Color, Curves, and Verve Combine at an Architect’s Playful Brooklyn Loft

Antonio Monserrat likes to start small. The architect—who grew up on an island in Spain, worked for Zaha Hadid Architects in London, and recently launched his own practice in Brooklyn called Monserrat Studio—builds small-scale prototypes as a way to test his design concepts. The pieces often resemble chairs, though Antonio regards them as fluid, multifunctional objects that can be used as seating, bedside tables, plant stands, and the like. In building them, he plays with form and structure before experimenting with paint and other finishes. "I see them as temporary architectures that help me explore ideas," Antonio says.

Antonio’s own Williamsburg home, where he’s lived for about a year, was the studio’s first project. He was drawn to the 800-square foot loft, located in an early 1900s industrial building that once operated as a bakery, for its 12-foot ceilings, large windows, and original, exposed timber beams and columns complete with oil stains, nails, and screws. Most importantly, the space allowed for creativity.

Instead of walls and doors, Antonio uses color to delineate rooms. "There are no physical barriers, but you realize you are transitioning between spaces," he says. The pastel palette inspired by his Mediterranean upbringing is intended to elicit peace, beauty, and grace. It’s also a little playful. Arched openings between rooms and curved furnishings further soften the scheme. "Many architects stick to black and white, but I wanted to do colorful," Antonio says. "When I come home, it is very relaxing; these colors work for me."