As the cofounder of Abbott, a men's fragrance line whose scents are inspired by campfires and suede bomber jackets, Jose Alvarez has a masculine style influenced by his travels and adventures.
So when he and his girlfriend, Brooke, moved into a Williamsburg, Brooklyn, loft that was formerly an Esquire Shoe Polish factory in the early 1900s, he wanted to keep its rough concrete and exposed brick interior intact. "We wanted to maintain the integrity of the space but create a home where we could live and grow," Alvarez, who left the finance world to start Abbott with Michael Pass earlier this year, told Business Insider.
To help make his space feel more cozy, Alvarez relied on Homepolish, a startup that has designed spaces for startups and homeowners alike. We talked to Alvarez and designer Jae Joo about the home.
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Alvarez cofounded Abbott after 10 years working in finance, which included stints at Morgan Stanley, ING, and Citigroup. When it came to decorating the home, designer Joo sourced inspiration from Brooklyn flea markets, antique stores in Upstate New York, and Alvarez's outgoing personality. "Jose is a free spirit and refreshingly adventurous," Joo told Business Insider.
Both Joo and Alvarez wanted the space to feel cozy.
"My focus was to create a polished canvas so that despite the grand scale of the loft, it could become a relaxed and inviting home," Joo said.
See the rest of the story at Business Insider
