Industrial heritage: Sadie Snelson Architects' sensitive warehouse conversion

The Salt & Sundry team, recognized for its home goods stores and the plant shop Little Leaf, has inaugurated a new event space named The Sun Room in a historical Eckington warehouse. This 3,000-square-foot facility, which also functions as the group's headquarters, officially opened its doors this week. The space is available for various types of rentals, including weddings, corporate gatherings, private parties, and professional photoshoots. Salt & Sundry founder Amanda McClements highlighted that The Sun Room has already successfully hosted a range of events, such as a baby shower, a Sofar Sounds concert, and several nonprofit functions. The design aesthetic of The Sun Room aligns with Salt & Sundry's established brand identity, characterized by a mid-century, California-cool style. This design choice is reflected throughout the entire space, aiming to create an inviting and trendy atmosphere for all events. Prospective clients and interested individuals are invited to explore the newly opened venue to experience its distinctive ambiance and offerings. The integration of the group's headquarters within the same location suggests a centralized hub for Salt & Sundry's operations, reinforcing its brand presence in the community. The careful curation of the space's design elements is intended to appeal to a diverse clientele seeking a stylish and versatile venue for their occasions. The Sun Room's establishment represents an expansion of Salt & Sundry's creative endeavors, moving beyond retail to offer experiential services. This new venture not only provides a unique event setting but also solidifies the brand's commitment to delivering a cohesive aesthetic across all its business fronts. The choice of a former Eckington warehouse for the location capitalizes on the historical character of the building while infusing it with modern design sensibilities, making it a notable addition to the local event scene. #SaltAndSundry #TheSunRoom #Eckington #EventSpace #WarehouseVenue #MidCenturyDesign #CaliforniaCool #HomeGoods

Full Circle Design Works, a St. Louis-based builder, specializes in the renovation and restoration of historic properties, focusing on integrating modern, frameless cabinetry into these century-old structures. The company operates its own modern shop, producing contemporary cabinets, man doors, trim, specialty mouldings, and custom furniture. While 75% of their work involves residential renovations and additions, the remaining 25% is new construction. A key differentiator for Full Circle is its in-house shop facility, allowing them to handle a wide range of custom millwork and cabinet needs, making them a preferred choice for architects seeking highly detailed work. The majority of Full Circle's projects involve extensive gut rehabs, where everything except some original walls is removed and then rebuilt. Some of these rehabs qualify for historic tax credits, necessitating the restoration of interiors to match original millwork details. The company frequently undertakes kitchen and bath renovations within these historic settings. Renovation work is particularly prevalent in various historic areas of St. Louis City, as well as wealthier suburban towns like Clayton and Ladue, where century-old homes are well-maintained. A notable project involved creating a 1¾-inch thick door with distinct designs on each side: a five-panel configuration for the dining room and five equal horizontal panels on the other side, showcasing the company's ability to tackle complex custom fabrication. Despite working with 100-year-old buildings, Full Circle's cabinetry aesthetic is distinctly contemporary and frameless. They construct cabinet boxes using melamine and maple on MDF or particleboard, with custom veneers for doors, drawer fronts, and finished ends. Maple veneer is treated with a post-catalyzed conversion varnish, consistent with the finish on doors and drawer fronts. This contemporary style is Full Circle's niche, standing apart from the traditional five-piece doors and crown mouldings common in St. Louis. The blend of contemporary cabinets with original running trim, base, casing, and doors creates a harmonious and visually appealing contrast. Matching the original look often requires creating new elements, as original casing and baseboards are rarely in good condition after a century. Full Circle specializes in fabricating new pieces that meticulously match original profiles and materials. Their commitment to precision is evident in their 2mm tolerance for cabinet reveals, a tighter standard than many other shops. As a general contractor, Full Circle also supplies its job sites with matching sills and plinths, ensuring consistency and helping to maintain project schedules. Collaborative work with architects allows them to contribute to initial project development, offer samples, and identify potential issues early on. Full Circle employs 10 people, with three dedicated to the shop, which moved to a larger 10,000-square-foot facility (a former dairy) two years prior. They utilize KCD software for design and EnRoute to feed work to their CNC router. The shop's workflow encompasses edgebanding, veneering, cutting, sanding, a spray booth, and assembly. A separate solid wood section handles jambs and other components. Equipment includes a Streibig Compact Plus vertical panel saw, a C.R. Onsrud 145M12 Mate series CNC router, Biesse Artech Levia 220 widebelt sander, and Biesse Polymac Akron 420ER edgebander. They also have two veneer presses, a Felder AD 41 planer-jointer, Felder KF7X combination machines, and a Casadei 24-inch surface planer. Finishing is done in-house using Chem-Craft post-catalyzed conversion varnish in a Col-Met spray booth. The company primarily uses Blum hardware, including the Legrabox metal drawer system, and some Grass hardware. The new facility is largely powered by solar panels, significantly reducing electricity costs. Future plans include acquiring an edgebander with premill capabilities and a widebelt sander with advanced technology to improve veneer sanding. Full Circle also aims to expand its specialty low-volume part production via CNC and custom cabinetwork for other general contractors, fostering collaborations with metal fabricators for wood components. #HistoricRenovation #ModernCabinetry #CustomMillwork #WoodworkingShop #HomeDesign #ArchitecturalDesign #CNCManufacturing #SustainablePractices #RenovationProjects

