Bright lights: Brooklyn's Workstead aligns warmth and minimalism

If you are constantly seeking minimalist design that is also soulful, or Instagram-worthy lights, you will already love Workstead without even knowing.

Founded in 2009 by Robert Highsmith and Stefanie Brechbuehler, Workstead has since built a reputation on the sort of pared down warmth appropriate of a studio straddling Brooklyn’s creative scene and the quietude of upstate New York.

In 2012, the studio showcased their talents in designing the public spaces for Williamsburg’s now iconic Wythe Hotel. At Philadelphia’s Roost Apartment Hotel, their pendant lights pair brilliantly with the ornate ceiling molding and details of a 1920’s office space. Most recently, an old cinema on Hudson, New York’s downtown thoroughfare has become the charming Rivertown Lodge where details from the wood burning stoves to planetary sconces in their brass orbits exude coziness.

This spring they debuted their Case Goods furniture series at ICFF – a tactile hardwood credenza and wardrobe with no hardware to come between fine craftsmanship and your fingertips. Subtly grooved doors and drawers open to multi-use, timeless pieces sure to endure as the center of gravity for any room they inhabit.