Event | Rapt Studio

In April we left WeWork Times Square and moved to a space in West Chelsea.

Rather than a traditional office, we made a unique choice to move to a live/work space in one of the most vibrant neighborhoods in the city. We have several floors in a 1850s era brownstone which we have outfitted to serve the growing studio as we continue to bring on new talent.

On May 22, during ICFF and NYCxDESIGN, we opened our doors to 100 guests to mark our move and share some of our favorite things.

Guests were served Rapt Studio branded white wine and specialty cocktails: The Studio Spritz, Patio Paloma, and Garden Mule. Light rain couldn’t keep people from enjoying the back garden at the height of the spring bloom.

Bites from around the neighborhood included Luke’s Lobster rolls, Tia Pol tapas, Murray’s cheese and crudités, Fonda Chelsea Mexican, and cupcakes from Billy’s Bakery.

For our Housewarming event, in keeping with the favorite things, we brought in a few of our partners to outfit the space and share their work with our guests.

Furniture on display included several pieces from Hem, a bench from the Fogo Island Shop, and items from Souda. Calico Wallpaper provided two high-impact wall coverings which complimented lights from Foscarini, a pair of floor lamps and an Allegro Ritmico pendant. The studio broadloom carpet was provided by Bentley Mills, and Farrow & Ball provided paint in the following colors: Studio Green, Brassica, and Mole’s Breath. The signage including the neon Rawr!, which can be seen in our other locations in SF and LA, was fabricated by Drive21.

Artwork lent from Kyle Hamilton Fine Art included the work of artists: Olivia Boudet, Joseph Algieri, Drake LaBry, Derek Brahney, and RJ Raizk.

We had a “photobooth for the soul” from our friends at The Haiku People, delighting guests with a soulful souvenir in the form of a custom personalized poem.

Many thanks to those who made our #RaptNYHousewarming event special, and we look forward to welcoming you back to Rapt Studio soon.

Held annually in March, DIFFA invites local and international designers to transform a raw space into a showcase of over-the-top dining environments for its annual fundraiser called DINING BY DESIGN (DBD). Co-located with the Architectural Digest Design Show, DIFFA’s signature event gathers thousands of supporters at Pier 92 in New York to fundraise for a cause. The event combines a worthy cause and exceptional design into a five-day event with more than 2,000 people at the two fundraisers.

For our first Dining by Design in New York, the Rapt Studio team designed around human connection in the most fundamental way. Our design centered around a device-free dinner table—complete with smartphone storage and revolving tabletop. Inspired by the notion of being “Radically Personal,” diners at the gala dinner event were encouraged to share stories sans the ever-present distraction of digital devices. Our gala dinner guests included Rapt Studio client partners and design journalists.

In order to draw in guests over the course of the public viewing days, we clad the outside of our installation in an eye-catching dichroic film, and posed the question “What’s Your Story?” Many took to social to share reflective selfies with the installation and their interpretation of what’s #RadicallyPersonal to them. The colorful exterior challenged passersby to take a deeper look and have an introspective, reflective moment.

Inside, we created a dark, monochromatic look where all the black elements blended together resulting in a dramatic contrast to the outside. Our intention was to strip away distraction and allow the personality of the human diners to come through. Atop layered Bolon floor coverings is a custom table, designed in collaboration with and provided by MASHstudios. The walls were clad with BuzziSkin felt, in a custom wainscoting pattern, adding dimension, texture, and sound-absorption. BuzziSpace also provided BuzziPlank shelves and a BuzziMirage mirror. The space was dramatically lit with a Rich Brilliant Willing Pilot chandelier in matte black, and 8 muuto fiber armchairs, lent by ORI, complete the dining space. The installation exterior and the graphic moments on the mirrors inside were fabricated by Drive21. The overall build-out was managed and assembled by Qwest Contracting.

Along with our partners in this event, Rapt Studio is proud to support DIFFA (Design Industries Foundations Fighting AIDS) in this year’s Dining by Design fundraising event.

Photography provided by Alan Barry.

Press Coverage

Interior Design – DIFFA’s Dining by Design 2018 a Shining Success

Interior Design – Trend of the Week: Cindy Says… Give Back!

Architectural Digest – All the Tables from DIFFA’s Dining by Design 2018

Design Milk – A Look Behind 3 Dining by Design 2018 Vignettes Benefitting DIFFA