Every designer’s trip to New York should include visiting the Apparatus showroom. The interdisciplinary studio produces some of the most exquisite lighting, furniture, and interior objects, created by artistic director Gabriel Hendifar and a devoted team of on-site artisans.
Located in a four-story building in NoMad, the nondescript exterior belies the kind of sensual materiality and dedicated craftsmanship that goes into every object the studio makes, from pendant lights made from flaxen horsehair to cabinetry that combines bronze and suede with Carpathian burl.
The unassuming location is just the kind of juxtaposition integral to Hendifar’s overall vision: to design interior spaces that change our frame of mind and capture our emotions. In his view, design is not about a series of objects placed in a room but rather an immersive experience that considers all of the senses. He describes each body of work as Acts and Interludes. Every tactile piece comes from a place of depth and perception and leaves a lasting imprint in our minds and hearts.
Ashley Botten Design has been an Apparatus client for years. We share a kinship with Hendifar’s desire to create soulful and considered interior spaces that are dislodged from trends. While our influences derive from worlds of fashion, art, and architecture, his are steeped in theatre, where his career began. The showroom itself unfolds effortlessly to reveal each collection: as though they were acts in a play. Contemporary forms are interpreted in textures and material choices that allude to some earlier era. It’s hard to put your finger on exactly what makes each new piece appear so comfortably settled.
What I love most about the showroom is how time shifts from fast to slow in a matter of minutes. It’s the opposite of scroll, scroll, scroll, and onto the next. Everywhere you look, you see evidence of ideas that have taken shape over many years. Only time can make a place like this. It is the greatest joy to be in this space, where everything is intentional.
Jolene
Apparatus is located at 124 West 30th Street, New York
Apparatus fixtures featured in our projects:
Image one: Roxborough (Cylinder sconce in blackened brass)
Image two: Warren Road (Lariat pendant in blackened brass)
Images three and four: Warren Road (Synapse in aged brass)
Project photography by Lauren Miller
