Readers,
Welcome to Studio 125. This is the “official” reveal of our space, the one with the backstory and ALL the resources featured in the countless Instagrams taken over the past six months. It’s been a journey, and to be frank, we’re still working out the kinks. Nonetheless, it’s finished enough to invite you in for coffee or a cocktail IRL, so in essence, it’s finished enough to share with the internet.
This space was just a glimmer in my eye almost a year ago now. I had a baby in my belly, a house jam-packed full of STUFF and no dedicated space to get messy and make things. I knew it had come time to take the leap of faith and find a space of my own, but it felt like really bad timing to be taking on a five-year commitment. It also felt like leasing a space was a public declaration of saying “I’m running a business” and who did I think I was for being so bold?
I looked at spaces about half the size of the one we’re in, and if we were to go that direction, I was worried we wouldn’t have the full flexibility to open the things we make for W&D to an audience, and in person. For as introverted as I am, the idea of being able to extend and translate the ideas behind W&D to experiences has been a goal I’ve been driving towards for a while now.
Life has a way of pushing you past your insecurities and comfort zone. There are usually a few key people cheering you on, like the person you’ve hired to help with your finances (I’m looking at you, Erik and Alex), and a partner who is willing to take a bet on you and your vision. After looking at 6 spaces and not feeling confident with any of them, the clock was really starting to tick. I was looking very pregnant and my consulting travel was about to wrap up. We needed to find something and find it fast.
My accountant gave me the “go ahead” to look at a space that was definitely too big for the current state of our company, and even though there were a number of factors pointing towards staying conservative with spending, the benefits slightly outweighed the risks, and I signed on the dotted line a few or so before going into labor.
This is what the space looked like before we fixed it up. The windows had been updated and I liked that there was a little nook, perfect for a kitchenette.
I designed the floor plan and approved a very small amount of construction. We had a conference room built using the same aluminum materials used for the building’s windows and designed one big quartz island in partnership with Cambria to act as the focal point for the space. Below are renderings I shared with our design partners:
We broke the space up into four areas based on our needs:
I can’t believe how long this process has been! And now that we’re here and using the space regularly, we’ve realized it’s potential and have decided to expand next door! Studio 125 will not only be W&D’s home base but will become a joint partnership specializing in both studio photography and events. There will be three shooting bays, one kitchenette, one full kitchen, a wall of floor to ceiling windows and a wide array of seating. Our offices will be moving to a space enclosed with glass garage doors for maximum flexibility. Follow @studio125mpls on Instagram and join us on our renovation journey as we build this space! We are currently booking the space for May of 2017. Contact hello@studio125.com to get in touch.
Images by 2ndTruth
BY Kate Arends - March 2, 2017
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Thank you for being here. For being open to enjoying life’s simple pleasures and looking inward to understand yourself, your neighbors, and your fellow humans! I’m looking forward to chatting with you.
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March 2nd, 2017 at 3:01 pm
Kate,
The space looks amazing. Love seeing your journey. Thank you for sharing. Hopefully, one day I can visit and meet you in person.
March 2nd, 2017 at 3:55 pm
Wow, it looks SO stunning! Having gone through the studio/venue process myself (in about a month, which was absolutely nuts) I know what a process it is. When we are ready to have a Creative Tribe Workshop in MLPS we will absolutely be reaching out to you!
March 2nd, 2017 at 4:13 pm
oops – *MPLS 🙂
March 2nd, 2017 at 9:39 pm
Congratulations and I love the new space! It would be a dream to work there.
–
Charmaine Ng | Architecture & Lifestyle Blog
http://charmainenyw.com
March 3rd, 2017 at 2:14 am
Oh my goodness – LOVE everything you did with this space!
March 3rd, 2017 at 7:29 am
what a dreamy dreamy space
March 3rd, 2017 at 8:26 am
Congratulations on the new space! It’s absolutely stunning!
March 3rd, 2017 at 9:33 am
Wow…quite beautiful, impossible not to feel inspired while working in such a stunning space!
March 3rd, 2017 at 11:30 am
Love love love love LOVE this space. I would like to move in! What a dreamy place to get to work.
March 4th, 2017 at 8:15 am
Looks fantastic and highly functional. Didn’t see a bathroom in the floor plan?
March 6th, 2017 at 8:26 pm
Wow, this is one of the most inspiring workspaces I have ever seen. That light that pours in is just glorious! Congrats on finally finishing!
March 7th, 2017 at 6:48 pm
The space came together beautifully, Kate! Loving how you incorporated your articles into a cozy lounge area.
March 9th, 2017 at 7:26 pm
Major workspace goals….the kitchen backsplash is A+++
March 10th, 2017 at 1:46 pm
The space looks really great…and it is fun to see a bit of the process reflected in this post.
March 18th, 2017 at 4:00 pm
[…] Kate’s new Studio 125 is […]
March 28th, 2017 at 12:30 pm
What a beautiful space. Congrats!
March 29th, 2017 at 6:55 am
Wow, your space looks absolutely incredible! We actually looked at spaces in the Fisk building last year, and to see what you’ve accomplished in there is really inspiring. Congratulations!
April 18th, 2017 at 2:27 pm
beautiful! Which Ikea desk did you use to achieve this look?
May 1st, 2017 at 10:22 am
Wow Kate, looks great! I have the same Ikea filing cabinets but cannot find file folders that fit in them. Did you have any luck? Congrats again on the new space!
May 10th, 2017 at 1:23 pm
I can’t wait to see this in person! Amazing and congrats Kate!
June 9th, 2017 at 9:23 am
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[…] also doubles up on farmhouse sinks and Cambria countertops in her Studio 125 in Minneapolis. Her kitchenette space features a porcelain apron-front sink paired with the subtle marble elegance of Swanbridge and a […]
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