The Canadian actors Paul Gross and Martha Burns undertook a sensitive renovation of their Lower East Side loft, which historically served as a clothing factory. Despite the necessity of a gut renovation, their primary desire was to retain the original character and marks left by previous occupants, specifically tailors and their sewing machines. They engaged Suchi Reddy, a New York designer, to navigate this delicate balance between modernization and preservation. The loft's transformation involved significant structural work while meticulously incorporating elements that honored its past. For instance, stack cluster pendant lights from Eureka, priced at $680 each, were installed above a dining table. This table is complemented by chairs sourced from Cite, which were then upholstered in vintage silk and velvet ikat fabric, adding a layer of historical texture and luxury. The project aimed to create a living space that felt contemporary yet deeply connected to its industrial heritage, reflecting the couple's appreciation for the building's narrative. This approach involved uncovering and highlighting original features, rather than erasing them, allowing the 'ghosts' of the tailors to subtly persist within the renovated space. The design strategy focused on thoughtful material selection and custom furnishings that resonated with the building's history, preventing a sterile, generic outcome often associated with extensive renovations. The actors sought to inhabit a home that told a story, where the echoes of its former life as a bustling factory remained discernible. The renovation demonstrates a conscious effort to blend modern living requirements with a deep respect for architectural history and the human imprints left behind, transforming a utilitarian space into a unique and personal residence that bridges past and present. #LoftRenovation #HistoricPreservation #InteriorDesign #LowerEastSide #IndustrialChic #SuchiReddy #PaulGross #MarthaBurns

The industrial-chic trend emphasizes combining raw materials like exposed brick, concrete, steel beams, and wood to achieve a stripped-down, edgy, yet refined aesthetic. This design approach transforms homes into stylish spaces with modern or rustic industrial elements, proving that the style can be warm and inviting rather than cold. One example showcases a laundry room designed for high functionality, featuring a large work surface and ample storage. The space is integrated seamlessly into the wall with concertina doors. Inside, laminate cabinets create an earthy visual against a rugged concrete ceiling, demonstrating a harmonious blend of textures and materials inherent to the industrial style. Another illustration highlights a renovated 1912 cottage in Melbourne, where architect Michael Artemenko successfully merged historical elements with contemporary design. This renovation maximizes space and connects the past with the present, showcasing how industrial touches can modernize older structures while preserving their character. A light and airy kitchen design is presented, featuring natural materials and finishes that prioritize both cost-effectiveness and environmental considerations. This approach demonstrates that industrial design can incorporate sustainable practices without compromising on aesthetic appeal. A marble bathroom design incorporates gleaming copper elements, providing warmth and elegance. The juxtaposition of cool marble with rich, reflective copper illustrates how diverse materials can be combined to create a luxurious industrial look. Further examples include a renovated home in Melbourne, distinct among Victorian properties, that establishes a strong connection to the outdoors. Another project in Sydney’s inner west features a new build with a European warehouse feel, designed by Hassell Studio, which respectfully integrates with the neighborhood’s character despite its compact size. An architect-owned Fremantle home, originally dark, was transformed to embody a sunnier disposition. Its interiors represent a softer, family-friendly interpretation of the industrial aesthetic, showing versatility within the style. Additionally, a Brisbane couple converted a historic warehouse building into an industrial-scale apartment, adapting the large space to suit modern living. Finally, a Melbourne home built by industry professionals showcases a refined industrial design with Japanese influences. This project exemplifies how the industrial style can be tailored with cultural elements to create a unique and sturdy, yet beautiful, living space. A beachside holiday home also demonstrates creative industrial design, with its owners sourcing unique and cost-effective furnishings from catering and trades suppliers to achieve a stylish look through shed conversion. #IndustrialDesign #InteriorDesign #HomeDecor #RawMaterials #RenovationIdeas #ModernIndustrial #RusticIndustrial #HomeStyling #ArchitecturalDesign