Originally from North Carolina, Kristen McGinnis fostered her creative eye in the prestigious visual arts program at the North Carolina School of the Arts. Her passion led her to New York where she studied fashion design at Parsons School of Design. She broke into the interior design industry with a senior position at a top New York design firm. In 2005 she opened her New York-based firm, Kristen McGinnis Design, Inc. With a background anchored in many design disciplines, she consistently pulls inspiration from not only interior design and architecture, but also fashion and fine arts. As part of our #place2be series, we equipped Kristen with a D-Lux 5 so she could document some of the places she finds inspiration in New York City.

De Vera

From spiritual relics, natural objects, artist designed pieces and jewelry; each piece curated by Federico de Vera has a story to tell. The gallery on the corner of Crosby and Howard is hauntingly serene and yet refined and elegant. With every visit I leave mesmerized and remember why it is my favorite store in Manhattan.

ABC Kitchen

I am not sure that I can adequately describe how thrilled I was when ABC Kitchen became a part of the fabric of the Union Square neighborhood. As a longtime supporter of the Union Square Greenmarket and of farm to table dining, ABC Kitchen supports many things that I find personally meaningful. The food is the star of the show and the menu evolves with the seasons. With my office just a block away it has quickly become my local hangout.

Museum of Modern Art Sculpture Garden

What I remember the most from my first trip to New York City was our visit to the Museum of Modern Art. The purity of the art contained within the walls of the sculpture garden was pure magic. It seemed to offer a moment of calm and isolation amongst the all of the surrounding chaos of its urban environment.

-Kristen McGinnis