At Home with: Stewart Bean and Luis Mendoza

A look at the beautiful Brooklyn apartment of a successful couple; a product designer and place branding director.

When Stewart Bean emailed me over a year ago to photograph his wedding party, I found myself fortunate enough to have secured a fulfilling gig—not all of them can be creative or fun. Stewart and his partner, Luis Mendoza, had the chicest wedding party I’ve had the pleasure of photographing. There was a host of stylish guests that paired perfectly with the iconic backdrop of The Long Island Bar where they held their celebration. But the love surrounding the couple and their New York City life together was inspiring. It always makes my job easier. Smiles and laughter filled the dim, buzzy room all night.

Before I photographed their party, I met Stewart and Luis at their Brooklyn apartment. I loved the space and I loved photographing them in it. Without knowing them, I could feel the harmony of their tastes. Plus, they were dressed immaculately.

Stewart is a product designer at Apple who grew up in North Carolina and bounced around a few of America’s most major metropolises for various jobs before landing in New York City permanently. “I’m trying to start my own artistic side practice since I have a background in drawing and printmaking,” says Stewart reflectively. He tells me that he loves New York, where he’s resided for almost a decade.

Luis, who works in place branding, runs his New York office. He travels between here and their London office, working with many cities in the US, a feature of his job he enjoys. He grew up in Madrid, staying local all the way through college until age 24, when he moved to London for the next 11 years. “Work took me to San Francisco for a bit, which is where I met Stewart,” says Luis.

Following these two on Instagram is a joy. While the app itself spirals further daily from what it once was, these two use it like it was originally intended. They post stunning imagery and videos of New York, in all its excitement and banality, as well as the places they travel to. They are both impressive and unique. I am still honored that they entrusted me to document such a monumental day in their lives.

Stewart, Luis and I discussed how they furnished their apartment, future hopes and wishes for the space, living in New York City, some of their favorite places they’ve traveled, art in their apartment, artists they love, and more.