My Houzz: Monochrome Style in Gramercy Park
Sculptural furniture, minimal color and streams of light make this New York design couple’s home and showroom a work of art
Geometric shapes in black and white dominate Lauren Larson and Christian Swafford’s loft in Gramercy Park, New York. The couple, who met as students at Parsons School of Design, make the most of the amazing natural light and high ceilings in their 700-square-foot live-work space, which includes a showroom that spotlights the high-end custom sculptural furniture, lighting and textiles they produce for their firm, Material Lust. The loft has a raw, edgy aesthetic that Larson, an interior designer, and Swafford, a product designer, are becoming known for.
The couple stuck with a predominantly black and white color palette. “We like to live in a more neutral and visually organized space, but our work for other clients does have color,” Swafford says.
Alchemy altar candelabra, Duat table lamp, Vanishing Twin chair and Crepuscule floor lamp: Material Lust
Alchemy altar candelabra, Duat table lamp, Vanishing Twin chair and Crepuscule floor lamp: Material Lust
The living room area is used as a meeting and conference space as well as a place for day-to-day living. The couple often hold studio visits to showcase their work.
These metal bookshelves add storage. They also conceal a conveniently tucked air conditioning unit, seen on the second shelf on the left.
Tree of Life ladder: Material Lust
Tree of Life ladder: Material Lust
The couple don’t mind their small kitchen, since they rarely cook at home and would rather devote the floor space to other uses.
Both the kitchen and the stairway feature black braided rope as a design element. The couple used polypropylene rope, as it was the most forgiving and also allowed them to seal the ends by burning them. They are currently working on a whole line of furniture that will incorporate this rope technique.
Both the kitchen and the stairway feature black braided rope as a design element. The couple used polypropylene rope, as it was the most forgiving and also allowed them to seal the ends by burning them. They are currently working on a whole line of furniture that will incorporate this rope technique.
Their design influences extend to even the smallest pieces in the space. “Our furniture and lighting function as sculpture. All proportions are carefully crafted to make sure everything stays functional and familiar,” Swafford says.
Coat racks by Material Lust: Portmanteau His (left) and Portmanteau Her (right)
Coat racks by Material Lust: Portmanteau His (left) and Portmanteau Her (right)
“Lauren’s aesthetic is more curved and sensual, while mine is more hard-edged and geometric,” Swafford says. They managed to combine both of these approaches in their bedroom.
This candelabra on the floor was influenced by pagan and alchemical symbolism and ancient geometries.
The standout piece in their bedroom is the Retort vanity with the Vanishing Twin chair. The couple don’t believe in taking design risks, but rather in designing what they love and remaining true to their vision.
The staircase leads up to a second floor, which is used as a workspace and includes computers, supplies and mood boards. More of the rope design details can be seen on the railing.
The majority of the designs in their space are part of their most recent collection, Geometry Is God. The phrase is seen inscribed here below their sky roof on the second floor.
“We started off with very geometric work as part of this series of furniture and lighting, but the pieces we hope to include in our space now are softer and more fluid, using techniques like hand-carved walnut,” Swafford says.
“We started off with very geometric work as part of this series of furniture and lighting, but the pieces we hope to include in our space now are softer and more fluid, using techniques like hand-carved walnut,” Swafford says.
When asked about their inspiration, they both mention their respective mothers. “As a child growing up I spent most of my day imitating my mother in her studio,” Larson says. “She always told me to draw what you see. It was never, ‘This is how to draw.’”
“My mother is also my inspiration,” Swafford, seen here with Larson, says. “She is a painter, and my brother and I would spend hours running around her studio while she painted beautiful primitivist, surrealist and pre-Columbian-inspired oil paintings.”
The couple say their dream space changes by the day. “We’ve imagined dream spaces in Paris, London, Milan and the middle of the desert. One day they will come to fruition,” Swafford says.
My Houzz is a series in which we visit and photograph creative, personality-filled homes and the people who inhabit them. Share your home with us and see more projects.
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The couple say their dream space changes by the day. “We’ve imagined dream spaces in Paris, London, Milan and the middle of the desert. One day they will come to fruition,” Swafford says.
My Houzz is a series in which we visit and photograph creative, personality-filled homes and the people who inhabit them. Share your home with us and see more projects.
Browse more homes by style:
Apartments | Barn Homes | Colorful Homes | Contemporary Homes | Eclectic Homes | Farmhouses | Floating Homes | Guesthouses | Homes Around the World | Lofts | Midcentury Homes | Modern Homes | Ranch Homes | Small Homes | Townhouses | Traditional Homes | Transitional Homes | Vacation Homes
Who lives here: Lauren Larson and Christian Swafford of Material Lust
Location: Gramercy Park neighborhood of Manhattan, New York
Size: 700 square feet (65 square meters); two bedrooms, one bathroom
The couple describe themselves as “artists masquerading as designers.” Most of the furnishings in their apartment are their original designs.