Soho House style: the design behind DUMBO House
As part of our Lick x Soho House collaboration, we're taking an in-depth look at the Houses that inspired the colours. This week it's Brooklyn's iconic DUMBO House. Overlooking New York City's East River, nestled between Manhattan and Brooklyn Bridge, it occupies the sixth and seventh floors of a former brick factory and is privy to uninterrupted views of NYC's skyline. We're peering through those famous floor-to-ceiling windows and taking a closer look at the interiors that inspired its paint colour, Purple 03 DUMBO House. So if you want to dig a little deeper into the past and present of this one-of-a-kind location, read on.
The architecture
Pritzker Prize-winning Mexican architect, Luis Barragán, was a huge inspiration for the Soho House design team, influencing both the interior and exterior spaces of DUMBO House. Known for his bold and colourful houses, it was this playful use of colour that inspired the pink concrete roof used on the rooftop bar. Born in Guadalajara, Barragán was formally trained as an engineer before becoming a self-taught architect. Many believe that it was this lack of formal training that gave him the freedom to break the rules and experiment with light, shadow, colours, and texture. Both inside and outside, you can see how the Soho House design team channelled Barragán’s sense of fun and rule-breaking style.
There’s an emphasis on bringing the outdoors in. Floor-to-ceiling windows make the most of those pristine New York city skyline views. As Soho House founder Nick Jones describes:
There is always that magical moment in the evening when the sun starts to set and you can watch as the Brooklyn Bridge and city light up, sitting on the terrace with a negroni in hand—I don’t think that could ever get old.
Nick Jones, Soho House Founder
And with an almost 4000 sq ft rooftop, you’re never too far away from one of those magical sunsets, proving that even in the heart of the urban jungle, you can still reconnect with the outdoors.
The interiors
Luis Barragán’s influence can be felt throughout the interiors. “[He] was a huge inspiration," says Soho House's Senior Interior Designer, Staver Kaufman. "He worked a lot with colour-blocked concrete in his architecture which helped inform our colour story". The lower level is an open-plan space, incorporating a lounge, library bar, and dining spaces. The interiors channel DUMBO’s 1960s and 70s heyday, when New York’s creative scene “were drawn to the lofty warehouse spaces which provided light and inexpensive rent” explains Kaufman.
Throughout, there are plenty of touches that channel elements of that retro decor style—think thick pile rugs, wicker furnishings, curved seating in bouclé upholstery, not to mention lots of plush velvet in a rich colour palette of purple, ochre, and teal. Vinyl records and vintage books give the House a lived-in, homely feel whilst artworks by local artists champion DUMBO’s artistic heritage and bring the interiors back to the modern day.
The colour palette
Inside, it draws on its surroundings, with the ceiling painted in the same shade of blue as the Manhattan Bridge. “Our design team actually visited the New York City maintenance office to find the exact shade used” explains Candace Campos, Soho House’s Lead Designer. The very same bridge that can be spotted from those panoramic floor-to-ceiling windows and that gave Brooklyn’s ‘DUMBO’ (Down Under Manhattan Bridge Overpass) its acronym. Elsewhere, earthy ochres reflect the warmer tones of nearby Brooklyn Bridge.
Of the rest of the colour palette, Campos explains how they “wanted to give the space a Mexican feel but also honour the strong colour story and homage to the artistic community that lives throughout the rest of the house”. Opulent purples, the inspiration behind Purple 03 DUMBO House, abound, as do warming pink velvets and rich teals.
Get the look with Purple 03 DUMBO House from our Lick x Soho House palette
Feeling inspired? Channel DUMBO House’s retro interiors with our guide on how to get the DUMBO House look in your home. Or, if you’re more of a lover of traditional British style, then get inspired by the design behind Soho House’s 76 Dean Street and check out how to create the 76 Dean Street look in your home.