Tour a Designer's Sophisticated Tribeca Loft

New York interior designer Jae Joo has seen the city from all angles. Three-and-a-half years ago, she and her husband, Devin, packed up their dogs, Jack and Declan, and made the move from a three-story Brooklyn brownstone to a two-bedroom, 2,200 square foot loft in Manhattan’s storied Tribeca neighborhood.

When Jae and Devin first moved in, this loft-style apartment was in pretty good shape. The pair decided to take a patient approach to making any changes. “It felt dated,” Jae explains. “We wanted to live in it first before doing any big renovations. The living room area was subdivided and felt dense, so we opened up all walls to allow for a large open living space.”

“I love the living room,” Jae confesses. “Every piece of furniture we have there is super comfortable which makes it a great place to hang out.” Pieces like the midcentury side chair and foot rest and throw-covered sofa confirm that this is a space engineered for maximum relaxation. “I also love that the arched windows have been there since 1881 and fill the whole house with so much light,” she adds.

As an interior designer, Jae spends most of her time shaping spaces to her clients' tastes. Known for her special design talents when it comes to lofts as well as brownstones, it was a fun change when the choices were all hers in this personal space. “I lean mostly toward an eclectic style that is mixed with old and new. I like the lived-in feel rather than something overly precious,” she says. That style shines through in a space that mixes modern and midcentury with antiques and even a few busts thrown in for good measure.