Exploring how a designer built a New York home that also functions as a working studio, Danny Kaplan’s apartment-gallery hybrid in Noho brings together creative practice, curation and daily life. Located on Lafayette Street, the home speaks to a seamless fusion of artistry and functionality, with each room revealing a dialogue between sculptural form and domestic rhythm. With a practice rooted in ceramics and furniture design, Kaplan has created an environment where objects can be lived with and experienced in situ – not separate from life, but part of it.
The interior unfolds gradually, guiding visitors through a progression of spaces that are both curated and intimate. At the front, a gallery-like bedroom sets the tone for what follows – a compact design library, a dining and kitchen area, and a lounge that opens into a private den and bedroom. Designed as a single spatial narrative, the layout shows how a designer built a New York home that encourages flow, immersion and creative pause. The furnishings throughout – many of which are designed by Kaplan himself – include ceramic lighting, bespoke tables and collaborative pieces made with Vince Patti of Lesser Miracle. Their shared collection, defined by integrated ceramic elements, reflects a vision of design that’s both tactile and enduring.
Key to understanding how a designer built a New York home of this kind is recognising the intimacy between maker and material. Kaplan’s early background in prop styling led him to ceramics – a medium that demands time, touch and attention. From his core lamp collection to newly crafted furniture, each piece is embedded with personal history and material depth. The Astor lamp, named after nearby Astor Place, is emblematic of Kaplan’s ethos – grounded in place, shaped by memory and designed to be lived with.
This home is more than a studio or a showroom; it is a curated experience of Kaplan’s creative life. The space is filled not only with his own work, but with pieces from peers and collaborators, forming a layered, community-driven environment. It is in this intersection of collaboration and individuality that one fully understands how a designer built a New York home that resists conventional definitions. Rather than separate where he lives from where he works, Kaplan invites the two to nourish each other.
In essence, the project stands as an evolving reflection of practice. By living within his own designs, Kaplan is able to test, refine and connect more deeply with his output. It is a rare example of how a designer built a New York home that supports both experimentation and rest – a place where form and function meet, not in theory, but in the tangible details of everyday life. With each room composed as both living space and exhibition, the apartment is a testament to the richness that emerges when personal and professional worlds align.
00:00 – Introduction to the Designer’s Own New York Home
01:12 – History of Danny Kaplan
01:44 – Designing A Space to Work and Live
02:13 – Walkthrough of the Home and Gallery Space
03:01 – Collaborative Spaces and Products
04:14 – Favourite Aspects and Proud Moments
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Photography by William Jess Laird.
Architecture by Peter Martin.
Interior design by Danny Kaplan.
Filmed and edited by O&Co. Homes.
Production by The Local Production.
Location: New York City, New York, United States
The Local Project acknowledges the traditional territories and homelands of the Indigenous peoples in the United States. We recognise the importance of Indigenous peoples in the identity of our respective countries and continuing connections to Country and community. We pay our respect to Elders, past and present, and extend that respect to all Indigenous people of these lands.
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