WEST ELM OPENS DESIGN STUDIO IN BROOKLYN'S INDUSTRY CITY

West Elm, the Brooklyn-based home furnishings retailer, announced today the opening of West Elm Makers Studio, a state-of the-art creative workspace located at Industry City in Sunset Park, Brooklyn, New York. The 11,600 sq. ft. facility houses more than a dozen artists, designers and craftsmen who design and develop West Elm products. In addition, West Elm Makers Studio will offer guided tours, with special programming led by West Elm’s design team, during the second annual Industry City open studio event on Saturday, April 18 from 11 a.m. – 6 p.m.

“West Elm was born and bred in Brooklyn,” said Jim Brett, president, West Elm. “The brand launched here in 2002. We opened our first DUMBO store in 2003, and our first West Elm Market in 2012, along with our Sunset Park photo studio and warehouse the same year. In 2013, we announced the future expansion of our corporate office and stores into the converted Empire Stores building on Water Street in DUMBO.”

“West Elm and our in-house design team have grown significantly over the past five years,” Brett says. “The Makers Studio promotes design creativity and collaboration and furthers our commitment to the Brooklyn community we are lucky to call home.”

The seven plus studios are dedicated to conceptualizing and designing product while offering independent and flexible workspaces for all disciplines, from a colorist dye shop and weaving room to a carpentry workshop and 3D modeling space.

“We set out to create a collaborative environment for design to experiment and grow,” said Jonathan Orr, vice president of product development, West Elm. “We’ll have visiting artists stay with us to work on projects, develop existing and fresh ideas, and teach us new techniques. It will be a modern day laboratory for design.”

The Industry City open studios one-day event offers guests a glimpse inside the Makers Studio and includes:

• Guided studio tours with West Elm artists and collaborators from 12 p.m. – 5 p.m. on the hour. The makers will include:
  • Ben Howart, ceramicist
  • Sarah Campbell, painter and textile pattern designer
  • Roger Stevens, metal worker
  • Rachel Kozlowski, artist/illustrator
• Opportunities to relax and recharge in the West Elm lounge equipped with smartphone charging stations
• Refreshments from Brooklyn’s One Girl Cookies
• The creation of a crowd-sourced art installation celebrating Brooklyn from printed Instagram photos with #ICOpenStudios
• Coloring and drawing for children with Rachel Kozlowski

The West Elm Makers Studio is on the 6^th floor of Building 7 in Industry City located at 33 34th Street, between 2^nd and 3^rd Ave. in Sunset Park, Brooklyn, New York. For more information about Industry City open studios event visit www.IndustryCityStudios.org.

Industry City is accessible by subway from the D, N and R trains and B37 bus via 36th Street. By car, take the BQE to 39th Street. Street parking is available nearby.

About West Elm: Mixing clean lines, natural materials and handcrafted collections from the US and around the world, West Elm creates unique, affordable designs for modern living. The brand offers choice in products and services, builds community through connections with customers, collaborators and associates, and focuses on consciousness in everything we do, from handcrafted and local products to supply chain transparency and sustainability. Headquartered in Brooklyn, NY, West Elm introduced its first catalog in 2002, followed by its first store in 2003. The brand's complete assortment can be found in 72 retail stores in the United States, Canada, Australia and the UK and around-the-clock at westelm.com. We also offer international shipping to customers around the world and have an unaffiliated franchisee that operates stores in the Middle East. West Elm is part of an active community on Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter and Instagram and a member of the Williams-Sonoma, Inc. portfolio of brands.