Name: Asya Palatova of gleena
Location: Pawtucket, Rhode Island
Size: 750 square feet
Years lived in: 5
The first thing we noticed about Asya’s light-filled loft was how similar her home feels to the delicate ceramics she creates under the name gleena. Both the space and her handcrafted porcelain dishes have a minimal quality, but her playful color palette and use of graphics give both the loft and the tableware a warm approachability.
Sculptural elements dominate the space: Asya’s own artwork, collections of smooth rocks, even the unique staircase built at an angle to allow enough room for someone to pass underneath. Everything from the varied, but well-matched, paint colors to the carefully curated artwork from friends creates a cohesive visual harmony. That's not really a surprise considering Asya also works as a graphic designer whose impressive resume includes past stints at Martha Stewart Living and Pentagram. She has devised a place equally well suited to quiet relaxation or tasteful entertaining — two activities that would also provide the perfect opportunity to use gleena’s gorgeous cups, plates, and bowls. To see more of Asya’s surprisingly affordable porcelain creations, visit gleena.com.
Apartment Therapy Survey:
My style: Modern with a classic/vintage lean
Inspiration: My grandmother’s St. Petersburg apartment. Her and her husband were architects, and lived in one room of a communal apartment in the center of St. Petersburg, Russia. The way they used the space made it seem bigger than it was. She surrounded herself with her watercolors, her husband’s paintings and the art of her friends. It was also filled with plants.
Favorite Element: The large wall unit of shelves that David Dilks designed and built for me.
What Friends Say: They like to visit because I move things around all the time, furniture as well as the books and ceramic pieces. There is always something new to look at. I’ve rearranged my space at least 15 times in the past five years. That’s the great thing about having one open room, you can create the living room and dining room anywhere you want.
Biggest Embarrassment: The sprinkler pipes in my bedroom. The are so low, everyone hits their head on them.
Proudest DIY: The paint job. I love painting walls different colors. It’s a very satisfying and relaxing project.
Biggest Indulgence: The wall unit, it was custom built for the space.
Best advice: Move furniture around periodically, even if you don’t like where it ends up. Change is great in a space, and by trying out new configurations; you will hit on something you want to live with for a while.
Dream source: BDDW in New York City. They have beautiful hand-crafted furniture. Also, Atlas Industries in Brooklyn, I love their modern/vintage approach to a shelving system.
Resources of Note (furnishings, hardware, appliances & materials):
Paint & Colors:
Kitchen:
Living Room:
Dining Room:
Bedroom:
Artwork throughout the loft: Jennifer Inderland, Susie Nielsen, Alec Baxt, Trisha Krauss, Danielle Leventhal, Claudia Middendorf, Liz Phillips
Thanks, Asya!
Images: Sarah Rainwater
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Beautiful! So open and airy, without being cold. It makes me think you would be a fun person to hang out with. Also, I love your pots!
view Nancy_Claire's profile
Luminous and beautiful. I'm off to investigate Asya's ceramics on the interwebz. One incidental question: What is the source for the bottle (brown glass, green label) next to the entomological canister holding kitchen utensils? Does it taste as good as it looks? I'm both a wino and a lover of bottles, and I feel I must... have... it.
view rosenatti's profile
Great tour and space! I sure do love those bunnies on the shelf. They're yummy. Not to mention all the great artwork. Oh and that glass ceiling...Thanks Sarah!
view boston_kyle's profile
Like your work -- and appreciate the way you integrate it into your living space without letting it overwhelm and clutter things up. Would enjoy seeing a pic of your studio -- not cleaned up, but as-is.
Also, very much enjoyed the color combo. What is the green-y cream behind the main shelf unit in the living room?
view Arkay's profile
Asya, I love everything about your place, especially your decorating choices. The textures, colors, and shapes are fantastic. Also, the loft and steps are big-time cool! Please tell me about the floors because I want to redo mine with that wood and finish. Btw . . . I'll be buying some pottery for Christmas gifts.
view lobo's profile
I also love what you've done with your loft and your ceramic sculptures. Is this environment also your studio? Where do you fire your work?
view jacasi's profile
Thank you Sarah for this wonderful post, and thank you everyone for your nice comments, here are some answers to questions:
@ rosenatti: the bottle you are asking about it is filled with Chartreuse, here is their official website: http://www.chartreuse.fr/, it is very tasty in small doses
@ Arkay: here is a link to my studio: http://mymamastable.blogspot.com/2008/12/gleena-studio.html
Also, I have to look up the green you are asking about, it's in my records, somewhere...
@ lobo: the floors are the original mill floors (the loft is in a renovated textile mill), not sure what the wood is. They are finished with a matte polyurethane.
@ jacasi: I have a separate ceramics studio, not far from my home. I have a medium sized electric kiln there where I fire my work.
Thanks everyone!
Asya.
view asyagleena's profile
wow, a true Artist's Home! Would love to hear and see more of your grandmother's story, as well as about the very interesting cardboard-with-string thingie in picture 14...
view In Everything's profile
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view Cabinetgiant123's profile
Lovely home. I especially like the way your creations fit so well into your home.
view Nina79's profile
The loft is very beautiful - so airy. Don't care for all the sculptures, but if it makes her happy, then it's nice.
view ChrisGal's profile
You have a beautiful home, love the artwork!
view Hinke's profile
Where is the rug in your bedroom from?
view blue22's profile
@blue22
The rug in the bedroom are Flor tiles, arranged in a stripe pattern. Here are the tiles I used:
The dark gray-green: Style name: Finer Things, color: Jade
The creamy color: Style name: Soft Chord, color: Cream
view asyagleena's profile
This loft looks like a very interesting person lives here. Love your reading nook and the gorgeous white pot with the plant growing out of it.
view bejeweled's profile
Asya, your home is just lovely! Could you please tell me where you purchased your living room sofa? Your description of your grandmother's St. Petersburg apartment is so charming! I would love to see a photo of it!
view Redrose's profile
Yet another artist's home that I have enjoyed - this time full of great light, a delicacy of touch and numerous interesting surprises. Many thanks for sharing.
view EAM's profile
@redrose
My sofa came from a local Providence home decor store called Abode, it is no longer in business, sadly. I am not sure where Abode ordered it from, there are no tags on it. Sorry couldn't help there.
To see a little bit more of my grandma's apartment, here is a link to a New Year's post from last year:
http://mymamastable.blogspot.com/2008/12/true-russian-new-years-eve.html
I love the image of the dinner table set for over 20 people, grandma was a master at entertaining. Perhaps that is why I make tableware now?
view asyagleena's profile
Everything about this place is perfect. From the color theory down to the placement and scale of objects.
view jessroo's profile