Studio IQL

A mirror placed across from a window is one of those rare design gestures that is both practical and quietly magical. It gives the room another source of light, another glimpse of sky, another sense of depth.

In a smaller space, this can make all the difference. We are generally less interested in illusion for illusion’s sake, but when something as simple as a mirror can make a room feel brighter, more open, and more alive to its surroundings, we’ll happily take it.

A finished project is always more than beautiful photos, it’s that layered, lived-in feeling we’re always chasing.

A good ‘ol before & after!
A single closet became a full wall of custom cabinetry.
A simple pass-through transformed into a layered and welcoming dining/stairway space.

The result? A home that works harder and feels softer, ready for everyday life.

Nothing we love is made by magic.

There are hands behind the spaces we live in, the objects we keep, and the things we bring home from our favorite local shops.

Builders, craftspeople, fabricators, installers, artists, makers, and small businesses turn ideas into something real. A beautifully made cabinet, a hand-thrown bowl, a piece of furniture, a garden, a room, a home.

Good design is imagined, made, adjusted, carried, installed, cared for, and built by many hands along the way.

Fresh food, fresh space. The Broad Street Roots Natural Kitchen location blends texture, light, and whimsy: photographs of plant shadows turned into wall coverings, semi-opaque panels by mothpaper that mimic sunlight through trees, and dots + gingham by jujuwallpapers

Small moments from projects rounding the corner toward finished.

The big moves are in place. Now it’s the details, the layers, and those last decisions that make a space feel entirely its own.

Houses We Love, No. 01
A new monthly series. This one’s from Val, sharing the homes, spaces, and people that have shaped how she sees and thinks about design.

Starting at the age of 22, Liza Macray and John Corcoran were my beacon regarding what design was and what being in the presence of great design felt like in your belly and bones.

All of their spaces are uncompromising down to the smallest detail.

This is the green home they built together with their own hands, located in Tivoli, NY. This is the town where I opened, owned, and operated two restaurants and a bakery.

They put my life on a direct trajectory. They are still my guides.

— Val