Chroonkit Thahong is a senior presentation code developer at R/GA who practices interior design part-time. While he’s been celebrated the most for restaurant design (including SEA in Willamsburg and the Highline in the Meat Packing District), his talent comes through clearly in a couple of gorgeous lofts.

For example, there’s “The Flowerbox,” a duplex loft in New York’s East Village, which uses subtle detailing to feature some fine, pure modern style. His clients, couple who had met at MIT, desired a minimal aesthetic; Thahong proposed invoking John Pawson’s style, thinking it would give them the look they wanted. In the living space, sleek sliding glass doors and a long hidden bookcase replaced old-fashioned molding adding functionality to the interior. The room was then infused with form, including a Living Divani wall sofa, a BDDW dining set, and Donald Judd’s sculpture work. The custom-built entertainment cabinet and the birdhouse sconce, meanwhile, both use the original developer’s floor material, while the pair of brass birds perched on the stair rail were purchased on eBay.

The space’s open feel allows each piece to stand on its own while still contributing to an overall cohesion. And as light floods in during the day, Thahong’s design ensures “The Flowerbox” functions as a calm and meditative home in which a planted mind and body can truly grow!

Photography by Udom, Represented by Cornelia Adams