There’s a tiny stretch right at the start of Brooklyn’s Atlantic Avenue that’s gone from a bit empty to exuberant (although the argument could be made it’s always been exuberant, thanks to the 80-year-old dive bar Montero’s). By late spring, on one of many walks to and from the playground, I noticed the contemporary art gallery Eleventh Hour Art, ask well as Sarajo, an incredible resource for unique textiles, repair/restoration, and mounting of delicate pieces. There was also one more familiar name: our former neighbor from our Dumbo days, designer Jenna Chused (aka the townhouse whisperer!), opened ANTIK, a storefront featuring a mix of vintage, antique, and new furniture and objects (although you can always find her curated array of furniture and rugs on 1stDibs, too).
We love a good newsletter here, and my team’s latest favorite is Kim Robinson’s 3pts. His focus is on sales and marketing for creative entrepreneurs, but being the stellar sales/marketing pro that he is, he squeezes in a curated news section with links to articles I’d likely never stumble on myself (like Teen Vogue’s 54 African Designers You Should Know); a link to a music video just for fun; a section listing various grants, workshops, and other resources; and an always a welcome word of encouragement too. Have a look and subscribe here!
What is our team discovering around town? Here’s a good one! One of our makers, Taylor Sanders, came across Casey Rubber Stamps in the East Village. It’s the last custom stamp shop in the city, and was founded by John Casey back in 1979. You’ll find personalized stamps here, but also a dizzying array of designs that are already available, from snowflakes to speakeasy ladies. This article dives deep into the business…it’s a fascinating read!
Every time my family visits Martha’s Vineyard, we find something new to love (and top on that list: Island Alpaca!). A very quick visit a few weeks ago led us to one more favorite. Cottage City Oysters—founded by brothers Dan and Greg Martino of Texas—offers a close-up boat tour, platters of oysters harvested that day, and lessons in shucking (even for the kids!). The tour was so informative, but we were all so inspired by their utter passion and excitement for what they do, as well.
If there was one thing I managed to do well this summer, it was falling into Instagram rabbit holes! One of my discoveries: Casa Cubista, a source for modern Portuguese artisanal home goods. On my wish list: a few cork bowls, embroidered linen towels, and all things bold and striped! And a neat side note: this happens to be a company founded by my old high school friend David Pimentel and his husband, designer and stylist Arren Williams.
It’s back to school time and I have an online course suggestion: design historian and connoisseur Daniella Ohad’s Collecting Design: History, Collections, Highlights, offered through Christie’s Education department. The ten-session course delves into all aspects of collecting through dialogues with dealers, critics, collectors, designers, and writers. It also includes time spent with the class at Design Miami—perfectly timed for early December.
We’re in a heatwave these next few days and October still seems like a ways away, but mark your calendars in any case! We are so excited to be part of the Red Hook Open Studios tour on October 7th and 8th. Tour our shop and see our sculptural furniture in the process of being made. And upstairs in the showroom, we will share some of our latest designs. Also not to be missed: all of our talented neighbors, including Shiny Sparkle Studios next door, and Liberty Labs Foundation (including the work of Annika Bowker), among others. See the full lineup here.
And one last thing that has Team Ottra excited about fall: Strongtoberfest, right next door at Strongrope Brewery on Friday, September 15. In addition to live music and delicious food by @sliwinskisgeneral, there will be stein-holding competitions and Oktoberfest beers from 8 local craft breweries. See you there?!
]]>Anne and Elle Shrader and Chicago-based City Haus Interiors, featuring our Pedestal Side Table.
How did City Haus come to be? Tell us about your respective journeys, and how you joined forces to create a business.
Anne: Elle and I have always wanted to be business partners. Elle lived in LA and worked for Garde, while there, she fell in love with interiors and interacting with customers. I have always worked with interiors. When the pandemic hit, Elle moved back home to Iowa with me, so we got busy planning and strategizing the beginning of City Haus. I moved to the city in August of 2021, and we opened the following October.
We know a lot of other family duos, but not sure we've met any Mother/Daughter pairs. What's the most challenging thing about working together? And what do you love most?
