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How a Spacial Designer Created Privacy In Her Door-Less Loft with a Clever Divider
Christine Espinal, a spatial designer for the home decor shop Lichen, relocated from Yonkers, New York, to a Brooklyn loft to shorten her commute. She found a rare New York City rental with a window and closet, signing the lease immediately. Initially, she occupied a lower-floor room in the duplex shared with two other creatives, but later moved into a highly sought-after, sun-filled loft space upstairs.
Espinal appreciates the loft's low ceilings, measuring 6 feet 2 inches, which she finds creates a cozy atmosphere for meditation and reading, especially given her height just over 5 feet. While her primary work involves in-person tasks at Lichen's store, such as assisting customers and designing plywood mirrors, she uses a sectional sofa from her previous apartment as her preferred spot for after-hours email correspondence. This L-shaped sofa also serves to delineate her sleeping area from her workspace. Her desk, located at the opposite end of the room, is mainly used for displaying prototype trays and applying makeup, rather than for typical 9-to-5 work.
When entertaining guests, Espinal's loft's open layout allows for easy interaction with those in the lower living space. For privacy at bedtime, she deploys a flexible and lightweight room divider, positioning it against the railing. On weekends, she keeps the divider rolled up to maximize natural light throughout the entire apartment. The abundant sunlight in the space prevents the low ceilings from feeling oppressive. She maintains white walls to help reflect and amplify the light, and foregoes curtains. A low platform bed frame is used to maintain appropriate proportions, avoiding the sensation of being in the upper bunk of a bunk bed.
Espinal prioritizes mood lighting over overhead fixtures in both her personal space and the common living area. A chrome arched floor lamp serves multiple purposes, providing dining ambiance and a spotlight for TV viewing. Above her bed, a fabric Flos wall sconce acts as both a light source and a sculptural centerpiece, offering a soft glow for unwinding. A rounded paper lantern from Noguchi is situated above her desk.
Instead of purchasing furniture from vintage markets or large retailers, Espinal designs and constructs her own pieces at Lichen's workshop. Examples include a curvy plywood bedside table and a cutout wine rack for the kitchen, both of which are planned for future retail availability at Lichen. The bedside table is designed for multi-functionality, doubling as a magazine rack when turned on its side. Her wine rack addresses the challenge of finding stylish bottle storage. As an employee of a vintage seller, Espinal also benefits from early access to new inventory, such as an orange storage system and a citrine floor lamp from Nmbello Studios in the living room.
Following Lichen's temporary closure in February for production expansion, Espinal has transitioned from customer service to focusing on design and fabrication. She is currently working on refining her signature slatted storage designs. The article highlights Espinal's innovative approach to spatial design, creating a functional, private, and aesthetically pleasing living environment in a challenging urban space.
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