmade rug by Prestige Mills, and a hammered bronze coffee table chosen by the clients.
In a main…
bathroom by DXA Studio, a richly veined grey marble sink seemingly forged from a single block of solid stone integrates perfectly with narrow vertical stained wood panels to create a luxurious spa-like space with a moody luminosity produced from a combination of sources: a wall-to-wall mirror, a glimmering brass pendant light and the marble itself with its streaks of white and ochre-yellow.
Bedrooms…
are swathed in luxurious materials from Christina Cole’s own textile studio, The Canvas Showroom, which specializes in artisanal hand-woven fabrics sourced from a number of international manufacturers including La Manufacture Cogolin in Saint Tropez and Logan Montgomery Textiles in West Hollywood. These soft tactile fabrics are contrasted by bold vintage lighting, hand-spun ceramics and sculptural furniture pieces, including a curved bench carved from dark hardwood sourced from New York-based furniture specialist Andrianna Shamaris who uses organic reclaimed wood repurposed in Sumatra to craft dramatic modern pieces for the home.
Cole’s approach…
to holistic living permeates every facet of this project, so much so that this loft apartment stands as a gentle reminder that even in a city known for its frenetic pace and urban density, a home can still spotlight the beauty in life’s unhurried moments.
Tap the look…
Interior Design: Chirstina Cole Studio
Architecture & Design: DXA Studio
Photography: Lindsay Brown