Anne: The most challenging aspect is that regardless of our ages, I am "mom", and that can be difficult to navigate for Elle. However, for the most part, we each have different strengths, so we compliment one another and try to keep a balance between us. What I love the most about working with Elle is she is nice, accommodating and very thorough at her job. I feel blessed to work beside her, we are creating some special memories.
You have such a wonderful array of pieces. Tell us about one of your favorites.
Elle: One of my favorite ceramists is Jessie Sasso (or Twig and Beetle Pottery). Her style is influenced by ancient ceramics. She handcrafts vessels and vases with unique glazing and adorned with chain detail. My current favorite that we have in stock is a black vessel with heavy chain detail resembling a chain mail armor, which you can find here.
Does your store have a clear bestseller? What is it? Why do you think it does so well?
Anne: Our bestseller is the Theo Swivel Chair by Verellen. It is the perfect mix of form and function. The heirloom quality of Verellen furniture and the large selection of fine textural fabrics is a winning combination.
A couple of favorites from Verellen and Studio Biskt. Photos via City Haus Interiors.
And lastly, we all seem to have a dream piece of art or furniture. What do you both dream of having in your homes?
Anne: I have a lengthy list ranging from wood makers, stone fabricated furniture makers, specialty lighting, and the list goes on. I am currently remodeling a small one-bedroom unit in a high rise for myself, and my dream light is the Cloud from Apparatus.
Elle: I love mixing vintage and modern pieces in my home. I would probably consider myself a maximalist. My dream piece is the Martini Lamp by David Krys. It's so fun and I love a Dirty Martini.
Today’s installment is just a simple roundup of Brooklyn designers I saw at the most recent ICFF and Wanted Design shows during NYCxDesign. The first design show I ever got to cover some 20 years ago was BKLYN Designs (no longer happening, unfortunately) and I was so excited to shine a light on the work happening in my borough. When I attended ICFF/Wanted back in May, I intentionally looked out for Brooklyn designers, if only to recreate just a bit of the BKLYN Designs experience. Some of these names are new to me, others are peers and neighbors here in Red Hook. I hope you’ll give them all a look.
I’ll start with all of our neighbors (and if you ever want to come and do studio visits with all of us at once, we can set that up!). Bowen Liu launched a series of cast glass tables that are both timely and timeless. Natalie Shook from Piscina was there sharing a sculptural modular shelving unit that can be configured in various ways. I’ve admired Erin Lorek’s cast glass lighting for a few years now, and it was so good to finally see it in person. And right next to Erin, Hachi Collections shared pieces including the arched Polynet Cabinet and elegant NAMI Dining Chairs.
I was drawn to the debut collection from Forces at Play. Founded by three friends that spend their days working in product, hospitality, and residential design, the brand features a small but strong selection of locally-made pieces, including a lounge chair I could envision in a variety of interiors, a softly-shaped coffee table, and a whimsical wall mirror.
Nearby, I saw the latest from Rosie Li, MONDAYS, and Wallpaper Projects in a shared booth. The three brands–for lighting, ceramics, and wallcoverings–all seem to have something I love, which is a contemporary twist on more traditional forms and methods. Shown above: two of Rosie Li’s pieces with ceramics created by MONDAYS.
And lastly, my appreciation for unconventional and innovative materials was certainly satiated. The three Brooklyn companies that caught my eye: Virginia Sin’s sinuous ceramic tabletop goods and lighting; Concrete Poetics for unique outdoor planters; and bold, refreshing indoor/outdoor rugs made with plastic from discarded bottles by Tantuvi.
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1. Any season is a good season to visit the Noguchi Museum (Sofia and Adam say the indoor/outdoor space is always magical). But right now, and closing June 18, is your chance to see the Loewe Foundation Craft Prize Exhibition. In its 6th year, the show brings together the work of 30 finalists (chosen from over 2,700 submissions internationally), in various mediums, from ceramics and woodwork to jewelry and basketry. Can’t make it to town? This digital walkthrough will give you a taste.
