Refinery29

Inside Designer Tyka Pryde’s Light-Filled Loft in Los Angeles | Sweet Digs | Refinery29

Tyka Pryde, a production and interior designer who recently launched a furniture collection, opened her newly‑moved‑in downtown Los Angeles loft to showcase a space that doubles as a personal studio and a statement of her design ethos. Housed in a former 1900s railway station, the loft retains historic tracks and high ceilings, providing a dramatic backdrop for her creative work. Pryde walks viewers through her FAST formula—Focal point, Anchor, Scale, Texture—highlighting the centerpiece "Soul Study" light that mimics sunrise and creates a golden‑hour glow. She anchors the room with a graphic rug from the Tami Coker Walmart line, layers scale with towering ferns, and adds texture through layered fabrics and a chandelier‑inspired floor lamp built from over 2,000 jewelry‑grade chains. She notes that the light went viral on social media, calling it her "pride and joy," and explains how thrifted pieces from Facebook Marketplace and budget retailers coexist with her high‑end designs. The loft’s minimal closet prompted a clever curtain‑wall storage solution, illustrating her blend of practicality and aesthetic flair. Pryde’s narrative underscores a broader push for Black designers to claim authorship and visibility in a historically under‑represented field. By marrying historic architecture, affordable sourcing, and bold personal branding, she offers a replicable model for emerging creatives seeking both sustainability and cultural impact.