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Danny Kaplan Studio Flagship by Danny Kaplan and Peter Martin
Danny Kaplan Studio has opened its flagship showroom in Manhattan, designed in collaboration with architect Peter Martin.
Located in a 19th-century cast-iron building in Noho, the multifaceted space – which doubles as Kaplan’s own home – adopts a welcoming domestic attitude in both its curation and layout. Conceived by Kaplan as a place to present his evolving collection of furniture and lighting, alongside the work of fellow artists and designers and a scattering of vintage items, it marks an exciting step in his studio’s 10-year trajectory.
“For a long time, I’ve had all these ideas but nowhere for them to live, so that’s what’s fun about this space,” he says of finding a home for his handcrafted ceramic pieces, perforated metal sconces and artisan rugs. “We’ve been able to create an environment that feels like it represents us beyond ceramic work.”
The whole-floor apartment encompasses a series of loosely defined rooms redolent of a typical New York loft, with Kaplan’s private residence at the rear, concealed behind double doors. “I was looking for a space that could function as both a showroom and residence, and those spaces are quite rare in New York because of zoning,” says the designer. “This place kind of fell into our laps, and the way it moves from public to private works really well.”
The space is designed to be observed and interacted with, and pieces conceived in collaboration with friends and contemporaries are styled as such.
Arriving at the showroom, guests step off the elevator and into an entry vestibule framed by two glass brick partition walls. To the left, there’s a bedroom vignette adjacent to west-facing windows – the light soft and diffused thanks to Venetian blinds – and built-in shelves are lined with books, curios and many of Kaplan’s personal objects.
To the right, a more typical gallery condition – the exact curation of which will rotate periodically – sees a collection of the studio’s table lamps displayed alongside furniture by Thomas Barger. The space is designed to be observed and interacted with, and pieces conceived in collaboration with friends and contemporaries, including Lesser Miracle and In Common With, are styled as such.
The open-plan kitchen, dining and living area is where the multiplicity of this project truly sings. By day, it’s a space for client meetings and team catch-ups, and by night, it transforms into a dimly lit enclave for cocktail parties and intimate dinners. At its centre is a Danny Kaplan Studio dining table with a tactile, ceramic rimmed top, surrounded by vintage chairs and an evolving roster of wall art. Lamps, sconces and pendants illuminate the rooms in lieu of harsh downlights, and luxurious wool rugs – most from Armadillo bar one from Kaplan’s own collection, set to launch in May – bring texture and warmth to the industrial architectural framework.
Four floors above street level, there’s a noticeable quiet and stillness. “It’s a nice thing to be able to create something that’s inviting for people and that feels different to what you might expect from a showroom. It feels more experiential and lived in,” says Kaplan.
“It feels nice to be a part of this showroom renaissance. It’s an exciting time to go shopping in New York.”
This showroom is not alone in its embrace of residential and hospitality-centric ideals; one only needs to stroll through Downtown Manhattan to find several others embedded with a similar philosophy, and for Kaplan, that’s a good thing. “Historically, this neighbourhood had a lot of vintage furniture stores tucked away in these buildings and that tapered off for a while, especially as things moved online. But there seems to be a resurgence, and it feels nice to be a part of this showroom renaissance. It’s an exciting time to go shopping in New York.”
Architecture by Peter Martin. Interior design by Danny Kaplan.