2. Step into our showroom and you’ll see we have a thing for cork…we clad an entire structure in it! So naturally, in the sea of shows during NYCxDesign, The Thick Skin, an exhibition focused on cork and design, caught our attention. Daniel Michalik, founder of DMFD, specializes in creating objects from overlooked materials, including cork. He co-led a class at Parsons School of Design that took the students to Portugal’s Corticeira Amorim, one of the world’s biggest cork processing factories and research labs. We’re excited to see what’s next for these students. And in the meantime, a gifting tip: Daniel’s online shop has plenty of beautiful cork designs.
3. Shiny Sparkle Studio, our next-door neighbor here, is a boutique glass fusing and casting facility specializing in fabrication for art and architecture. But in off hours, it’s a place to go have some fun! Fuze and Booze is a three-hour introductory class where you’ll learn to cut, bend, and sift brightly colored glass pieces to create charcuterie boards and coasters. And as the name suggests, there’s locally sourced wine and snacks, too. Click here to see the upcoming availability be sure to book in advance.
4. After a long winter, we were so happy to restart what’s become a springtime tradition: a Red Hook Studio tour in collaboration with Mason Lane Art Advisory, Token and Brightbound. We took a group of some 20 designers, artists, and friends on behind-the-scenes visits with makers focused on lighting, woodworking, mirrors, and more. Some of the stops along the way included Bowen Liu Studio, Evan Yee Studio, Joel Seigle, among others. The tour capped off here with an extended happy hour. We plan to continue hosting tours—formal and informal—through the summer. To learn more, please be in touch here.
5. This one’s for the Swifties…because we can’t help ourselves! Through September, Manhattan’s Museum of Arts and Design is presenting Taylor Swift: Storyteller. The career-spanning show looks at her artistic reinventions, with various costumes, props, and jewelry. And for her biggest fans, there’s a lineup of public programs, from video and film screenings to karaoke sing-alongs. And while you’re there, be sure to check out another fashion-focused show: Generation Paper.
6. Seemingly every month, we see a newcomer in the neighborhood. This time, it’s Andrew Logan Projects. The new gallery for sculptural works is located at 384 Van Brunt Street, right along a strip of browse-worthy shops. Last month, Fitzhugh Karol’s spectacular Red Metal Art Work kicked off the opening. And next up: New York based artist, Zaq Landsberg’s epic 25-foot-long Reclining Liberty, which will be on display June 8th through to June 24th.
7. We recently noticed C. Finley’s art on the side of a building in Dumbo. In digging a little deeper, we found that along with her bold and colorful murals, she has also transformed dumpsters into art in the ongoing Wallpapered Dumpster Project. “The simple twist of wallpapering a dumpster turns it into a work of art. In this way, consciousness is raised about the urban world around us and something that is otherwise ignored or loathed is transformed into a moment of unexpected beauty.” The project has found its way to Paris, Rome, New York, and LA, and more…where to next?
8. While on the subject of everyday things made beautiful, it’s Father’s Day in just a few weeks and we have a gift suggestion: a sculptural, colorful toolbox from Character. Large enough to hold a streamlined set of tools, the brightly colored (and also neutral) boxes are pretty enough to keep out on display. Now on to searching for the best napping/eating/drinking ideas!
Image above via Shiny Sparkle Labs.
]]>Image above photographed by Marc Asekhame, House of Meme Installation by Pamela Rosenkranz.
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Courtney McLeod, and her design for the Aspire Design and Home Showhouse, created in collaboration with Samantha Gore and Cav Design. It features our Bench and Asymmetric Bench (photography by Lisa Russman).
What are you most excited about right now?
I am most excited about the renovation of my new apartment in NYC. I am gut renovating a 1920’s era co-op apartment, to create my dream home. It will be a technicolor fantasy. I can’t wait to bring it to life - if I survive the renovation!
What are some pivotal moments in your career?
I have been lucky enough to have a few really wonderful and important moments in my ten-year design career. The editors at Aspire Design + Home magazine gave me my first big break, featuring one of my projects on the cover of their Spring 2016 Art + Design issue. It was such a confidence booster. I have had some really wonderful showhouse moments, incorporating some spectacular Ottra pieces. More recently, the firm was selected for the Elle Decor A-List, 1stDibs Top 50, and D&D Rising Star awards. And I am so excited to share some truly magical projects we are wrapping up.
