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Studio to Shop: Transforming our Space into Something Entirely New

by on Mar 25, 2019

We recently made a big change to our former studio space. We took it from a place that housed projects, DIYs, and our work stations, to something totally different, and something we’re really proud of and excited to reveal.

Curbly has officially been housed in this studio for the last 3 years, and it’s provided an amazing place for the blog to grow and unfold. But, all good things involve change and making space for new things, and we’ve been quietly making a few of them around here. After trying to grow, grow, grow for the last few years, we decided to slow things down at the beginning of 2019. Both Bruno and I were creating new projects on the side, and the blog has felt like a project that needed some time to redefine and adapt. So, we’re giving it space to do that, and we’re both beginning to feel comfortable and confident with that decision.

Curbly HQ Studio

There’s a parallel story that’s been unfolding alongside my work with Curbly. For the last two years, I’ve been growing a business (called Niche) with my friend, Molly. We started out doing it on the side, and in between other jobs and responsibilities, but slowly, it’s continued to grow and take up more space in our worlds. Our company centers around women’s fashion, and we’ve held weekend-long pop-ups in our studio space every season over the last three years. It has been an incredible space, and one that we’ve loved transforming. 

Over time, we came to the realization that we were ready for a brick and mortar space, and we looked high and low, never finding the quite right space. Before long, it became clear that the Curbly studio space was the perfect place for our shop. It was a seamless takeover, and one that has been thrilling to transform. 

Using the space so differently is challenging and exciting from a design perspective, and Molly and I have relished the process of creating something new out of something old. The space has been reborn, in a sense, and the timing and unfolding has mirrored the changes taking place behind the scenes. 

We’ve created a beautiful shop with the help of one of our favorite Curbly partners, Lamps Plus. Take a look at the process and photos of our new digs below…

Like all good transformations, ours began with a couple of good mood boards.

Studio to Shop Lounge Area

Studio to Shop Mood Board

 

And, here’s how we brought it to life!

Lounge Area in Niche

 

When we began the process of turning the space over, we knew we wanted to maintain the familiar, welcoming vibe that existed in the studio. We wanted a lounge area for women to gather, so we created a lounge area that feels a lot like a living room.

We chose a gorgeous, rich blue velvet sofa to anchor the lounge area; it’s huge and comfortable and inviting. Our favorite part about this area is the gallery wall. We used an eclectic mix of vintage artwork and modern day photos of women we admire to create a wall of powerful women. We intentionally mixed in mirrors so that when you look at the wall, you glimpse yourself in the mirrors, and become a part of the wall. 

Niche Gallery Wall

I think gallery walls are magic, because they can be done without a lot of rules. The assembly of this wall required very little measuring and hammering (errr, re-hammering). I laid it out on the floor, and then transferred it to the wall frame-by-frame. I think it works so beautifully, because although it’s not symmetrical or made up of uniform frames, it’s balanced.   
 

Niche Changing Room Area

 

We created a cash wrap using a vintage wooden bar from the 80s (hey, Craigslist!) that we painted with a black lacquer. We wanted the area to feel open, and that’s where that beautiful enormous gold mirror came into play. I love the vintage lines of the mirror paired with the modern lines of the wall sconces. 

Niche Cash Wrap

Our overall goal for the space was to have it feel welcoming and familiar. I think this feeling comes through in the smaller details. Like the velvet chairs, the vintage candle sconces, and the mix of old and new artwork. 

Niche Nooks

It’s a transformation we feel proud of, and a space we can’t wait to welcome women into for years to come. We officially opened our doors on March 23rd! If you live in the Twin Cities, come holla’ at your girls, and make yourself at home in our new shop. 

For those interested in the products we used in the space, here’s a complete list:

Furniture & Decor

Lighting

This post was sponsored by Lamps Plus. All thoughts, opinions, and ideas are mine alone. 

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