Jo Packham gave industrial design a fresh twist by fashioning a rustic backdrop, mixing raw and gleaming metals, wood and glass, sprinkling in whimsical accents and then layering on the charm. What’s more, she did it without breaking the bank.
1. INVITING ENTRY
Why pay to create charm when original elements already exist? In the new stairway leading guests up to the studio space, Packham covered treads with industrial aluminum plates and removed old plaster from the walls to expose brick underneath.
2. LUXED-OUT LANDING
Balking at a $54,000 bid for new copper railing, Packham ingeniously designed her own using pipes and connections purchased from Lowe’s and enlisting THM Construction to help fabricate it. “We did it in one night at a total cost of $978,” she says with a laugh. “I’m extravagant in my spending for an experience, but for railing, no way.” Wood-framed glass panels complete the landing’s dynamic, wallet-friendly décor.
3. BRIGHT LIGHTS AND DISPLAYS
Inspired by an electrician’s plastic-caged work lamp, Packham researched metal versions for the studio’s countless overhead lights mounted to galvanized pipes running along the ceiling. She discovered decorative versions costing $250, but found commercial models at Lowe’s for $9 each. Packham wanted her displays to be equally eye-catching. “I wanted adjustable, non-fragile glass shelves that wouldn’t hide the brick,” Packham says. Now lining the loft’s walls, units costing $58 from Modern Display resemble a $458 version that furnishes her office. “Most people don’t do research; they just get bids,” she says. “You can have what you want if you just do your homework and learn how to do things.”
4. COLLECTEDÂ BOARDS
Cutting boards collected from Packham’s travels form an eye-catching display that’s as functional as it is fabulous. “Everything here has a purpose or links to a memory,” she explains.
5. COUNTER INTELLIGENCE
Large industrial-grade floor tiles top the kitchen islands’ contertops. “I love tile, and these are indestructible and affordable,” says Packham. Metal trim upgrades the islands’ look as does a custom, oversized copper sink and surrounding BlueStar appliances and hood from Mountain Land Design. “They are fabulous. You can have them painted in one of more than 750 colors.”
To see more of this urban space in action read: A Lofty Affair