We love Courtney’s bold use of color and imaginative details that express her clients' tastes. This Harlem project, featured on the cover of the Spring 2016 issue of Aspire Design + Home Magazine, was one of her first big breaks in her design career (photos via Right Meets Left Interior Design).
Apart from design, what are some of your other great loves in this world?
Of course, family, friends, and my kitty Milky J are most important to me. My other great loves are fashion (I am definitely a Prada girl), travels to Paris, and my new home.
We love a chance to share pieces with you for your various Showhouse installations. If you could dream up your next room with an Ottra piece in it, what would it be, and how would you style it?
I have a very special piece planned…for my apartment! My dream is to create a bench or console table in a rainbow of colors. I can’t wait to work with the Ottra team to make this dream come true!
Laura Hodges, and the Home Office and Gym she designed for the 2021 edition of House Beautiful's Whole Home. (Photography by Stephen Karlisch).
What’s your earliest memory of being impacted by design?
My family and I are from England originally, and as a child, we used to travel to the UK to visit friends and family a lot. My earliest memories of our Victorian house are forever ingrained in my memory, from the high ceilings and wood floors, to my favorite detail: the wraparound banister that allowed you to see all the way to the third floor.
Can you pinpoint a moment when you decided sustainability would be a foundation to all that you do?
I wouldn’t say that it was a specific moment because it has always been how I like to design, even from when I was in design school. Sourcing vintage first, being very careful about how we demo, donating unwanted materials, and considering all of the details in a design to maximize our impact while being responsible to the environment is just how I’ve always approached design.
In your experience, what is one simple change we can all make in our homes that will make a difference for the environment?
We can all make small changes in our homes, and if we do them together, it will have a big impact. One simple change is to consider how you use items in your kitchen. Reusable paper towels, beeswax food wraps instead of plastic wrap, composting food waste, and using silicone food storage bags instead of plastic bags are all simple updates for your kitchen. (Side note from us: we enjoyed learning more about Laura and her commitment to sustainability on this recent podcast.)
A home in Oxford, Maryland designed by Laura Hodges. (Photos via Laura Hodges Studio).
Having traveled to 30+ countries, how has this impacted the way you look at design?
I love to travel because it’s so important to see how other people and cultures live. Seeing the wide array of design styles, influences and historical references is a critical part of developing my own sensibilities and taste.
We were so excited that you chose our bench for a project and can’t wait to see photos! In the meantime, do you have any tips for styling a long bench such as ours?
I love adding a decorative pillow or two on a bench, especially one that doesn’t have a back. The mix of texture and color can create a beautiful vignette, that’s welcoming and comfortable.
We love the bold, clean, and still very comfortable look of this Baltimore home. (Photos via Laura Hodges Studio).
]]>1. Thierry Mugler: Couturissime is the Brooklyn Museum’s latest must-see exhibit—and one that’s extra special, given how closely Mugler worked on this exhibit before his passing away earlier this year. Among the highlights, the Fembot Couture display, featuring the renowned Maschienmensch robotic armor suit from the 20th anniversary show in 1995.
2. If you happen to be in Austin next week, please join us for By Cloudia’s Spring Show. We’ll have a few of our pieces there, and we can’t wait to see how it’s styled with all sorts of beautiful, and unexpected art and accessories. All the details are here, and even if you can’t make it, there’s plenty to take in on her Instagram.
3. Over the years we’ve had the chance to work with photographer Genevieve Garruppo, and it’s been a pleasure to follow her career shooting interiors for the likes of Vogue, Elle Décor, and Architectural Digest, among others. We were so happy to see she just published Embrace Your Space with Katie Holdefehr and can’t wait to dive in.
4. Our friends Kristin Coleman and Chad Philips of Available Items in Tivoli, NY are about to wrap up their show with designer and educator Constantin Boym. If you're upstate, stop in! Ecophilia features a series of modern habitats for plants and animals, all simple to build and environmentally sound. Feeling inspired? There’s a book of open-source plans with detailed instructions.
