This SoHo Artist’s Lo Shows Off Colorblocked Floors and an Incredible Collection
By GayGassmann
Over the past few years, changes have been afoot for artist Ethan Cook. While he still has a studio in Greenpoint and commutes there everyday, Ethan traded his Clinton Hill perch for a Soho loft. “I really wanted something different when I moved [back] into Manhattan, and this was the first place I saw when I started looking,” says Ethan, who had previously lived in Chinatown for over a decade. “I was
happy to move and get a change of pace.”
The new apartment is a fifth floor walk-up in a six-story building. “It’s a pre-skyscraper building with cast iron columns,” adds Ethan. “It was first a factory and then became an artists’ building. It has a history of making even if now it consists of families and retail.”
In Living Room Three, Ethan sits on a Bellini chaise. Above him is a Gee’s Bend quilt and a Josh Smith monotype. Other chairs in the space are by the Campana Brothers,Gaetano Pesce,and Alessandro Mendini. A Dan McCarthy vase sits atop an Ettore Sottsass pedestal while an artwork by Josh Sperling hangs above a ceramic piece by Sterling Ruby anda Garry Knox Bennett side table. The Sanremo floor lamp is by Archizoom Associati for Poltronova.
Seth CaplanShop out the look of the house here ⤵
Although one might be fooled by the colorblocked floors, Ethan didn’t do any renovating. “I just brought my furniture!” He exclaims. “The people before me had redone the floors, which I first thought was weird, but now I really like what they did and it suits my aesthetic.” As it happens, Ethan is known for his colorblocked paintings of solid tones.
A full floor loft of approximately 2,000 square feet was a huge change, especially compared to his previous, much smaller space in Brooklyn. The choice was deliberate and for the artist and collector, as more square footage allowed for more collecting. (Ethan often trades work with other artists and friends.) He also created a large site-specific piece to hang on one of the walls, which measures at 135 inches long.
In Living Room Three, books swirl along the wall on a Kartell Bookworm bookshelf
Seth Caplan
Ethan describes the loft as having three living rooms, each with a specific vibe. Living Room One is in the front of the building, looking out onto the street. It’s used to hang out and read, and for guests. Living Room Two is for drinks, and makes for a good alternative to Living Room One. Last but not least, Living Room Three serves as a library filled with art, housing many of Ethan’s books.
In Living Room Two, Ethan created a site-specific woven “painting” that pops in the space. Green Kartell daybeds with custom pillow bolsters sit along the wall. Other pieces in the room include a Bob Trotman lamp and table, Nicole Eisenman woodcut,Olivier Mourgue floor lamp,Cassina coffee table,Poltronova office chairs, and a Tibetan tiger rug.
Seth Caplan
In between Living Room One and Two, the artist sits on a Gaetano Pesce Up7 chair
Seth
Caplan
When asked about his favorite space, Living Room Two is the pick. That’s where Ethan’s large work hangs, and where he just enjoys hanging out. When the artist has people over for dinner and drinks, they turn to a cocktail menu of classics options to choose from—a nice entertaining touch.
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