Spaces with Stories: A Tropical Island in New York City

Interior designer, Kate, calls her space, a “tropical island in the sky,” and appropriately so. Her space offers an escape from the madness of Manhattan with its bohemian decor and earthy tones. As the “Director of Vibes,” Kate can turn an empty room into a place where guests feel right at home. With an appreciation for antiques and different cultures from around the world, she enjoys getting to see creatives within the community come in and transform her loft, saying, “It’s like a painting that comes alive time and time again.”

Kate, like so many of our hosts, appreciates how space brings people together. She believes life’s greatest gift is “when we are able to really enjoy meeting each other and space can play a big part in this.”Check out the full interview for inspiration.

Book this tropical island in the sky for your event, production, or creative project.

How would you describe your design aesthetic?

Authentic and soulful with great love and respect for craftsmanship of cultures before and present.

Can you tell me more about your background and how you got into interior design?  

My love for decor and mood developed through my father, who as an antique dealer, inspired me to look at my surroundings differently. Being around all the beautiful works from centuries past, combined with my love for travel, gave me a greater understanding of different places and cultures. From this upbringing, I naturally started collecting unique and authentic pieces from different times, places, and cultures.

What are your tips on making a space come to life?

When creating a space, I find it useful to first get a sense of how you want the space to feel and then to make it come alive with your own unique style. If certain parts of your space bother you, try finding creative solutions. This might involve letting go of certain pieces that you do not enjoy or find useful. I prefer that space is not overloaded so you can fully see and enjoy your surroundings. This doesn’t necessarily mean size itself. A small studio can easily feel spacious enough and a huge castle can feel crowded!

Since your partner is a photographer and owns Good Light Works, the space is well designed for photo and film shoots. What kinds of production projects are often shot in the space?

We have many memories and appreciation for the creatives who have used our space for their projects. Film, photo, commercials, editorials, interviews, you name it  — the possibilities are endless as far as we’re concerned!

In addition to production shoots, it sounds like you host a lot of events and pop-ups. What have been the most memorable ones?

Each pop-up has its own unique vibe but live music events are probably my favorite, especially acoustic performances. Touchpoint hosted their intimate event at the loft a few times and appointed me their “Director of Vibes” (my favorite title!). I’m still incredibly inspired by all the intimate memories and insights shared by the guests.

We’ve also seen some beautiful holiday style celebrations from companies who transformed the loft so magically. The babyshowers, engagement parties, and other personal affairs are equally memorable.

During buyer’s week, fashion designers rent the space to showcase their new collection as a pop-up. The loft completely transformed each time, which is always fun to experience! Also, during New York Fashion Week, we’ve had designers use the space for castings or interviews. It’s such a great way to have such productivity energize the space.

What do you like about hosting on Peerspace?

I love seeing the diversity of the clients and their projects and getting to see the space transform into many different ways. It’s like a painting that comes alive time and time again — a real pleasure!

Fun questions:

I love to start the day: Lying in the hammock watching the sun between the green leaves and welcoming a new day. It’s so peaceful.

My favorite room in the house: The bathroom, it helps me wash away the day and gets me ready for a new adventure!

The best way to unwind after a long day: A warm shower. Then I love nestling into the cloud couch with a cup of tea to recharge.

My favorite thing about New York: The fire escapes along the old buildings — I love them so much.

Life motto: “I’m still learning” — Michelangelo at age 87

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