5. And here in NYC, we’re always excited to see what’s happening at Culture Object. Currently on view: Janny Baek’s first solo exhibition of ceramic vessels, and Hyper Materiality, a show exploring the manipulation of materials including wood, plastic, and clay, and featuring the work of NJ Roseti, Elyse Graham, and Daniel Wiener.
6. Several years ago, Sofia got an impromptu studio visit with artist Rob Szot and has been a fan ever since. Just the other day, he announced his new venture: a storefront studio in Los Angeles where he will also hold Painting and Work on Paper workshops (with two already on the schedule for April). Follow along at @robszot.
7. Last month marked one year since Russia invaded Ukraine. It's a war that's hit close to home for Sofia, who has family living and fighting there. The Ukrainian people still need our help, and even the smallest gestures go a long way--if only to lift spirits and fuel another day of resilience. We've set up this Pinterest board that links to various artisans (mostly on Etsy, and we'll continue to add more); one easy way to support Ukrainians is to purchase art for digital download, and we link to a few on the board. Please also have a look at our friend Dustin Ross's organization, Sunflower Network; this non-profit is shining a spotlight on the work of Ukrainian artists (you can see them all here) and to date has brought over $1.5 million to directly to Ukrainians in need.
8. Last but not least, it's SPRINGTIME (thank goodness!) and we are happy to see our neighborhood freshening up...with the trees and flowers, and also new businesses. This month we're happy to welcome Bar Mario to Red Hook. Go for the signature Negroni, stay for the meatballs with creamy polenta, fried artichokes, and unami-rich hangover spaghetti.
Image above via Sunflower Network; painting by Anna Bondar.
]]>Noz Nozawa, and the room Noz designed for the 2022 Kips Bay Decorator Showhouse in Palm Beach, featuring our Bistro Table. (Photo by Christopher Stark).
Can you tell us a little about your background?
I started my business in 2014 so that I could do interior design. I career-switched from a medium-successful brand marketing career with no formal training or experience and also sucked at having a boss, so being hired somewhere else was not an option! Like lots of people, my first project was my home, and my first two paid projects were friends’ homes. I loved everything about what I was working on, but without much of a wealthy former professional network, I mostly had to build my client base from scratch. And thankfully I came into this industry when it was still reasonable to gain a following on Instagram and Houzz, so most of my early clients found me online, which meant I was building a clientele based on who was connecting to my past work which were only images of my favorite projects that represented the kind of work I wanted to do more of.
How did your childhood influence your design thinking?
In a lot of ways, it didn’t! I grew up in a lovely but unadorned house and wasn’t allowed to put anything on the walls. But I had Legos, which I used to make little houses, and I often got to thumb through home design books at the bookstore, and I loved drawing. So, I understood that home must be a medium through which a person could be creative. Then my favorite Saturday morning television show was “America’s Castles” – so despite my humble single-story Lego rectangle homes, I had access to some opulent inspiration!
How do you stay inspired?
I guess I ask a lot of questions and try to follow my own curiosity. I’m a big nerd and like to go deep into the rabbit hole about things. One night I stayed up to 4AM learning about different cephalopods and what defines animal intelligence. I don’t know how that may ever translate to interiors (although we do have an octopus mural in a client foyer!) but discovering another whole world of knowledge I don’t have is so exciting and so easy between the internet, books, and talking to people, that I almost never feel bored!
Two of Noz's commercial projects: Fiat Lux (photo by Aubrie Pick), and Hilda and Jesse (photo by Nicole Morrison).
What would your dream project be right now?
Funnily, I’m not alone in this dream, but it’s a boutique city hotel with a rad bar and restaurant that are destinations for locals and visitors alike! I’ve loved working on my restaurant and store projects because those projects allow me to create spaces that serve the public in ways my not-scale-able residential practice cannot. And I also LOVE being transported to a whole other experience when I stay in hotels that inspire me, so being able to design one myself will be a major career milestone.
How do you see home design changing in the next few years? What has you most excited?
