|
| |
| | | SWOON, the studio - THE REAL ISSUE |
|
| |
| |
| | Like so many others, we find ourselves exploring what AI can unlock in our studio practice. |
|
| | It has been fascinating, exciting—and at times a little unsettling—to witness a tool suddenly make quick work of tasks that once consumed large parts of our day. We revel in the speed with which we can now play with color, form, and layout, polishing presentations into sharper, more elegant expressions for our clients. Yet we also hold close those moments when the best choice is to let things remain a little rough, a little raw—alive with imperfection.
From the beginning, SWOON has been a haven for makers. We were the children who couldn’t stop doodling, building, dreaming, sculpting—always creating, always making a mess. As our world turns ever more digital, and as we welcome AI to shoulder some of the work, we also return to the tactile, to the handmade, to the beauty of the imperfect. We crave the mess: sussing out a soulful piece of vintage furniture that sparks an entire room into being, or gathering the whole studio to build an immersive installation that beckons visitors back into the rhythms of the natural world.
For us, it has always been about the dance between the polished and the raw, the digital and the handmade—and, above all, keeping it real. |
|
| | | |
| | | | The most memorable spaces possess character, shaped by objects that carry history and authenticity. |
|
| | When we begin working with a client to design their home, we first ask them to share the pieces they already love. Whether it’s a cherished painting unearthed on their travels, a cabinet inherited from a grandparent, or a vintage vessel picked up in a thrift store, the personal connection is the game changer. These are the pieces that bring a room to life, infuse it with energy, and help it endure over time. |
|
| | | | | | |
| |
| | | Designed as a calming escape from digital noise, the installation blends nature, art, and mindfulness to encourage visitors to slow down and reconnect. More than just an installation, Touch Grass supports a deeper purpose—proceeds benefit The Preston Project and the Grant Halliburton Foundation’s critical work in youth mental health and suicide prevention. |
|
| |
| | While you’re waiting for your decompression date… slip into a Touch Grass state of mind with our curated Spotify playlist… |
|
| | | |
| | Touch Grass invites you to two exclusive evenings of guided sound bath meditation within the installation. Designed to cultivate deep relaxation and grounding, these immersive sessions offer a rare opportunity to pause, renew, and connect with the sensory environment. An oasis of stillness in the heart of the city. Two Nights Only October 1 and October 8 6 – 7 pm Availability is limited, and early reservations are highly recommended. |
|
| | | |
| | | | There’s something extraordinary about seeing a handcrafted piece in person—the way the texture catches the light, the subtle imperfections that reveal the maker’s hand, the weight and feel of each material. |
|
| | | | These are works you can’t truly appreciate through a screen—made by creatives, not AI.
At Shop SWOON, you’ll find cotton rope and terracotta works on canvas, handmade lamps anchored by found rocks with custom shades, and necklaces hand-strung on dyed silk with one-of-a-kind pendants. These are objects meant to be touched, turned in your hands, and felt as much as they are seen. |
|
| | | | | | | From concept to delivery, we pride ourselves on crafting a thoughtful plan for how any given shoot will come together. From lighting to talent to camera, we start with a clear, intentional vision for bringing the creative direction to life. |
|
| |
| | | |
| | While structure is always our first step and most efficient jumping-off point, the real magic often happens in what comes after. Some of our best work emerges from the collective creativity the whole team brings to set—and that’s always the most exciting part. |
|
| | | |
| | | | One of the most incredible—and challenging—parts of working on historical projects is what you uncover along the way. We have story after story of evaluating spaces, people, moments, challenges, and triumphs, sifting through them thoughtfully to retell or reimagine today’s version of these events. |
|
| | Sometimes, that process reveals a major issue that costs a project hundreds of thousands of dollars in unexpected expenses. Other times, it uncovers a treasure you never could have dreamed of.
In both branding and interiors, the obvious first step is research—to dig deep and build a narrative. But what you choose to do with that information is where it gets truly interesting. The decision to focus on, reinterpret, or honor certain discoveries can make or break a project. |
|
| | | | For example, when working on The Adolphus, we dreamed of marble floors for the French Room Salon. The budget wouldn’t allow it. Then, in the middle of a value-engineering meeting, someone interrupted with news: “The original marble floors have been uncovered—but they’re in bad shape.” We rushed downstairs to see them. They were worn, broken in places, patched in others. And we said, “It’s perfect.”
Those floors carried the patina, the stories, and the variations of a century’s worth of characters—from business suits to ballgowns—who had walked that room. Even if we could have afforded brand-new marble, nothing could compare to the richness of the history that came with this discovery. |
|
| | | | |
| | | | Because some details don’t just sit there—they conspire. |
|
| | Objects come with baggage, and we mean that in the best way. They have lives already embedded in them. Like stepping into an old building and sensing its soul. A vintage brass shell isn’t just a shell—it reserves a table, holds a story, and hints at a life before yours. A handful of sourced antique cases suddenly moonlight as check presenters punctuating a night out, proof that even function can hang with poetry.
At Teaspoon, a bottle topper nods to heirloom silver; at a soon to open bar, acrylic-encased florals bloom into miniature sculptures signaling a reserved table. These aren’t props in a brand story—they’re soulful accomplices, carrying history into the present with a wink. |
|
| |
| | | |
|
|
|
|
|
