Interior Designer Keren Richter’s Tips for Scoring—and Styling—Vintage Furniture
The cofounder of White Arrow teaches us how to put together an inspired space that balances classic and contemporary.
The cofounder of White Arrow teaches us how to put together an inspired space that balances classic and contemporary.
Artist and interior designer Keren Richter, who founded the Brooklyn-based studio White Arrow with her husband, Thomas, creates polished, distinctive spaces that have an element of surprise. She’s fueled by a love of vintage furniture and the indie design scene, often pairing pieces like a ’70s chrome dining table by Willy Rizzo with, say, an opalescent pendant light from Berlin’s cutting-edge NEO/CRAFT.
"We like to have an eclectic mix in all the interiors we design—combing eras, vendors, and styles keeps things fresh," she explains. "I like utilizing a mix of bespoke, contemporary, and vintage to keep things dynamic and so that each home tells a distinct and artful story."
For each of the five apartments White Arrow designed at Brooklyn Point, a mixed-used condominium tower in Downtown Brooklyn, the designers "created five distinctive schemes and thought through how these fictitious individuals would live—where would they work, what stores would they shop at, what music would they listen to, how would they entertain," explains Keren. "We had fun imagining the small details, and those informed wall treatments, custom furniture, lighting, and all the styling details to support each character." This eat-in kitchen features a pendant light from Neo/Craft, a vintage dining table by Willy Rizzo, Gubi Beetle chairs, and a vase from Object and Totem.
Photo courtesy of White Arrow
White Arrow recently decorated five model units at Brooklyn Point, a new mixed-use condominium tower in Downtown Brooklyn by Extell Development with interior design by Katherine Newman. The duo brought their signature approach to each unit, sourcing pieces from New York–based designers such as Bower, Calico, Moving Mountains, Sun at Six, and Cold Picnic, and adding vintage furniture and lighting into the mix. "We wanted to support what is happening in Brooklyn and the greater New York area," says Keren. "This was the developer’s first foray into the borough, and we wanted to connect the interiors to the surrounding community."
On the heels of the project, we asked Keren for her advice about how to source and incorporate vintage pieces in a cohesive, compelling way.
1. Begin With a Conversation Starter
"Key pieces can become the jumping-off point for the entire room," says Keren. For this living room, White Arrow imagined a fashion-forward client, bringing in a vintage metal palm tree sculpture from Mario Schifano to preside over the space. Other vintage pieces include an Adrian Pearsall sofa with custom reupholstery, a Curtis Jere coffee table, and an Artemide lamp. The burl wood credenza is from ModShop, and the Upstate armchair features custom, tie-dye upholstery.
Photo courtesy of White Arrow
2. Use Similar Tones to Create Cohesion
While mixing furniture and decor from different eras is often part of a room’s charm, it’s important to maintain a cohesive look. In this dining nook, Keren pairs matte black and warm, wood tones to create a conversation between vintage and contemporary pieces. The understated pendant by Rich Brilliant Willing presides over a custom table with vintage Borge Mogenson dining chairs; a vintage Gio Ponti mirror picks up the metallic note of Crate & Barrel candlesticks.
Photo courtesy of White Arrow
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