Artificial Intelligence is going to transform so many of the basic tasks and retail-centric digital design that the V 1.0 version of human-led e-design was trying to achieve—and I think that the many consumers whose needs will be happily met by AI interior design will inevitably put pressure on our industry to continue to innovate on what makes our work truly human and nuanced. I am both totally nervous and very excited about this inevitability, because there is huge opportunity in so many consumers who don’t even know interior design is a service, to be introduced to the machine-version much younger in their purchase life cycle; and then with more success, upgrade to a higher level of service, where a relationship and trust and being taken care of, matter. Right now is the time for us to figure out how to communicate our value in the context of actually decent robot competition and transform certain pockets of our standard services to meet the value expectations of the next generation of young clients.
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Jacqueline Downs and the 16-foot custom sofa we created for her.
What made you want to start your own business?
My stepmother is an interior designer, so I grew up tagging along with her to source and install. My parents have always fostered my love for art and design even to this day. Originally, I started college in pursuit to be a fine arts painter, but switched my major to design two years in and I'm so glad I did! I worked for larger architectural firms after graduation, one in Atlanta and one in Tampa. Not long after the birth of my second daughter, I started my own firm—it started with a single residential project and snowballed from there!
What advice would you give to the next generation of female designers/business owners?
I think being a designer and being a business owner are two different roles and just because you're a good designer doesn't mean you should be a business owner. The design business is fast-paced, intricate, and complicated. For me, as a business owner, it's all about time management, boundaries, and being efficient with our time and workflow. As a designer my best piece of advice would be to travel as much as you can and experiment. Don't be afraid of failure and hone in on your signature style. Keep your side blinders on and do you; that is what will set you apart and what people will be drawn to!
Artisans that are part of the Jacqueline Downs Collective include Wud, Thomas Hayes, and Gabriel Scott. Above right: Jacqueline's talented team.
From seeing all that are part of your Collective, we know you gravitate towards soul! Why do you think that’s important?
I believe true design has much more to do with how a space feels than how it looks. We pay attention to where materials are sourced, the light a certain window placement will bring and every other small detail that you might not realize has an enormous amount of thought and intention behind it. Our job is to be our client's storytellers and to make sure that when they walk in the door, their space supports their lifestyle and well-being. I think every piece and every person you bring into your home is sacred and brings with it/them an energy. I encourage my clients to know where their furnishings are coming from, who is making them and who they are supporting with their purchase(s). My goal with the JD Collective is that we can transition away from the throwaway culture and back to supporting sustainable, intentional and handmade goods.
Thanks, Jacqueline! It’s been a pleasure working with you and your team!
]]>Tablewares from Open Invite and Piscina.
To feather the (love)nest, first stop should be Open Invite, which is one of those ‘something for everyone shops. (Let me start: these bright salt and pepper grinders, a cheeky hand mirror, and these morning-making bath towels.) Polt Atolye has leather goods, including catchalls, planters, and (Sofia’s personal favorite) wall vases. And we’re excited to see Piscina’s new storefront on Van Brunt (with the shop around the corner) for all sorts of sculptural furniture and lighting.
Brownies, Strongrope beer (and sunset views!), and locally-made whiskey.
Our favorite gifts around here are the consumable ones. For a selection of locally-made spirits (we’re looking at you, Van Brunt Stillhouse) and wines from around the world, pop in to Dry Dock Wine and Spirits. Our neighbors at Strongrope Brewery also have the goods to-go, but you’ll want to stay there and enjoy the view! And Baked is our go-to for sweets and savories alike (and they’ll ship you their Oprah-approved Sweet and Salty Brownies).
Found! A smart way to display records, thanks to our neighbor Joel Seigle.
For the music lover in your life, we have three suggestions: a visit to The Record Shop for a broad selection and a friendly vibe; looking up local designer Joel Seigle’s bespoke speakers and framing system for records; and a night out at Sunny’s Bar (pro tip: Wednesdays are especially good for live music).
This year's Valentine's arrangements from Mat Blak, a bit of jewelry we didn't know we needed, and chocolate we could enjoy every day.
Lastly, it wouldn’t be a Valentine’s post without mention of flowers, jewelry, and chocolate. Our favorites: modern floral designs from Mat Blak; necklaces for layering, bangles for stacking, and carve-your-own wedding bands from Katherine Lincoln; and beautifully packaged chocolate by Cacao Prieto.
