Sixpenny's New Brooklyn Design Studio Transports Us Straight to Europe

Walking into a furniture studio is like walking into a room full of possibilities, imagining which sofa might work in your small space or whether that dining set is big enough to host Thanksgiving dinner. Some studios are also so well-designed that they transport you to another world. In furniture company Sixpenny's new Brooklyn loft-space, ideated by Chief of Design, Robert Natale, visitors are whisked away to Europe.

"The Sixpenny Loft at Dumbo is our first physical space, so it needed to be a visual representation of our brand—something nostalgic and tactile," Natale, tells MyDomaine. "It’s intended to be multi-functional: a space where our team can co-work if they choose to, a space for our trade, custom, or marketing teams to take appointments, and a space to host events and gatherings."

Though this studio is located in bustling downtown Brooklyn, the goal was to create an escape from a busy city.

"'Transporting' is the word that comes to mind," Natale explains. "We wanted to create something mindfully disorienting—the kind of space that feels like it’s not in an office building or above the chaotic streets of New York City or set in the present day."

In order to accomplish that goal, the team was inspired by "great homes from pre-Industrial Revolution Europe."

"The period shared many lifestyle similarities to modern-day living (lounging & hosting etc.), but products were still being made by hand," Natale says. "Technical, detailed craftsmanship had reached its pinnacle, and the sophistication of materiality and quality from that era is unmatched."

The space is filled with all sorts of interesting finds, including custom rugs made in Turkey, plenty of Italian marble, plus a French antique tapestry and Italian oil paintings along with sculptures from the 18th and 19th century.

"The materials we sourced are unbelievable," Natale says. "We found travertines from Italy and Iran, marbles from Italy, Turkey, Brazil, and Madagascar, and reclaimed woods from Europe and China. Combined, they created a lush backdrop for us to showcase our furniture."

Though it feels like a curated Italian villa now, the space began as a completely blank slate, which Natale describes as both "liberating and daunting."

"Much of the [color] scheming began with the materials we knew we wanted to incorporate—sandy travertine for the floors and earthy, bosc-pear-ish reclaimed wood pieces were our anchors," Natale says. "From there, it was about creating a sense of richness and tactility and age that act as a big hug when you walk in and also allow our furniture pieces to pop."

Sixpenny's furniture is found throughout the space, from their best-selling Neva Sofa, to handcrafted Gio Chairs, and the Loula Sofa in recycled faux fur. Finding inspiration in nature, Sixpenny's seating is made with all-natural or recycled fabrics and their tables are made with storied and reclaimed solid woods, Natale says.

Though not open to the public, anyone who is interested in viewing it may make an appointment to explore the space.