GILT’s New York City Office Common Room

  • Client GILT,
  • Year 2013
  • Location New York City, New York, United States,
  • Industry Fashion / Beauty,
  • Homepolish recently outfitted e-tailer GILT with a new common area for New York City offices. Working with Homepolish designer Danielle, the new space incorporates industrial elements and unconventionally reuse traditional pieces.

    Every office needs a common space—a place for employees and clients to gather, socialize, take a personal call or even have a snack. When GILT—an e-tailer that sells modern, streamlined products with a classic feel—asked us to design their lounge, we knew the room needed to reflect their impeccable style.

    Because GILT sells some of the coolest home goods we’ve seen, they conveniently had a bounty of furniture and accessories options in storage to consider for the room. Danielle used two arm chairs, two sofas, metal dining chairs and some great pillows to add flair. Danielle stained simple blocks of wood to perfection and used them to replace the legs of the main furniture pieces, creating a cohesive and unique look. The floor was another challenge that needed to be tackled head on. “The previous solution to the uneven floor was to paint on top of the concrete over and over again,” she said. “But after sanding and washing away the layers, it was actually quite lovely! Sometimes the original look is the best, and you need to take a chance to reveal it.” Cool blues and greys give the modern space a calm feel. Although they dig each element for what it is, the GILT staff especially loves the private phone booths—two cozy cubes on wheels accessorized with plush pillows. A snack wall houses jars of animal crackers, goldfish, trail mix and other goodies. Stacks of books and plants on every surface give the space that home-away-from-home feeling that makes an office a pleasant place to be.

    The final look is clean, modern and much brighter than before. Whimsical touches and cool hues breathe life into the industrial space, making it perfect for company happy hour, impressing a client or even hosting an event. When a space reflects a company this well, it’s bound to do good business.

    Design: Homepolish
    Photography: Homepolish