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We caught up with Asia Black, who at the time of building was with Urban Architectural Initiatives, the firm responsible for the 6-story center.
We love spotting our furniture being used over on BroSis' instagram.
What was your favorite part of working on this project?
My favorite part of working on this project was the opportunity to provide functional and beautiful custom furniture for an amazing organization. BroSis does so much for the local community. I wanted to source from a local vendor that could create pieces as special and unique as this organization. Ottra really listened to our needs, while also personalizing the experience.
A few of the pieces we made for BroSis, including a one-of-a-kind podium that we created as a gift.
Why does design matter for you?
Design matters to me because I care deeply about the human experience. I know how easily the built environment can positively or negatively affect a person’s psyche. Therefore, I make it my mission to ensure that all of my designs are well thought out. I really try to step into the mindset of the people who will inhabit the space.
When I watched the Building a Beacon video that BroSis shared, I got goosebumps! It's such a special place, and to see all the various people using it--and even getting emotional talking about the space--is profound. Did you have a 'goosebump moment' (or several!)? Tell me about one!
There were several...how could I not? One was seeing my mom and younger sisters walk through the building during the ribbon-cutting ceremony. Despite a creative career being an uncharted territory in my family, my mother has always encouraged me to follow my heart when pursuing a career in Interior Design, even though that meant she had no idea what I was doing in my day-to-day life. Truthfully, it wasn't until she could walk through the doors of the new headquarters for BroSis that she grasped the scope of my journey.
Asia (second from right) with her mother and sisters at the ribbon-cutting ceremony.
We feel so much pride for YOU! This was a really important project, and you handled it all so well, and it shows in the results. What are you most proud of?
Thank you so much! To date, this has been my most challenging and rewarding project. There are so many moments to be proud of along the way, like successfully navigating the inclusion of custom tiles from Zimbabwe. The fact the tiles arrived on time was a miracle in and of itself because the entire design industry at that time was dealing with shipping delays; can we talk about luck?
Overall, I am most proud of being a part of the project as an Interior Designer who identifies as a Black woman. In retrospect, one of the more demanding challenges was being the only woman on site most days during the project's construction. Yet, I know my presence on site and this project was a unique opportunity for the young people of BroSis to see both a team of Black Architects/Designers and a Black woman in a leading design role. This representation was significant to me, as I want to inspire some of them to pursue a career in architecture and design, or see a creative career as a viable option.
Congratulations, Asia, and thank you! We’re honored to have a part in this special project.
To learn more about Urban Architecture Initiative’s project with BroSis, click here. And to find out ways that you can support BroSis, visit this page.
]]>Who are your biggest artistic influences?
"I would say Anne Truitt was one of the first artists I really looked at during my studies and her influence followed me as my works progressed. We may use very different materials but her approach to life and art really resonated with me. Her totems and the relation of size to the body made me think about our relationship with art as a viewer, where we stand with it during viewing and in general."
What about the creative process excites or intrigues you the most?
"My creative process is quite a varied one and someone may say not that traditional, my research levels at the moment are pretty low and that’s okay, I don’t think it’s really my thing. The most exciting part I think is coming up with the idea alone, figuring out how I can make it come to life and what I need to do with the material and how it will be hung, etc. I do also love the making process, especially when I lift the silicone off its Perspex sheet when it is cured, it’s extremely satisfying."
Tell us a little about your artistic process. How do bright colors and different textures inform your work?
"I would say that anything that catches my eye is what will inform my work, whether it be some colorful flowers in spring or a colored building with a bright blue sky behind, same with textures. I find that when my attention is grabbed or my gaze is 'stolen' from me, is when I will feel a spur of inspiration come along and think about a new series/color palette."
What is something you look forward to experimenting with in the future with your art?
"I think I am looking forward to expanding from silicon, even though I love the material I am looking forward to see what I could maybe do with fabrics and sculpture. Playing around with harder materials like resin, metal, etc. and partnering them with soft fabrics, silicon and more. I think lights may be in my future as well and how they can amplify my works and add an extra layer of color in a different dimension."
