LOVING
ON THE TENTH FLOOR of a hundred-year-old building is the
characterful home of make-up artist Kirsten Kjær Weis. It’s
a slightly narrow but light-fi lled loft apartment, which she has
considerately decorated with hues of pink and caramel, classic
Danish designs and vintage French and American fi nds. While on
the hunt for a new city pad, Kirsten was specifi c with what she
wanted and upon viewing this apartment, it was love at fi rst sight.
“I was looking for a place that would be large enough to live and
work in, and I had a vision of a loft with lots of old windows- but they are not easy to fi nd,” she says. “When I visited this
apartment, I knew I had found my home. The fl oorplan is very
long and narrow but usable, with 15 large windows and beautiful
old fl oors. Although the place was quite neglected, I thought it
was the perfect setting.” She quickly snapped it up.
NATURAL RENOVATION Upon moving in, Kirsten tore down
walls to open up as much space as possible. Walls were plastered
and painted and old fl oor tiles in the kitchen were removed
revealing a beautiful wooden fl oor beneath. “My work and private
lives are very close, and I don’t see them as separate. I love what
I do, and see my home as a creative base where I can express
myself,” Kirsten says. “From a holistic point of view it’s important
for me to make beauty products with no chemicals, and this is
something I try to repeat in the things that surround me in my
home. For the renovation I chose mostly natural products: wood,
glass, metal. I love things with patina, that have a story built up
over time through the use and reuse,” she adds.
THE RIGHT VIBE For Kirsten, perfecting a decorating style
isn’t so important; rather, she places emphasis on creating the
right vibe. “In my interior, I haven’t tried to create a special style,
but the mood is really important – actually, it’s essential. You get
a lot of mood in a historic building like this one – lots of soul.
It’s something that you cannot create in a new building. Light,
designs, colours and textures make all the difference and I have
furnished my home with designs and colours that I like best and
thrive in. I’m a bit of a colour geek and can get a real rush when
I, for example, fi nd the ‘right red’ to try in a new lipstick.” A
Personal touch Some of Kirsten’s greatest decorating inspiration
(especially her love of vintage) comes from the neighbourhood she
lives in. “I love the area, it’s the old New York. The beautiful detailed
architecture of the tower buildings combined with such narrow streets
makes it a unique experience. I love the history you sense here.”
Favourite feature For Kirsten, there were two things that sold the
loft to her: “the high ceilings and beautiful old windows are amazing”. AKIRSTEN KJAER WEIS, FOUNDER OF ORGANIC MAKE-UP
BRAND KJAER WEIS. KJAERWEIS.COM @KJAERWEISWHO LIVES HERE?
real living