Digital platform 1stdibs opens showroom in New York warehouse
Online marketplace 1stdibs has opened its first standalone brick-and-mortar store in a former warehouse in New York City, where customers can peruse new works by Fernando Mastrangelo Studio and Ladies & Gentlemen Studio, as well as antiques.
The e-commerce platform – which sells furniture, jewellery, fashion, art and homeware sourced from acclaimed dealers and current designers – has opened the showroom in New York's Chelsea neighbourhood.
Located on the seventh floor of a refurbished brick warehouse, Terminal Stores, it marks 1stdibs' first standalone gallery for customers to review items before buying.
Local firm Davies Toews Architecture overhauled the space measuring 45,000 square feet (4,180 square metres).
Inside 1stdibs Gallery is a large collection of vintage pieces from different periods, such as antiques, mid-century modern, retro and contemporary designs. Products range from seating, lighting, tables, rugs and homeware objects.
Local studios Fernando Mastrangelo Studio, Ladies & Gentlemen Studio and Nanimarquina are among the 50 exhibitors in the showroom, and which are showcasing new designs.
Antique and vintage pieces are provided by dealers Orley Shabahang and Greenwich Living, along with other second-hand retailers. Works include crystal chandeliers, oriental rugs and vases.
One nook has golden tables, including the Melting Brass Console Table by sculptor Zhipeng Tan. Another section features a custom light installation by Italian company Flos, while a living-room style area is decorated by Brooklyn-based Chango & Co.
Temporary installations also feature in the showroom and will rotate during the year.
Among those currently on show are a set of 1970s surrealist pieces by Italian manufacturer Gufram, a group of arabesque busts by Los Angeles design firm The Archers, and a video installation by Milan gallery Rossana Orlandi.
Terminal Stores spans an entire city block, between 11th and 12th avenues and West 27th and West 28th streets. It is home to a variety of other spaces, including offices for Uber, L'Oréal, and Grimshaw Architects.
The building is located in West Chelsea, an industrial hub that is rapidly developing with commercial enterprises, with both the High Line and one of Manhattan's largest real estate developments, Hudson Yards, located nearby.
1stdibs is among a number of predominantly digital platforms that have recently opened showrooms in the US, following Danish brand Hay's Portland store, and Swedish furniture brand Hem's new outpost in Los Angeles.
Photography is by 1stdibs.