The Flanagan Files: New Concept stores, Design With a Human Touch, and Surprising Finds in NYC

Livingetc's contributing editor Keith Flanagan is our roving eye for the latest and greatest in design across the States. Each month, he gives us the low-down on the new launches, openings, trends, and more that have inspired him.

At the start of the new year, this month Livingetc's contributing editor Keith Flanagan has been all over to keep us in the loop of what's happening in the city, and the wider design scene for The Flanagan Files.

From a luxuriously buzzy dispensary (in Times Square, no less), to new product launches big and small, this is what's been inspiring the editor this month.

BRIGHT IDEA

My new go-to spot for meetings and meetups opened last spring, but the space itself never gets old. Tucked in Tribeca, Quarters blends a bar, gallery, and ever-changing concept store in one ambient space.

Ambience is the key word: Brooklyn’s lighting studio In Common With turned two floors (a third is in the future) of a 19th-century loft into a series of perfectly lit rooms with a lived-in, Art Deco feel.

Totally relaxed and replete with rotating vintage and curated furniture alongside the studio’s own brilliant pieces (including new forays into furniture), most everything can be purchased. And, after a drink (or three) at their handsome full-service bar (called The Bar at Quarters), you’ll be tempted to buy it all.

CLAY TIME

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I’m a sucker for anything handmade. When I spot a slight trace of the human touch on an object, I’m usually drawn to it like a flame. And so on a recent visit to Roll & Hill’s Soho showroom, I was almost guaranteed to adore the lighting brand’s new four-piece Kasbah collection, a series of clay sconces made in collaboration with Marseille-based Memòri Studio and master potter Houda El Oman.

Working with skilled craftswomen in northern Morocco’s Rif mountains, the rustic pieces feature hand-built forms with beautifully simple features (bold grooves, rounded edges, circular cutouts) guaranteed to inject texture and an artisanal flair into your home.

SURPRISE HIT

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Has a vinyl-focused storage brand designed the perfect lounge furniture? I’m just as surprised as you. Symbol Home, which built its reputation on record consoles and vinyl cabinets, just launched its first home collection (think couches, coffee tables, and desks).

The pieces are all understated with bold lines, but it’s their super cushy feel that sets them apart. After trying out their furniture at a recent pop-up, their couches and armchairs in particular have my number: with extra wide proportions that beg you to sink in and never leave, I found it hard to get out of these supremely comfy seats. This brand, to me, is one to watch.

HIGH DESIGN

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Times Square isn’t exactly on any design-enthusiasts map. And that was just part of the challenge for Brooklyn’s Home Studios, tasked with designing its first-ever commercial space, Charlie Fox, a three-story dispensary (cannabis is legal in NYC) in the bustling tourist district.

Bringing a cozier vibe to a all-too-lit destination where the scale of most shops is larger than life, the studio channeled old-world apothecaries (think wooden shelving and custom millwork) and luxury design hotels (like corduroy-upholstered banquettes and a marble-topped bar) with warm neutral tones and soothingly soft lighting — a bright spot for the brightest spot in New York.