Curated & Curious: A Look at Isabelle Weiss’ Industrial-Style Loft

Living with her collection of art and design objects reminds Isabelle Weiss of the joy and responsibility that drive her gallery.
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Isabelle Weiss sits in her living room, surrounded by her vast art collection. // Photograph by Joe Tiano

β€œEvery day is a discovery,” Isabelle Weiss says of her home in the Method Development lofts at the Detroit Design District. β€œAnd I work an oatmeal bowl away from where I live. Indeed, the 33-year-old occupies a loft located just an elevator ride above her business, .

Located at the border between the city’s North End and Milwaukee Junction, the three-story building β€” formerly the Maurice Fox Ford sales and service station β€” features retail space on the first floor and 18 industrial-style lofts on the second and third floors.

Weiss’ gallery (previously known as Next:Space) supports Detroit artists and designers who create functional art objects. The gallery is on the first floor of the building and neighbors a clothing store, design firm, and comic book shop.

β€œI like the industrial atmosphere here,” Weiss says. β€œIt’s close to everything, but off the beaten path.”

Here, we take a peek at her gallery (which was once a mechanic shop) and tour her loft, where every item has a story behind it.

New dimension

An impressive tower sculpture (between the windows in the photo above) by Korean American artist Mary Kim, who graduated from in Bloomfield Hills, impresses.

β€œIt’s my favorite color: red, Weiss says. β€œAnd [Kim has] created a sculpture using several pieces of wood in various shades of red that are all the same size.”

Marketplace musings

Vintage lamps and a chair (where Weiss is seated in the photo above) are from in Detroit.

β€œI learned so much from Marketplace owner Marvin Nash about midcentury design,” Weiss says.

Also in this space are a painting, two monoprints by artist , a thread necklace by Detroit artist , and triangular mirrors from Ferndale design studio

Ocean turbulence

Works by , a designer, self-taught engineer, and Cranbrook Academy ofΜύArt alum, also adorn the apartment. β€œI have the first lamp he ever made [called a Jellyfish Lamp] (in front of the bookcase in the photo above) and have been representing his work since he was just starting at Cranbrook.”

She also owns a planter, β€œM4_6” (under the plant in the photo above), andΜύa vessel from Norman’s Turbulence series that she keeps on a shelf in her living room.

Please be seated

The LT chair (grey chair under the window in the photo above), made of aluminum and bent steel, is β€œsuper sculptural,” Weiss says. It was designed by Colin Tury of , a design studio located in Modern Development’s building.

Textile style

Several pieces adorn the apartment. They include a mix of woven textiles, found materials, and more. β€œI have a collection of her pillows (on the green chair in the photo above) and cushions made from a wide range of materials, including recycled plastic bags, foam pellets, [and] reclaimed textiles,” Weiss says. She also has a Schubatis wall tapestry in her bedroom.

The office

Isabelle Weiss’ office. // Photograph by Joe Tiano.

Weiss’ office (above) is within the gallery and is not separated by walls. Her desk sits in front ofΜύan old brick wall, on which she β€œleft the old graffiti and a million layers of paint,” she says. β€œI chose to keep the industrial bones and even color-matched the paint to drywall. It’s an environment that speaks to our art objects that are born from this great industrial context of Detroit; we shouldn’t hide that.”

It grows on you

Photograph by Joe Tiano

A vessel (on the gray shelves in the photo above), made by metalsmith and student Cassidy Kaufman, started as a flat sheet of metal that was then hammered into a form. β€œIt has a very unusual patina, made with Miracle-Gro,” Weiss says.

Wall art

The painting above the bed in the photo above is by Detroit artist .

Underfoot

The polished concrete flooring is original.

Rooms with a view

Through her apartment’s living room window is β€œthe money view,” Weiss says. Looking west on East Grand Boulevard, she can see Chroma, the Fisher Building, and β€œsome amazing sunsets.”


This story is from the January 2023Μύissue of ΒιΆΉ·¬ΊΕ Detroit magazine. Read more in our digital edition. And click hereΜύto see more metro Detroit interiors.Μύ

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