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Pulling inspiration from all chapters of the decorative arts, designer Ryan Lawson deftly transforms one couple's Manhattan loft into the ultimate crowd-pleaser

- SAM COCHRAN

When people ask James LaForce and Stephen Henderson for the key to a long and happy relationship, the New York power couple of 34 years offer three pieces of advice. "The secret to marriage is a kingsize bed, separate bathrooms, and separate sofas," jokes Henderson, a writer, alluding to the quotidian bliss of parallel play. Space, in other words, can be a salve. But space also poses its challenges, as the duo discovered upon buying their new Manhattan apartment.

Set in a historic Chelsea factory building, the loft spanned some 6,000 square feet, with broad windows and an auxiliary studio apartment incorporated into the generous floor plan. For social butterflies who love to entertain but also delight in their downtime together, the question became how to make sense of that sprawl. "We recognize it's a luxury," says LaForce, a communications and marketing maestro, noting they envisioned the space as a venue for fundraisers and gatherings. "It would be a waste to have it unused." So they called their friend and decorator Fernando Santangelo, who, as fate would have it, wasn't accepting new projects in their timeline. "He said he was too busy but that there was this really nice kid across the hall from him," recalls Henderson. "So we got the kid across the hall-and he was great."