In this dining area in a new York City loft, the design intention was to create both openness and grounded-ness.

That may sound like a contradiction, but there was thoughtful intention behind these potentially contradictory goals.

This loft has a challenge that is not uncommon with lofts – a lot of space but not a lot of windows: in fact this dining area is over 30 feet from the nearest window!

To help bring the sense of openness and light to this area I had an enormous mirror made to sit behind, not over, the large sideboard.

Because the dining area was floating in a very large open space, I employed a number of ‘tricks’ to ground the space. I interrupted the large expanse of ceiling employing drywall reveals from Fry Reglet to quietly mark the space. To further reinforce the center, I hung an antique iron chandelier over a substantial 70″ diameter ‘Aspen’ table from Holly Hunt Studio. The table is surrounded by ‘Russell’ side chairs from Dessin Fournir, upholstered in a Great Plains ‘Toscana’ leather.

The robust French 1940’s oak sideboard designed by Charles Dudouyt, came from Henry Maus Antiques. A collection of multi-cultural artifacts including a cast iron fireback from Amy Perlin, some mid-century ceramics, and an oversized mercury glass vase are reflected in an enormous mirror from Bark Frameworks. Patrick Naggar designed the ‘Bubble Wall Sconces’ from Ralph Pucci.

The space between the two pocket doors that lead to the Kitchen became the place for a very special drawing by the Abstract Expressionist Joan Mitchell. The drawing came from the estate of Jean-Paul Riopelle, a French painter, who had a long and stormy relationship with Mitchell for nearly twenty years in France – it is a gem.