Precise Eye

Multifunctional space with panache

By alecia stevens

Photo by Alex Steinberg

After living in the sky-high real estate markets of London, New York, and San Francisco, marketing executive Will Bracker was ready to stake a claim on his own space when he moved to Minneapolis in 2002. But the 900-square-foot loft he purchased in the Itasca Building had been chopped up into four separate rooms, obscuring the natural light. Armed with dog-eared tear sheets from years of imagining his own space somewhere, someday, he approached redlurered to help him redo the redo. “I was looking for Jasper Conran meets Jonathan Adler meets Will Bracker,” he says. The result is a lofty example of imagination, resourcefulness, and a precise eye for what is enough.

1 Open Space redlurered architectural designer Martha McQuade and principal Scott Mueller removed walls and paid tribute to the original brick, concrete, and Douglas fir used throughout the loft. The laser-cut circular pattern in the layered panel, also of Douglas fir, adds texture to the architecture and allows light into the otherwise dark storage space.

2 Flexibility The circular patterned screen allowed McQuade to extend cabinetry, along with a counter that Bracker uses as his home office. McQuade lifted colors from Bracker’s favorite memorabilia to create sliding, interchangeable cabinet doors. Don’t like orange today? Flip it over for white. The result is graphic, at a great price.

Photo by Alex Steinberg

3 Modern Line Although the loft’s 15-foot ceilings create vertical drama, a modern aesthetic requires horizontal lines. Thus, Bracker’s furniture is low and horizontal in form. He loves the cantilevered “dining table” that extends from the kitchen, creating a place to share meals with friends. A “common table” at a deli in Sydney, Australia provided the inspiration.

4 Contrast The contrasting form of the light fixture, placed just off center in the entry area, makes a strong statement and casts atmosphere throughout. “In the evening, the pattern of light it creates is wonderful,“ Bracker says. Not only is it just the right scale, its spherical form plays off the circular cutouts of the wall panels, adding contrast to the strong, straight lines used elsewhere.

5 Personality No designer camped out here, and Bracker didn’t need one. Plain, slipcovered cotton loveseats don’t match, but are similar in feel. The complementary wooden pieces are all modern—from the mid-century Danish chest to the iconic Eames plywood chair. Comforting throws in graphic stripes and a menagerie of pillow fabrics and artifacts picked up during Bracker’s frequent travels add texture. Each piece contributes to a personal and eclectic collection that reflects a sense of place.

ALECIA STEVENS IS A MINNEAPOLIS INTERIOR DESIGNER AND STYLIST.

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