I’m Amazed by This NYC Loft’s 15-Foot Ceilings (It’s Like an Art Gallery!)
Cullen Ormond
·5 min read
Kimberly Awad, who works in tech in strategic partnerships, has rented this Brooklyn loft apartment for two years. Credit: Erin DerbyCredit: Erin Derby
When searching for the perfect apartment, Kimberly knew exactly what she was looking for. "Coming from a high-rise supermodern unit in FiDi, I knew I wanted a space with more character," Kimberly explains. Credit: Erin DerbyCredit: Erin Derby
"I strategically searched StreetEasy for keywords like 'loft,' 'exposed beams,' 'exposed brick,' 'industrial,' 'high ceilings,' and this unit was the top hit and the first apartment I ended up viewing. I fell in love and signed the lease the same day!" Credit: Erin DerbyCredit: Erin Derby
If you're ever a guest at Kimberly's home, be prepared to remove your shoes. "I have a 50-shoe rack in my hallway — no excuses," she says. Credit: Erin DerbyCredit: Erin Derby
While the apartment checked mostly Kimberly's boxes, the kitchen wasn't exactly what she hoped for — namely, the orange backsplash. Credit: Erin DerbyCredit: Erin Derby
But, with the help of a Farrow & Ball specialist, she decided to lean into the tile color and drench the kitchen in a similar shade (Farrow & Ball's Dutch Orange), almost disguising it. Credit: Erin DerbyCredit: Erin Derby
The kitchen walls currently have two coats of paint, but Kimberly plans to add a third. Credit: Erin DerbyCredit: Erin Derby
"My kitchen table is a solid wood slab that is about 6 feet wide from Burke Decor," Kimberly explains. Credit: Erin DerbyCredit: Erin Derby
"I work from home two to three days a week and set up shop on my kitchen table, which is large and spacious and does the trick," she continues. "I love to host on the weekends and try to keep my bar stocked and my Spotify playlist up to date." Credit: Erin DerbyCredit: Erin Derby
What sold Kimberly on the apartment are the sky-high ceilings (around 15 feet tall) and the expansive walls, which have the potential to be filled with gorgeous artwork. Credit: Erin DerbyCredit: Erin Derby
"I wanted to keep the walls all white and the furniture low and neutral to match the 'gallery' feel," Kimberly explains. "I am keeping as much negative space as I can while I decide how to bring more art in." Credit: Erin DerbyCredit: Erin Derby
"I wanted all of the furniture to be high-quality materials and fabrics. I have a white linen Restoration Hardware Cloud sofa that I got secondhand and a white linen Soft Frame Designs bed that flows well and maintains the same line of sight," she continues. Credit: Erin DerbyCredit: Erin Derby
Kimberly stands in front of her 12-foot Audrey Ficus tree, which she admits is the "central design choice" in her home. (People often ask if it's real. Spoiler: It is!) Credit: Erin DerbyCredit: Erin Derby
The previous tenant was an artist and had artwork everywhere (even stacked on the floors). It inspired Kimberly to begin growing her collection, and she even purchased a piece of art from them. Credit: Erin DerbyCredit: Erin Derby
If Kimberly had to assign a Zodiac sign to her home, it'd be similar to hers. "Total Libra!!! Just like me — romantic details, aesthetically pleasing, social hub for friends, and laughter," she says. Credit: Erin DerbyCredit: Erin Derby
"Shoes off, no bad vibes, speak nicely to Audrey (the tree)," Kimberly shares of her home's rules. Credit: Erin DerbyCredit: Erin Derby
Even though the apartment is just one room (between 900 to 1,000 square feet), Kimberly feels like the spaces are spread out. "It's just one room," she says. "But it's large, and the bed feels perfectly far away from the kitchen and entry." Credit: Erin DerbyCredit: Erin Derby
Kimberly admits that her home's dirty secret is the abundant storage throughout the apartment. Credit: Erin DerbyCredit: Erin Derby
In the future, Kimberly is planning on upgrading her bathroom. Stay tuned for those! Credit: Erin DerbyCredit: Erin Derby
Two years ago, when Kimberly Awad, who works in tech in strategic partnerships, was looking for a new apartment, she knew exactly what she was looking for — she’d been in New York City for 12 years, after all.
“Coming from a high-rise supermodern unit in FiDi, I knew I wanted a space with more character,” Kimberly explains. “I strategically searched StreetEasy for keywords like ‘loft,’ ‘exposed beams,’ ‘exposed brick,’ ‘industrial,’ ‘high ceilings,’ and this unit was the top hit and the first apartment I ended up viewing. I fell in love and signed the lease the same day!”
The studio apartment she found is across the East River in Brooklyn and has all of the keywords that Kimberly searched for. The walls are wide and super tall — spanning 15 feet — and they’ve encouraged her to begin growing her art collection and purchase a 12-foot Audrey Ficus tree, which Kimberly explains is the “central design choice” in her home.
Even though the apartment captured most of Kimberly’s wishes, the kitchen wasn’t exactly her style. It has an orange subway tile, and while it’s necessarily something she would’ve chosen, she understood that it was good quality. So, she leaned into it and drenched the room in a similar color (Farrow & Ball’s Dutch Orange) to distract from the tiles.
Kimberly’s considering making updates to her bathroom, but for the most part, is happy with her home — she works from her kitchen table that doubles as a desk two to three times a week and hosts guests on the weekends. She says her home is just like her.
“Total Libra!!! Just like me,” Kimberly says of her apartment. “Romantic details, aesthetically pleasing, social hub for friends, and laughter.”
Thanks, Kimberly!
This tour’s responses and photos were edited for length/size and clarity.
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