From all over

I've got really beautiful pieces taken from all over Manhattan inside the new studio.  There's an interesting story attached to most of it, too.

I got that gorgeous mirror from someone who's left the fashion industry to travel the world. I painted a smaller one (which was originally gold) white and hung it across the other wall. 

I rescued one of my fixtures from an old house that was being demolished. It's crazy to think how such a beautiful lamp was almost smashed along with the walls. 

That couch was given to me by my best friend. This and the floor are the only two contrasts to all the white and the light.

(By the way, I'm proud to say that everything in this studio is proudly made in the United States of America).

A lot of things happening as I prepare for my first full week in this new studio.

This week saw me running around, having to change the addresses on my cards---I'm now at Suite 740, 611 Broadway. I had to return to Ikea for the nth time, because apparently the rack from which my newly-bought shelf would hang from had to be purchased separately (of course nobody told me that). Then I went and got hair from the hair district for a client and then off to the flower district for some flowers.

This was on a Wednesday, and everything had to be done before 5 pm because I had a color client, and then I needed to try out an assistant who might be able to help me with do weddings.

(Oh, and then I had to photo document my sink and figure out what was wrong with the chair since it's so uncomfortable. I definitely need to get a new one).

And finally I had to prepare for a Good Housekeeping shoot the next morning. All in one day. I've never been more psyched. More to come.

 
 

And so we begin...

First thing on the agenda. The floor. The foundation. The base from which everything will rest upon.

All my life I've wanted to have dark floors. I love the dramatic earthiness of rich, dark wood, but never had a floor space big enough to get away with it. As soon as I saw this space, I knew I was going for it. This studio will definitely have dark floors.

After they sanded it out my best friend and I got down and did the staining and coloring ourselves. 

Three days of furious scrubbing, and I got my coffee stain floors--- a beautiful contrast to the white walls, as Erica, who's in the picture on the right commented. (She's the first ever client in this new studio).

THE BEFORE PICTURE

As with all great makeovers let's do the before picture first. This space came calling exactly three weeks ago.

I had long wanted to have my own studio. I really have a tendency to get bored when I'm surrounded by the same walls too long, but I honestly didn't want to leave this great neighborhood, much less this building. So then this empty, lonely space (27 x 15 ft. 550 sq.ft) came up and I thought it was absolutely perfect. I could already imagine the things I could do with a place like this. 

Seriously, it called to me. 

THE AMAZING SAGA OF MY STUDIO, a prologue

Everything is coming together. Three weeks of acting as handyman---painting, hammering, screwing, cleaning and churning out my manual skills---is paying off beautifully.

It seems each piece is determined by this cosmic destiny to be here. Everything is just coming together so perfectly, contributing to a fantastic sense of energy. 

Because the process has been so exhilarating, I want to share the entire story: the great coming-together of this studio from day one---- plants, sinks, buddha statues and power tools included. Stay tuned.