The sidewalks of Brooklyn are paved with expression, boasting eclectic displays of art, architecture, and community that emulate across the globe in almost every facet of design. But while the borough streets are known for their acute hustle and bustle, the skies are taking on a different role—intimate tranquility. From 535 feet up, the city noises fade, and an appreciation for the striking details of elevated materiality sharpens. At 535 feet up, you find a new community you call home in The Brooklyn Tower. 

The Brooklyn Tower secured the accolade of the borough’s first supertall, piercing the sky at 1,073 feet. Conceptualized by award-winning firm SHoP Architects, the building’s dramatic exterior plays on rich materials, featuring a skillful combination of shimmering bronzes, marble whites, and deep blacks in a geometric pattern reminiscent of Brooklyn’s native architecture. The exterior, however, is only a prelude to the microcosm of design and experiences within the tower’s walls. 

Behind the tower’s masterful facade lies a thriving ecosystem of unprecedented amenities. The Brooklyn Tower has the basics—billiards, lounge seating, and even a library—but what sets the space apart is the floor-by-floor evolution of resources built for every life and schedule. From the state-of-the-art Lifetime Athletic Club to the city’s first Life Work coworking space to an elegant terrace with three outdoor pools, The Brooklyn Tower effects a dimensional escape for daily activities, allowing residents to enjoy what they do and where they do it. 

When not immersed in the tower’s experiences, residents become surrounded by unobstructed city views and exceptional design in the building’s grand condominium rooms. Artfully curated by interior design standout Gachot Studios, each residence was orchestrated to encapsulate a refined aesthetic and radical sense of place. With that in mind, building owners JDS Development Group enlisted Industry West to accentuate the warm, elegant environment culminating within their residential spaces. 

Industry West team members worked closely with JDS Group to seamlessly furnish The Brooklyn Tower’s residences, exuding careful consideration for the building’s central motif of surroundings designed for experiences—a theme the Industry West brand echoes.

“The Industry West team highlighted the building’s distinctive hexagonal form that maximizes the transcendent city and water views through floor-to-ceiling windows when staging the model residences. Through tailored design and attention to detail for furniture selections, Industry West helped achieve the goal of timeless, quality style while showcasing The Brooklyn Tower’s unparalleled vantage points,” says Marci Clark, Managing Director of Strategy and Development at JDS Group.

In addition to furnishing the space, Industry West collaborated with JDS Group to provide prospective residents with the option to purchase pre-designed furniture packages. “As with all of our amenities, we aim to provide residents with unmatched levels of service, quality, and comfort,” says Marci. “The Industry West design and furniture packages allow us to create a convenient, turn-key experience for new residents looking to furnish their homes.”

Pioneering a community suspended above the crowded streets of Brooklyn was no simple feat, but the handiwork of JDS Group, SHoP Architects, Gachot Studios, and Industry West is one of a dynamic spirit ushered to reinvigorate residents as they cross each reflective threshold of The Brooklyn Tower. 

While it can be tempting to buy a full set of matching rattan or teak furniture, mixing finishes on your outdoor furniture can give you a more collected, styled look. Yet, while most people no longer buy bedroom or living room suites, they’re still likely to pick up an entire collection of outdoor furniture and call it a day.

Mark Cutler, co-founder of CutlerSchultz along with Nichole Schulze, recommends, “Try to avoid buying an entire suite of the same furniture. While keeping all the seating cohesive, mix up your selection of tables—etcetera—to create a more collected look.

“I love to mix and match different outdoor finishes,” adds Jennifer Nichols of J Nichols Design Studio. She says, “In one of our current projects, we mixed metal outdoor swivel chairs with teak tables. I love the contrast!”

Also, the range of outdoor furniture materials is continuously expanding. Lauren Robbins of Lauren Robbins Interiors notes that outdoor furniture has come a long way since wrought iron, rust-prone metal, and sweltering plastic were the only options. She says, “Fabric and furnishing manufacturers have made great strides, offering mildew and mold-resistant, anti-fade fabrics, performance rugs, and weatherproof furnishings.”

Cutler says, “We are based in Los Angeles and blessed with a climate that allows outdoor entertaining essentially all year round, so our outdoor furniture is going to get a lot more use.” While that means you don’t have to worry about off-season storage and extreme cold damaging materials, it does mean that furniture will take a beating from the sun.

Cutler recommends, “To combat this, use powder-coated aluminum frames, they are light and incredibly durable, and lean toward lighter colored fabrics as they fade less and do not get as hot.”

Meanwhile, on the East Coast and throughout the South, Cutler focuses on storm and waterproof selections, particularly when it comes to covers (more on those in a minute!)

Kathy Kuo, founder and CEO of Kathy Kuo Home, explains, “If you live in a climate where you know you’re likely to want to store your outdoor pieces during the winter, consider lighter-weight woven items that are going to be easier to pick up and move into a garage or storage space.”

And, if you have waterfront property, Robbins adds, “Salt air is not a great fit for wrought iron furniture which will begin to rust with time.”

Adding cushions to outdoor furniture gives a patio a relaxing, lounge-inspired feel. But, as Nichols shares, they require more upkeep. Cushions on outdoor seating make each piece extra comfy. The trade-off is that to protect the longevity of the cushions you need to cover the furniture in seasons of heavy rain or snow.” She explains that excessive moisture can lead to dry rot in cushions and sling-style outdoor chairs.

Outdoor cushions can be protected by adding waterproof covers or you can store them indoors in a dry area between seasons or during extreme weather. Cutler explains, “In areas where summer is shorter and weather is unpredictable, you want to create a situation that the furniture is ready to go when you are, so a good cover will allow you to use your pieces even if it rained the night before.”

Nichols adds one more tip, “If you are protecting your outdoor dining table with a waterproof cover, make sure to tent the middle of the table so the water will roll off and not puddle in the middle of the table.

“This is furniture that is often moved around, so keep that in mind,” says Cutler. This has multiple implications. First, you want to be careful not to damage your outdoor surface area. “A stone terrace can easily be scraped up by heavy furniture, so think about that as you make selections,” says Cutler. Choose lighter-weight furniture in an area where you’ll be moving pieces around regularly. 

On the other hand, he says, “On a Deck, weight is always going to be an issue, and selecting smaller, more compact pieces will give you more safety.”

“I like to use furniture that can be reinvented to serve multiple purposes,” says Robbins. Particularly when you’re dealing with a smaller space or one that needs to serve multiple purposes from dining to relaxing. “A console or side table can easily double as a small dining table if selected right the first time,” explains Robbins. She suggests using ottomans or stools that can slide under coffee or side tables to accommodate additional guests. She adds, “Cocktail tables can become game tables with an ottoman pulled up at just the right level.”