A Cleveland Designer Turns a Cookie-Cutter Loft Into the Perfect Entertaining Space
After going the DIY route in his Asiatown studio, Nolan Beck-Rivera spawns his first furniture line.
After going the DIY route in his Asiatown studio, Nolan Beck-Rivera spawns his first furniture line.
Nolan Beck-Rivera was ready to move on. The Cleveland loft he had rented since finishing art school had tons of space, but he was tired of its chilly drafts and persistent leaks. After a friend shared plans for a two-story, renovated factory-turned-apartment building in Asiatown, Nolan was quick to put down a deposit on a 570-square-foot studio.
A Krusning pendant from IKEA hangs above a hand-carved table in designer Nolan Beck- Rivera’s Cleveland apartment. The rug is from World Market and the striped vase is from Hay.
Photo: Nolan Beck-Rivera
The suggested layout, however, needed adjusting. "The architects had shown a tiny, two-top table in a corner," says Nolan. "That wasn’t going to work for me, because I love cooking and throwing big dinner parties." His solution was to forgo a living room altogether and use the open space as a combination dining area and home office for his design practice, The Materialist. "I don’t need a couch or plushy chairs. I like dining with friends. I like working. I can do both of those at a big table," he says.
"The apartment put me on the path to what I’m doing for a living now, which is so cool," says Nolan, who is pictured with his canine roommate, Penelope.
Photo: Nolan Beck-Rivera
When a suitable option proved elusive, Nolan went the DIY route. He turned a slab of solid walnut wood, balanced on a steel frame, into a hand-carved table that seats up to 10. Its imperfectly grooved parallel-line pattern added instant texture to the space.
The ceramics on top of the kitchen cabinets are by Judith Salomon.
Photo: Nolan Beck-Rivera
See the full story on Dwell.com: A Cleveland Designer Turns a Cookie-Cutter Loft Into the Perfect Entertaining Space
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