Workstead: Interiors of Belonging

Presenting acclaimed design studio Workstead’s trendsetting commercial projects, public places of both beauty and necessity that embrace a distinct sense of place while making us feel almost right at home.

Over the past decade, Brooklyn-based Workstead has earned wide acclaim for its signature residential projects, as well as larger-scale projects such as the Wythe Hotel in Brooklyn and the Rivertown Lodge in Hudson, New York. As their projects expand, Workstead’s design approach continues to feel very of the moment, rooted in an appreciation of craftsmanship, detail, and materiality.

Known for their thoughtful approach to design, Workstead works with a network of skilled fabricators, collaborating with craftspeople and artists across all mediums to create customized interior design, lighting, and furniture. The resulting interiors feel homey and welcoming, spaces where we want to spend time, whether they’re a wine bar, a restaurant, or a great room of a hotel.

Each of these interiors is crafted to make us feel at home, from the rows of bookshelves and inviting lighting to the cozy banquettes and displays of art and curios; these rooms upend the traditional notions of public and private space. Accompanied by thoughtful, descriptive texts, these interiors reward us with ideas and solutions for our own spaces and design challenges.

Workstead is a design studio based in Brooklyn, New York, and founded in 2009 by Stefanie Brechbuehler, Ryan Mahoney, and Robert Highsmith.

David Sokol is a New York-based writer and editor specializing in architecture and design. He contributes regularly to Architectural Record, Cultured, Dwell, and other publications, and is the author of Hudson Modern.