New York-based Elmo Studios has turned an industrial loft into offices for design-tech business Furniture.com, combining original details with a residential layout.
Spanning over 4,000 square feet (370 square metres), the space forms the New York City headquarters for the Atlanta-based company, which uses search algorithms and AI tools to help customers source products from a variety of retailers.
Furniture.com desired more than a simple white box, and tasked Elmo Studios with creating an office that visually lands somewhere between a high-end showroom, a busy workplace and a comfortable home.
“The company needed an office to match its game-changing mission, so they turned to Elmo Studios to design a space that juxtaposes the warmth and elegance of a residential space with the functional, industrial nature of a tech office,” said the team.
The organisation of the floor plan mimics the flow of a house, with rooms for different functions interconnected via the lobby.
Visitors are greeted by a white lacquered reception desk with rounded edges and corners, which stands out against dark-stained wood panelling behind.
A curvaceous, olive-green custom sofa provides a waiting area beside a tall olive tree that emphasises the ceiling height.
Large expanses of glass and full-height doors separate the lobby from a conference room, and the same partitions are used for a string of smaller offices further back.
The reception’s residential details are continued in a kitchen and dining area, where a grand oak table accommodates staff lunches and casual meetings.
Natural materials including wood and stone in the minimalist kitchen allow the space to blend in with the neutral tones of the office space.
Many of the original architectural details like Doric columns and sprinkler piping – including several bright-red tracts – were left exposed to lend an industrial edge.
Pale wood floorboards and large beige rugs help the space to feel bright and airy, with large windows bringing in natural light from around the perimeter.
This is aided when needed by a series of spotlights suspended from a slender black framework above over the booth-like workspaces, and eye-level table lamps atop the consoles.
The neutral palette is contrasted by individual meeting pods lined entirely in warm reddish-brown – a colour that’s repeated across minimalist storage units between the rows of desks.
New York gallery Amelie Maison D’Art provided several original works by artists including Clement Mancini and Pola Carmen to adorn the walls.
“By merging the space’s industrial heritage with a modern design, Elmo Studios fashioned a headquarters that feels sophisticated and contemporary, while still resonating with the iconic character and weathered charm of one of New York’s older office buildings,” said the team.
Industrial lofts across New York City have been repurposed into everything from luxury residences to furniture showrooms and art galleries.
Recent examples of similar converted spaces include the headquarters for Brazilian fashion brand PatBo and a gallery for French designer Pierre Yovanovitch.
The photography is by William Jess Laird.
The post Elmo Studios converts New York loft for Furniture.com headquarters appeared first on Dezeen.