]]>First up: Steve's Key Lime Pie. It's located on the other side of our building, right next to Valentino Park and Pier (a perfect place for sunset views, complete with the Statue of Liberty). Get a pie to share at their picnic tables (they'll even sell you a can of whipped cream), or buy them frozen to take home. A favorite here is the Raspberry Blonde Swingle: a frozen pie topped with raspberries and dipped in white chocolate.
A stone's throw from Steve's you'll find Hoek, a Roman-style pizzeria where making a decision is always a bit difficult! And in addition to pizza, there's lovely salads and cocktails too. Hoek has a spacious-yet-cozy feeling dining room and a terrace outside, but you'll also see many Hoek pizza picnics over at the park.
The newest addition to our little bubble here is United Sandwiches of America. Housed in a vintage Spartanette trailer, they offer all day breakfast options, a changing menu of sandwiches inspired by the 50 states (our favorite so far: the Alaskan Salmon BLT), and the most decadent broccoli salad ever (who knew?!). Also good to know: they offer GF and Vegetarian options.
And while not quite a restaurant, our neighbors at Strong Rope Brewery (another place for sunset views!) have hosted several pop-ups with local chefs. The one we've taken in a couple of times: Sliwinski's General and his signature Akron Burger (a cheeseburger with both barbecue sauce and tartar sauce...sounds strange, tastes so good). Strong Rope also welcomes you to bring your own food, so any of the above can be enjoyed here, along with their local microbrews.
]]>llustrator and fine artist, Diana Jenson, will be displaying her installation ‘World Traveler / Shelter at Home.” Made during quarantine, Jenson’s oil paintings are based on image slides she found at thrift store. They document a person’s world travels, and pay homage to the lives and sense of freedom lost throughout the world due to the pandemic.
Seth King is a poet and painter that will be sharing his figurative oil paintings. Two of his most works weigh perspectives of the American dream and visions of isolation—both deemed as relevant themes at the current moment.
Right around the corner, The Red Hook Winery will be exhibiting musician, painter, filmmaker, and mixed media artist, Tetsuro Hoshii’s “Miniature Buildings” assemblage. Using paper, wood, and modeling paste, Hoshii creates tiny, small-scale houses, resembling those from his childhood housing complex in Japan. Red Hook is uniquely familiar to the town where he grew up. “My housing project was built on a landfill and the ocean was very close. Also, there was a library on a retired ship. Red Hook is similar in many ways as it is partially built on landfill, has government housing, and even has a library on an old ship too!”
Russian painter and illustrator, Vladimir Davidenko, will have his hyper-realistic portraiture and landscape paintings on view. For Davidenko, his work is an attempt to create an environment deemed more ideal and livable. While known for looking to the Old Masters for artistic direction, his own inspiration comes from the complex relationships between humans and nature.
And our doors will be open as well! We’ll be giving tours of the shop, and an array of our handcrafted, sculpted furniture will be on display upstairs in our showroom. We look forward to meeting you!
]]>A bit about us, the founders: we're Sofia and Adam Zimmerman. We met in 2007 when Adam was starting out as an architect in NYC, and I was an editor at a design trade magazine. Two years later we were married, and in in 2010 we launched our architecture firm, Zimmerman Workshop. A Westie named Dolly June, two kids, and plenty of adventures followed quickly after.
The path to launching our furniture brand in 2016 was, in hindsight, pretty clear. While working with our architecture clients, we often designed custom furniture. We also attended plenty of trade shows, and in looking at what was on display, we realized that we, too, could have a spot there. We'll share more in an upcoming post, but the short history: one conference table for our own office led to an entire collection that we shared at three major trade shows in 2017. And it's been a fun, beautiful (and also dust-covered and challenging!) ride ever since.
Why the Ottra name? That's for our two children, Otto and Petra (hence Ot and tra!). These two have been patient and helpful as we've built our business. They inspire us to create joyful, but also practical, long-wearing furniture. And in watching them play, we're reminded of dreaming big and taking time for imagination. They're delightful (they also have their moments ;), and we love to have them as honorary team members here--even when they're sparring over who's next with the shop vac!
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