7 Design Ideas We’re Stealing From Marc Jacobs’s Enviable New Office

Photo: Max Burkhalter

Levi Shaw-Faber and Audrey Hughes were tasked with the opportunity of a lifetime for their debut project ahead of the launch of their new architectural studio, Faber/Hughes: a complete office revamp for the Marc Jacobs International Headquarters.

But the design duo wasn’t too fazed by the pressure of having one of the world’s top fashion designers as their first official client. From the start, there was a lot of trust from the Marc Jacobs team thanks to the duo’s well-padded resume from both ends of the design spectrum—Shaw-Faber comes in with immense furniture experience as the cofounder of Wiggle Room, while Hughes has large-scale architectural experience from her time formerly at SHoP Architects.

“Marc came to us because of our experience in multiple scales,” Shaw-Faber explains. “They needed a firm that could not just handle the architectural design of an office space but also do small tasks with furniture. We’re a firm that can do both.”

When the two first visited the industrial loft on Spring Street, it was filled to the brim with clutter, years of fabric samples, and rolling racks from past collections. “There wasn’t much organization on the floor before we got involved,” Hughes tells AD. “So, we wanted to create designated workspaces and collaborative spaces that flowed more organically throughout the office, taking things like lighting, personal preferences, and rental constraints into consideration.”

With only eight months (and 8,000 square feet to work with), the Faber/Hughes team transformed the cluttered headquarters into an inviting workspace. Lighter, softer, slightly organic elements complement the streamlined, colder steel storage system. An effortless mix of new, vintage, and personalized pieces was sprinkled throughout to elevate the neutral space—think custom monogram rugs and custom-designed tables and chairs. Fashion books, fresh florals, and Marc Jacobs hero items (Kiki Boots and neon graffiti-painted handbags) playfully add pops of color and personality. The end result is quintessentially New York, very Marc Jacobs, and capital-F fashion to a T.

“This project exemplifies where we want to go as a firm because we value every scale of the design process,” Hughes says. “We appreciate having a hand in everything from the overall floor plan to the design of the chairs and tables and the organization of the space. Ultimately, we wanted to showcase our creativity and marry function with these bespoke design elements for this project, especially for a creative client [like Marc Jacobs].” Below, we highlight the seven design ideas we noted from the renovated Marc Jacobs SoHo office and how to apply them in your own space, whether for the office or your home.

Soften the space with a play on shapes

Much of the freshness in the office comes from a play of geometry and quirky shapes that contrast sharp edges and industrial materials like stainless steel, concrete, and ribbed glass. Hughes explains that they used soft-form furniture (custom white oak tables, curvy desks, and round counters, for example) as the ultimate architectural element without distracting from the natural charm of the building. “Whether it’s the office or the kitchen, we wanted to use these geometric designs to soften the space and make it feel a little more homey yet still super clean and functional,” he says.

Juxtapose industrial elements with modern cues

There’s no need to sacrifice the old-school industrial qualities of a classic New York City space during the renovation process—especially if you’re renting like Marc Jacobs. As mentioned above, soft shapes will distract from the harshness of materials like concrete and steel. The office pantry is a great example of bridging the best of both worlds—sleek steel countertops and cabinets sit against the soft wooden floors and neutral cream walls. A minimal approach to decor will be easier on the eyes and add an inviting and simple element to any given area. Hints of nature, like fresh, vibrant florals, are always a good choice to contrast an industrial backdrop.

Use your wardrobe to make a bold statement in your space

Sartorial elements are an unexpected way that the Marc Jacobs team replenishes personality and color into a relatively minimal backdrop. The team places their most iconic items on display (sky-high Kiki boots and neon graffiti purses), acting as stand-alones on surfaces like the works of art that they are. This is a fashion office, after all, so naturally, tons of samples hang in steel closets and grid-shaped racks, and more are scattered throughout the space too. “We provided this very minimally chic backdrop, and then [the Marc Jacobs team] added their own color to the space and then were able to personalize the atmosphere of each private office,” says Shaw-Faber. “We knew that the clothing usually leaned on the bright and colorful side and would bring life to the office.”

Let the light guide your floor plan

The concept of feng shui played a huge role in the Marc Jacobs office revamp when it came to lighting. Workspaces sit near the large windows, with desks coming with semitranslucent barriers to welcome in the sun and encourage a stimulating work environment. It was crucial to place them near the windows, make the floor center more functional, and address the lack of light. “We wanted to take sunlight into account since the space is so deep that the center of this floor plan doesn’t get a lot of light,” says Hughes. The duo maximized both the light and the views of the Manhattan skyline, placing things like storage in the darker sections in the middle. “We wanted the team to ultimately feel connected to the city [and] the place they spend many hours in every day,” says Shaw-Faber.

Let everything have a (multi) purpose

The Faber/Hughes team confronted the office’s organization problem head on by restructuring with a clever use of furniture—giving most of it a multifunctional purpose while integrating storage throughout. The duo built storage closets that act as walls and create closets all in one. Steel cabinets aren’t just used as separators; they store thousands of samples in this office.

In the meeting room, there are hanging bars and shelving inside the cabinet units with a pin-up grid on each door so that the design teams can pin up samples, references, and fabrics. “Things can be taken off of the pin-up doors and put on the table, allowing for a much more dynamic work session and design session,” Hughes notes.

Opt for residential furniture

One of our favorite notes from the Marc Jacobs tour is a reminder that an office doesn’t necessarily have to look like an office in order to be one. The corporate fetish might have a satirical place in fashion editorials, but tiny cubicles and fluorescent lights no longer serve the modern “bustling downtown professional” (for one of the world’s biggest designers, at that). There are ways to incorporate the warmth and welcomeness of a home without sacrificing professionalism, and opting for soft lighting and residential yet ergonomic items like steel outside chairs and wooden furniture will do the trick.

When in doubt, custom it out

Let the Marc Jacobs office revamp remind you that the solution to your furniture problem are custom pieces to fully execute according to your vision. Hughes explains that housing a mix of vintage and personalized pieces was an important step of the process. “We incorporated a lot of custom furniture in this space with some Italian-inspired designs like this ’70s-era Mario Marenco sofa and these vintage Fabio Lenci chairs to give the space a more layered and textured feel,” she says.

Originally Appeared on Architectural Digest