When you’re in the business of producing movies, television, and theater, you understand the importance of establishing the right mise-en-scène. Just ask Jake Gyllenhaal and Riva Marker, founding partners of the New York City–based production company Nine Stories. Established in 2015 and named after J. D. Salinger’s 1953 anthology of short fiction, Nine Stories specializes in what Marker describes as “provocative, character-driven material that emphasizes both quality and commercial appeal.”
Posters for Gyllenhaal’s hit films hang in the screening room; Desiron Sofa and Guillerme et Chambron armchair from 1stdibs.
The company’s offices are located in a SoHo apartment that was recently transformed by the AD100 firm Ashe + Leandro . “We wanted to have a sense of play in the design. It’s a place where filmmakers and artists can feel empowered to be open, inventive, and collaborative,” Gyllenhaal says. Partners Ariel Ashe and Reinaldo Leandro responded with a design scheme that eschews the trappings of slick Hollywood glamour in favor of something moodier, cozier, and more redolent of Manhattan. “Think of it as the anti-CAA,” Ashe explains, referring to the Los Angeles offices of the entertainment behemoth Creative Artists Agency.
In Marker’s office, a vintage teak desk faces chairs by Moran Woodworked Furniture, all from 1stdibs.
The design is a sophisticated mélange of midcentury-modern classics, contemporary creations, and vintage desks culled from 1stdibs, abundant artwork and movie posters, and bespoke elements such as the dapper wood screen that defines one edge of the communal seating area. Marker’s office has a bright, feminine quality, in contrast to Gyllenhaal’s darker, more pensive lair. “Jake’s office feels very serious, but there are a few humorous moments and lots of personal memorabilia to inspire him,” says Ashe, who met the actor-producer when they were teenagers on Martha’s Vineyard. “He’s actually very funny. He did the best impression of a velociraptor when we were kids.”
In the kitchen, West Elm chairs flank a Saarinen table.
