Elena Lelchuck and Jessica de Guardiola arrived in town from Palm
Beach with one goal in mind: put Boston on the style map. Northeastern
grad de Guardiola recognized the city’s untapped potential firsthand.
“Before we moved here, we realized that Boston has become a premier
destination for fashion, style, beauty, and food,” she says. “It’s a
great town filled with talent and resources that sometimes get
overlooked.”
The best friends (who met at work)
started their own lifestyle PR firm, 5s, this summer. To inaugurate the
new venture, the former cube-mates branched into bigger digs. Now, the
duo cohabitate and run 5s from an airy loft in Fort Point Channel.
Too
close for comfort? Definitely not. “We’re used to dealing with
conflicts that arise in business and in friendships, and we deal with
problems as they arise. We can’t afford not to,” de Guardiola says.
Bonus: the rooming scenario saves money as their business launches.
Their
first coup was proving that it’s possible to live frugally and
fashionably. The studio is a stylish refuge wrapped in exposed brick,
with different areas (living room, workspace) sectioned off by
furniture and brown silk floor-to-ceiling curtains. They decorated the
space themselves, guided by a bohemian Moroccan vibe and their
laid-back Florida ethos.
“We wanted to make the
office young and trendy, and incorporate our background,” says de
Guardiola. “We didn’t want a stiff office space. That’s not who we are,
and those aren’t the kinds of clients we have.” The loft mixes
one-of-a-kind antiques, modern steel, and, of course, plenty of fashion
books. The result is a sanctuary, inviting to interns and clients alike.
In
order to retain that professional vibe, though, personal touches like
family photos are noticeably absent. After all, it’s hard to close a
deal with Grandma grinning from the wall. The women compensate by
stocking up on personal furniture – much of it transported from Florida
– and focusing on the intimate aspects of their design choices. “It
still feels like home, even if there aren’t parents’ or friends’
pictures up,” de Guardiola says. “We filled the space with objects and
items that we’ve collected over the years.” Whimsical touches, like a
zebra-hide rug and an Egyptian cigarette poster, lighten the mood.
Naturally,
the ladies are effortlessly down-to-earth when it comes to decorating
tips. They confess that, when stocking their office space, several
trips to IKEA were in order. Locally, they adore Chimera lighting
(“when we make it big, it will be our spot!”) and the South End’s
Disegno, for its bohemian feel. In the meantime, they stud their space
with two cost-effective accents: flowers and candles. They scour the
Flower District for DIY arrangements, a favorite being hot pink
Pianese. Candles, usually from Fresh, smolder day and night.
The result: scaled-down chic. Inspired? They recommend picking pieces that serve double duty.
(In
the kitchen, a stainless-steel butcher block doubles as a dining-room
table. A bookshelf holds fashion tomes and also separates desks.) Most
of all, remember that patience is a virtue: “So many people want
immediate gratification. Spend the time to find the right pieces. Go to
antiques markets, shop on Craigslist,” de Guardiola recommends.
Definitely a result worth waiting for.
