How TM Davy’s Loft Was Saved for the Satyrs and Fairies

Design editor Wendy Goodman takes you inside the city’s most exciting homes and design studios. [Design Hunting]( A visual diary by Design Editor Wendy Goodman [An East Williamsburg Loft Full of Satyrs, Fairies, and Plants]( “I don’t really know that there are many places left like this,” says artist TM Davy. TM Davy in front of his painting three faerie friends. Photo: Wendy Goodman The artist [TM Davy]( and his husband, public-school teacher turned Fire Island gardener Liam O’Malley Davy, found the apartment on Craigslist in 2010. The building, in East Williamsburg, was once a sewing factory. Their bedroom–study is stacked over the kitchen as well as a double-height space. Right now, you can see his darkly enchanting show at [Company Gallery](, “Fae,” featuring satyrs, fairies, tiny monsters and magical caves, which were in the space when I visited. In 2017, facing ever rising rents, several of the tenants banded together to get the building covered by the city’s loft laws. “It was a weird nightmare,” he says. “A lot of people chickened out; they didn’t feel it was worth the stress. They were afraid of … I don’t know what, exactly. I did feel that fear at the time, but I am glad we stuck with it.” — Wendy Goodman [TAKE A TOUR]( This Week in Design 1. [Plaza Regret The prevailing wisdom is that you pretty much can’t make a bad real-estate investment in Manhattan. Plaza buyers might disagree.]( 2. [A Basically Perfect West Village Duplex It’s stuffed to the brim in an appealing way.]( [Learn more about RevenueStripe...]( [Read More on Curbed]( Introducing The City Desk, a weekly newsletter about New York. [Sign up to get it every Thursday.]( [GET THE NEWSLETTER]( [logo]( [facebook logo]( [instagram logo]( [twitter logo]( [unsubscribe]( | [privacy notice]( | [update preferences]( This email was sent to {EMAIL}. Was this email forwarded to you? [Sign up now]( to get this newsletter in your inbox. [View this email in your browser.]( You received this email because you have a subscription to New York. Reach the right online audience with us For advertising information on email newsletters, please contact AdOps@nymag.com Vox Media, LLC 1201 Connecticut Ave. NW, 12th Floor Washington, DC 20036 Copyright © 2023, All rights reserved