Photographer: Ryan Dausch
“Trust your instincts and try to use furniture or textiles or architectural elements in some unexpected way. Push your limits by trying to think outside of your comfort zone. Taking risks always pays off in one way or another; you either learn what not to do next time, or you discover something incredible.” – Jenny Dina Kirschner, JDK Interiors
Photographer: Ryan Dausch
“I just completed a small pied-a-terre in a very high-end new development in Tribeca, and though the job seemed easy breezy in the beginning, it ended up being extremely challenging for many reasons. One of the biggest challenges was the kitchen the developer had installed. It was lacking in many basics, like a microwave, accessible storage, a surface that could resist heat and stains and a backsplash, just to mention some. The redone kitchen turned out beautifully and served both as fully functional and practical kitchen and dining areas.” – Jenny Dina Kirschner, JDK Interiors
Photographer: Matthew Williams
“Don’t be afraid to shake up convention, think outside of the box and take new approaches. Never become content and never take your profession for granted. We are constantly pushing ourselves and pivoting based on our clients’ feedback.” – Lindsay Boswell and Ali Levin, LABLstudio
Photographer: Matthew Williams
“One of our favorite projects was our headquarters in Cobble Hill, in Brooklyn. It’s Ali’s apartment that’s in a converted church, so the architectural details and sense of history served as a great foundation to juxtapose modern design elements and bold color accents. To accentuate the drama of that height, as well as add both texture and warmth to the space, we tiled the entire backsplash wall (under the cabinets and 7 feet above!) with handmade ceramic teal subway tiles, and it really transformed the space, tied the rooms together and even looks great from outside.” – Lindsay Boswell and Ali Levin, LABLstudio
“Our tip for success: always continue to cultivate the ability for adaptation.” – Lindsay Weiss and Noah Turkus, Weiss Turkus Projects
“Our favorite kitchen from 2016 was a large custom commission in Mamaroneck, N.Y., for a professional chef. Since this kitchen was part of a larger great room space, it needed to not only meet all of the chef’s functional requirements but also relate aesthetically to the palette and materials of the family room. We landed on a combination of travertine, quartzite, walnut and a rich, dark brown satin lacquer, aiming to create a harmonious dialogue with the exterior environment (the house is situated on the Mamaroneck River).” – Lindsay Weiss and Noah Turkus, Weiss Turkus Projects