Interior: A Living Room for Two

This was another industrial loft project, full of those big, honest materials I’m always drawn to—brick and beam, iron and wood, all softened just enough by the people who live inside them. The owner was a man who’d lived alone for a while, but that was about to change. His girlfriend was moving in, and they were navigating how to blend two lives—and two styles—into one home.

He told me he really loved the masculine edge of the space and wanted to keep it that way, and she was quick to say she didn’t want to change that—just hoped to add a few gentle touches, here and there. So they made a plan: the bedroom would be hers to lead, the living room would be his. But I had a feeling there’d still be a little space for both of them in everything.

The heart of the room is a warm leather couch, worn just enough to feel like home, with a mix of neutral-toned throws and pillows—practical, welcoming, never fussy. A rugged wood-and-metal coffee table, set on iron wheels, gives that perfectly imperfect industrial feel, like something found and cherished. Nearby, a gray armchair with black framework adds a modern line to the space—masculine in its structure, but softened by how simply it fits in.

Beneath the arched window, I placed a sleek iron cabinet, where small moments of personality started to peek through: a concrete sculpture of a strongman’s arm, a dried poppy stem, a basket of well-loved books, and a candle chosen for scent over style. The kind of details that say more than you might expect.

A large potted plant in a clean white pot stands in the corner—easy to care for, but full of life. And grounding it all, a soft gray shag rug with a subtle diamond pattern, breaking up the heavier materials with something that feels… just a little softer underfoot.

The whole room holds onto its masculine identity, but there’s something else that lingers too—something gentle, lived-in, quietly loving. It feels like him. But it also feels like it’s already starting to become them.