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Lofty IDEAS

Urban eye for the single guy

By Jennifer Dumke

Photos by Margaret Pennock

While the trendy historical loft may not be located on Madison Avenue in New York, this 1,600 square foot luxury dwelling on Phillips Avenue in Sioux Falls gives its tenant the same look and feel. For the past year, Ryan Boen has been working, living, and hosting out of this nostalgic loft located in the coveted Boyce Greeley Building in downtown Sioux Falls. Although fully renovated, Ryan took it one step further and is embracing the space and lifestyle that accompanies loft living.

His path to this stage and place in life involved many “pivots,” as Ryan would say. “I grew up in a small town in South Dakota. After college, I became CFO of EML Payments, Ltd., a fintech company that specializes in contactless money movement for businesses.” Working for an Australian-based company allows Ryan to work remotely so he has the freedom to experience various places to live. “I have lived in the Old Market District in Omaha and the Power and Light District in Kansas City, but I truly love living here in Sioux Falls because the downtown is much more quaint and easy to walk from one place to another, and the cost of living is much less,” he adds. He also has family that lives in Sioux Falls, which gave him support while undergoing a much-needed change and provided time to reevaluate his life. “I started out with just getting a small space downtown to work out of while I stayed with my parents,” adds Ryan. “But I quickly came to terms that there was a piece of me missing. I loved the downtown vibe and wanted to make this my home.”

While on a casual stroll, he ran across a sign on a building with available lofts. The wheels were in motion. “I just loved it because it was completely renovated and was a good transition from where I had been living.” Fast forward a few months and Ryan was relishing his new living space and lifestyle. With over 1,600 square feet of space, the two bedroom loft features exposed brick walls and beams, original hardwood floors, and doors with transom windows and mail slots. Ryan delightfully shows off all the little pieces of nostalgia he has come to love in his loft.

Finding the space was only half the battle. Making it a reflection of Ryan was the next step. He quickly bonded with Kimi Imwiehe, Assistant Sales Manager for Montgomery’s. “Working with Ryan was a really good fit for us both,” said Kimi. “At first he wanted to just find a few pieces and quickly settle.” But Kimi had other ideas in store. “Once Ryan started, he immediately embraced the idea and settled on a Mad Man feel. So my job was to help him find a good balance of function with a masculine feel.”

The main living room greets with high ceilings, warm terra cotta brick walls, and wood floors. For accessories, Ryan and Kimi selected a large, turquoise velvet sofa and accented with caramel tones in the pillows, throw, and tufted leather side chair. “Ryan loves nice things but he is into cost savings. So we actually incorporated heirloom pieces he already had such as his grandfather’s hat, an old bicycle, and a preserved Scotch bottle. My coworker, Emily Connelly, and I teamed up on Ryan’s project. We worked together because we wanted to give him ideas as unique as his tastes and living space.” That approach and their endless inventory of customizable pieces resulted in creating the perfect bachelor pad. “For a thank you gift, I found him an amazing piece of history – an ashtray from the historic Cataract Hotel.”

Oversized windows ensure plenty of natural sunlight, and they are finished off with wide black wood blinds. Moving into the kitchen area, the extended bar with grey Caesar stone gives plenty of space for casual cooking, hosting wine tastings and even a last minute after-bar gathering. Even though the space is a loft, Ryan commends the owners for ensuring the numerous space saving details. “Look at this,” as Ryan opens a kitchen cabinet door, “there’s plenty of functional storage.” With cabinets created on site, the wall of rich, walnut cabinets and traditional white subway tile backsplash melts into the design of the main living area.

The master bedroom is open and bright while still maintaining the mid-century modern design. A large tufted bed with white bedding sits on a black and white area rug and is capped off with a velvet emerald green bench for the perfect pop of color. The nightstands were a suggestion from Kimi, who tried to honor Ryan’s wishes to Listing, Buying or Building - You need

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only have pieces with storage. The unique stacked slabs of wood that comprise the pieces are a perfect combination of form and function. The one interior wall is painted a light buttery cream to contrast with the dark tones and brick walls. For a touch of nostalgia, Ryan had an old bicycle that ended up being a conversation starter for the space. Finishing off this historic gem is a master bathroom and a guest bedroom with a walk-through to a spacious guest bath. “I love that the accommodations for guests are so nice,” adds Ryan. “This bathroom has a lot of room and numerous places for storage.”

Even though there is a small bonus room that’s well-suited for Ryan to practice his golf swing, he often opts for the rooftop every chance he can get. With breathtaking views of the historic downtown Sioux Falls skyline, Ryan can choose to practice his swing, entertain friends, and even benefits from a community garden. “I come up here a lot for fresh mint when I make my mojitos,” he adds. The spacious area includes small seating areas, a fire pit, and covered lounge furniture perfect for comfort on hot days.

“It’s really a lifestyle,” states Ryan when talking about his downtown loft. “I’ve enjoyed living here and getting to decorate in my signature style.” Even though the lure of city streets filled with a bustling combination of fine dining, shopping, and offices, Ryan knew it was time to make an investment and purchase a home. “It was a difficult decision but it’s kind of like I’m taking that next step,” he adds. “I needed this loft, and I’m so appreciative of all the things it has given to me over the past year.” n