My Houzz: International Meets Industrial in a Brooklyn Loft

Designer and artist Alina Preciado has a knack for finding beauty and possibility wherever she goes. She spends much of her time traveling to places like India, Spain, Japan and the Middle East, importing handmade goods for her business, Dar Gitane. "'Dar' is Arabic for 'home,' and 'gitane' is French for 'gypsy,' which is basically me in a nutshell," she says.

Preciado's eclectic loft in an 1890s industrial building in Brooklyn, New York, subscribes to a similar worldly, collected style that mixes old and new. "This used to be a woodshop, and it had huge machines which made divots and scratches along the floors, so it’s great to be able to see the history," Preciado says.

Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: Alina Preciado and her 2 cats
Location: Fort Greene neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York
Size: About 2,000 square feet; 1 bedroom, 1 bathroom

Preciado's loft flows with openness. The huge windows and high ceilings keep it well lit, with an airy feel. "I spend a lot of time in the hammock," she says. "It's a huge hit with my friends' kids, and the trapeze bar is great for stretching." The leather sofa is vintage from the 1960s, and the leaning ladder was picked up from a warehouse.

Rug: Cow Hides International; bookshelf: Rakks; poufs: leather, Dosa; hammered metal tables: Dar Gitane


The living space has a large wood-burning stove that keeps with the industrial theme but provides much-needed warmth in the winter months. "The space is so open, and the floors and windows can get a bit chilly, but sitting by the fire really gives the place a coziness that I love," Preciadosays. "Since it has a double-insulated chimney, I can have an open fire that not only looks beautiful but keeps me warm as well. One of my favorite things is to place citrus peels on top and let the smell waft through the apartment."

Wood-burning stove: Vermont Castings; armchairs: vintage, 1940s


Storage in any New York City apartment tends to be scarce, and Preciado's space is no exception. So she built this storage space with a sleeping loft on top.

Hooks: collected over time; hanging artwork: custom by Preciado


Preciado displays collected pieces from around the world, like this hundred-year-old metal incense burner from Morocco that sits on one of three metal tables bought in the Middle East. "I think it’s my favorite piece in the apartment," she says. "I burn sage in it, and there’s something about the way the smoke flows out of it that is so beautiful."



Preciado created a walled-off bedroom with curtains that let sunshine in or close for privacy.

Artwork, stainless steel mesh chair: custom by Preciado; bed: antique, circa 1890s


One of the unique pieces adorning the loft is the human hair artwork dangling on a bedroom wall. "I love to weave," Preciado says. "A while back, I bought some human hair to weave for a project, and this was left over. I just thought it was beautiful, so I decided to hang it up as a piece in itself."

Rug: hides from Mexico; red chair: antique, redone by Preciado; artwork: custom by Preciado; black desk: antique; Bedouin dowry trunk: bought in Morocco


With a little TLC, Preciado brought these 90-year-old dining chairs back to life. "When I got them, they were in bad shape, but one of the things I’ve learned is that even very old leather can still be preserved," she says. "It takes time and care, but over time with the right conditioning, old leather can bounce back to its original beauty."

Table: Big Sur, Crate & Barrel; artwork: Joseph Maruska; pendant light: purchased in Murano, Italy



"One of my favorite things to do when I travel is bring back loads of spices and gift them to my friends," Preciado says. "I also love bringing back things like dyes from Iran, frankincense and myrrh in rock form, metals, one-of-a-kind trays and trinkets that aren’t on my website yet. One of the first things I brought back for Dar Gitane was a grouping of one-of-a-kind teapots," which she now displays on open shelves in the kitchen.

Sink: architectural salvage; black barrel: Dar Gitane; workbench: Revival


The worktable was a holdover from the previous owner's woodshop; it fits perfectly with Preciado's style. "I love these worktables," she says. "They were actually left here in the space from the old woodshop — probably because they are so heavy. They have ¼-inch-thick steel tops and are perfect for designing, since they are so sturdy, durable and flat. I do wonder what will happen if I ever move, though. I don’t know how I would ever take them out."

Pendant light: architectural salvage


"Little touches can really make a place feel like home," Preciado says. Seen here is her design philosophy of mixing new, old, found and designed objects under a collection of cloches.


Preciado's style extends to a spacious bathroom, where she includes simple touches from her travels. "I think it’s important to introduce products into your home that are soulful," she says. "My belief is that your home is alive; it lives with you and breathes with you, so you always want things around you that are both beautiful and useful."

Bathtub: architectural salvage; pendant light: Droog

See more photos of this loft | Show us your creative loft

Browse more homes by style:
Small Homes | Colorful Homes| Eclectic Homes | Modern Homes |Contemporary Homes
Midcentury Homes | Ranch Homes | Traditional Homes | Barn Homes
Townhouses | Apartments | Lofts | Vacation Homes

URL: My Houzz: International Meets Industrial in a Brooklyn Loft http://www.decor-ideas.org/cases-view-id-18525.html