Our vision for Conjure was to make beautiful designs accessible for everyone. So, with the launch of Conjure, we put together four distinct collections inspired by the architectural style and spirit of four iconic New York neighborhoods. We started this journey in 2019 with Adam Charlap Hyman, the designer behind the Conjure collections (go ahead and Google his name, you’ll be an instant fan). The original idea was for Adam to curate a few standout pieces for the catalog, but as we spent more time with him, we realized there was room for more. Together, we worked through styling an empty New York studio entirely out of rental furniture (a daunting task with the lack of natural light and limited square feet), we started slowly building out each collection to have all the elements of style you need. Within just two miles, as you cross from Bowery to Perry Street, downtown Manhattan neighborhoods’ architectural style and spirit vary so much. Each area has a distinctive personality and design aesthetic, so should your options. Without further ado: introducing the four neighborhood collections from Conjure.

West Village Collection

Throughout the early and mid-twentieth century, West of Greenwich Village was always a landmark of American bohemian culture, known for its colorful, artistic residents and the alternative culture they propagated. While the ‘Village’ today has changed, it still maintains its cultural roots and the historical identity. We curated mostly mid-century modern classics to give a warm, comfortable, and cozy feeling, as well as some contemporary twists inspired by the Hans Wegner Shell Chair. We used organic and high-quality materials in this collection, mainly leather and wood. We also took inspiration from Danish masters of mid-century design such as Kaare Klint, who perfected form and function, and French modernists such as Pierre Yovanovitch, who mixed antiques with funky upholstery.

East Village Collection

We’re talking curved shapes, arches, sensual textiles, and general luxury of the East Village’s retro Boheme design that’s been making a comeback since the 2010s. In the 50’s, furniture designers were OBSESSED with arches, bringing back classic Roman features illustrated in architectural wonders such as the Colosseum. This school started to make a comeback in the 2010’s, with strong ties to start-up culture and modern feminism (hello curves). Pinks and mustards made an immediate splash across social media and contemporary culture.

The pieces also have a sense of humor (aka, the green velvet dog bed) that finds inspiration from a sophisticated loveseat and Hollywood glamour. In curating the East Village collection, we took inspiration from Rafael Cardenas’s ‘lux’ designs and David Cafiero’s more classic integration of pop.

Soho Collection

This collection mixes groovy 70’s modernism with industrial chic and then goes antique. We love the eclectic pieces that rival each other in a playful duel to the cool. In the early 70’s, artists began to move into Soho lofts; initially, an inexpensive layout with abundant space, lots of natural light, and access to industrial elevators to help move their artworks in and out. Artists began to transform the ‘loft’ perception in the 80’s and 90’s as they hosted eclectic dinner parties and decorated the exposed beam spaces with beautiful, bold art and furniture. Loft-design then spread to other metropolises, including Amsterdam, Berlin, Tokyo, and commanded top real estate prices in many corners of the globe. This package is for the collector, hosting a mix of antiques and modern classics. Ideal for those who enjoy going to furniture markets, speaking with the dealers, and finding that one unique piece that completes your home. We took inspiration from architects such as Jean Prouvé, a self-taught architect and designer, who mastered modern industrial design aesthetic and considered himself more of an engineer than a designer.

Tribeca Collection

Clean. Sharp. Timeless. Almost zen. Inspired by the early modernist architecture of the 1920s, the Tribeca Collection pushes us towards the ever-evolving Bauhaus school of design - a period that proves luxury doesn’t have to be pretentious. With high-quality materials such as leather, stainless steel, and silk and contemporary geometric designs, minimalist furniture emerged as luxurious. To complement the furniture’s simplicity, minimalist architects paid extra attention to the minutia and symmetry to maximize natural light, bringing a level of sophistication and a soothing, zen feeling in the home. We took inspiration from architects such as John Pawson, coined by Architectural Digest as the “master of hyper minimalism” – well known for standout projects such as the New Design Museum in London. We also made frequent visits to the Public Hotel in New York to draw inspiration from Herzog & De Meuron’s beautiful space, strongly aligned to their goal of “making cool things available to everybody...and taking the pretension out of luxury.”