Photos:dot429’s Art-Filled SoHo Penthouse
Richard Klein, the creative director and founder of Surface magazine and the founder and CEO of the LGBTA professional network dot429, has now added interior designer to his list of credentials. His 6,000-square-foot, three-story SoHo loft not only hosts dot429 events—for Frieze, ICFF, and NYC Pride Week thus far—but also serves as Klein’s pied-a-terre, which explains the wonderfully personal, curated feel.
1
“The black-and-white scheme felt both modern and elegant. We started with the black-and-white Jan Kath rugs, which feel like partially erased Persian rugs, and went from there—and we used touches of very bright accents, including the Agathe de Bailliencourt painting [on the back wall] to liven the space up.”
2
“I wanted something very simple here, as the one wall is glass and there’s such a spectacular downtown view. I didn’t want to go overboard, so I chose signature pieces. I suppose I imagined this room for myself.”
3
“The apartment is 6,000 square feet, so I wanted to create intimate spaces within the context of the larger space. What I love about the events we’ve hosted is that there are so many intimate areas where guests can have private conversations over the course of the night. It’s important that people feel comfortable, rather than feeling like they’re in the middle of a vast room.”
4
“In choosing the art I worked with my friends Kim Light and Simon Watson, who are incredible art advisors. Many of the artists are from the LGBT community. The great furry chair is from ddc—it feels comfortable in many spaces throughout the house, so you’ll occasionally see it in the living room, or the office, and sometimes in the den.”
5
“I love the rooftop space. To the left you have views of the Empire State Building and the Chrysler Building, and to the right is One World Trade Center—what used to be called the Freedom Tower. Straight ahead you have a view of SoHo. We’re in the center of all of these elements, yet it’s peaceful and quiet on the rooftop.”
6
“This room is very quiet, and usually soaked in sunlight. You can see the George Stoll beadwork on the wall, which is so delicate. We wanted everything about this room to be almost ethereal.”
7
“We wanted something very bold and sexy in this room, so we chose the Mickalene Thomas painting as the focal point. It’s such a powerful piece that we decided to let it live as the only work on this wall, with the small and sexy Dean Sameshima across from it.”