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Utharaa Zacharias and Palaash Chaudhary, founders of Soft-Geometry, converted a 900-square-foot historic Los Angeles loft into a combined home and workspace. The design emphasizes fluidity between living and working areas, reflecting their aesthetic values.
Designers Utharaa Zacharias and Palaash Chaudhary have transformed their 900-square-foot loft in Los Angeles into a space that functions as both a home and a workspace, reflecting their aesthetic values and practical needs.
The loft, originally built in 1961 as a water district headquarters and converted into residential units in 2014, was chosen by the couple for its striking architecture and historical significance. They customized the space by creating a dedicated work area within the open plan, converting the original bedroom into an office, and designing a sleeping nook in the corner. Their approach emphasizes fluidity, with the living area layered with their furniture and collections, and the workspace centered around a vintage workbench and storage units.
The couple, both founders of the lighting and furniture design firm Soft-Geometry, incorporated their signature aesthetic—serene, handmade, and poetic—into the loft. They sourced vintage furniture from Craigslist and Facebook Marketplace, and displayed their collections alongside personal objects. The space features high ceilings, large windows, and a floating wall that divides control from chaos, embodying their design philosophy.
Designing Multifunctional Urban Living Spaces
This story illustrates how creative professionals adapt historic buildings into multifunctional living and working environments, reflecting broader trends in urban design and remote work. It highlights the importance of flexible layouts in small spaces, especially amid increasing hybrid lifestyles, and demonstrates how personal aesthetics influence functional design choices.
vintage industrial loft furniture
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Historic Conversion of the Elysian Building
Originally designed in 1961 by architect William Pereira as a water district headquarters, the building was vacant for nearly two decades before being converted into residential lofts in 2014. The couple moved into their unit shortly after the conversion, drawn by its architecture and city views. Their design approach contrasts the building’s industrial history with their serene, handmade aesthetic, creating a unique living and working environment.
“The building caught our eye our first week in LA, before we even knew its history.”
— Palaash Chaudhary
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Unclear Aspects of Daily Use and Future Changes
It is not yet clear how the space will adapt as the couple prepares to welcome their first child, or how their design will evolve with new needs and potential modifications. Details about long-term plans for the loft remain unconfirmed.
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Upcoming Adjustments and Family Integration
The couple plans to integrate their growing family into the space, likely leading to new functional arrangements and possibly further design modifications. They also intend to continue showcasing their work and aesthetic through the space, possibly sharing updates on social media or future projects.
multi-functional living room furniture
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Key Questions
How do they separate work and personal life in such a small space?
They use a floating wall to divide the workspace from the living area and have converted the original bedroom into an office, allowing for a visual and functional separation.
What are some key design elements in their loft?
High ceilings, vintage furniture sourced from secondhand markets, layered collections of their own design pieces, and a fluid layout that encourages interaction between spaces.
How does the historic building influence their design choices?
Their aesthetic contrasts the building’s industrial, seismic-resistant architecture with handmade, poetic objects, creating a dialogue between history and contemporary design.
Will the space change when they have their baby?
They anticipate modifications to accommodate their child’s needs, but specific plans have not yet been detailed.
Source: Architectural Digest
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