Tribeca Loft by Colin King Studio
Reminiscent of the studios that drew him to New York, Colin King’s Tribeca Loft embodies his creative evolution, from dance student to stylist and artistic director. Designed by his own firm, the home provides a diverse visual environment in conversation with the city.
Since Colin King first moved to New York, Lower Manhattan has transformed. New art gallery seem to appear on every corner and – backdropped by the many windows of the local buildings – shape the area as a creative hub. Showcasing myriad design styles, Tribeca Loft reflects its neighbourhood while serving as a retreat into King’s own artistic landscape. “As I explained to my team, I was looking for a place where we could work and gather,” he says. “I got this place, spoke with the owner and asked to make it my own. I showed her samples of my work and she said, ‘You can change it, but if I don’t like it then you have to put it back.’ And I said ‘Okay.’ I didn’t want the home to lose its soul, so the brief was to restore it to its original glory.”
Tribeca Loft features a series of open spaces, beginning with a long corridor. On its left sits a fully equipped guest bathroom and, further along, an office-library. Beyond lies the kitchen, after which the expansive living area is revealed. The bedroom is tucked around a corner. “I’m very comfortable with negative space,” says King. “I love being able to walk along the spectrum of minimalism to maximalism and train my eye to experience a variety of styles.” Throughout the home, rustic and vintage pieces accompany Swedish and contemporary works, sparking creative dialogue. Though mixed, the objects are given enough space to promote their individual characteristics, which is vital to their capacity for contrast.
As a stylist, King sources unique, expressive items from all over the world, and his home speaks to this habit. “I’m drawn to pieces that have a singularity to them, that can really hold their own,” he says. “I also have a great number of books: a lot of them are work gifts and I love to use them to display my objects. They’re great as pedestals, adding different heights to surfaces that would otherwise feel flat.” The furniture – including a custom 12-foot sofa and 10-foot dining table – embraces the generous dimensions of the interior, with a slipcovered chair forming the highlight of the arrangement. Positioned close to the windows, the piece offers a comfortable place from which to enjoy the external surroundings or the textural details of the plaster ceiling.
“Coming here meant paying three times the amount I was paying for my previous place,” says King. “It was a risky investment – but it paid off. It signals how far I’ve come in the past few years and that was not done alone. That’s what I’m most proud of: the work put in, the hands that have helped and the memories that have been created.”
Interior design by Colin King.
