California Home & Design’s Small Space, Big Style

Name: California Home & Design’s 2012 Small Space, Big Style LA Showhouse
Location: 6735 Yucca Street, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California
Size: 1400 square feet
Dates: Open to the public from now through November 18, 2012.

What’s in a name? In this case, everything! Small Space, Big Style, California Home & Design’s Show House in Hollywood, packs a lot of glamor, along with two floors, two bedrooms, a sleek kitchen and four bathrooms, into a small footprint! Though this is a show house, meaning each room was put together by a different designer, you’d never know it. Perhaps it’s the magic found only in the city of angels, but the seven designers here, though they each worked independently, have created a space that flows easily from room to room.

Located in the Hollywood Condos, a 54 unit building designed by Stephen Kanner of Kanner Architects, the showhouse is just steps from the Hollywood & Highland complex and busy Hollywood Boulevard. The seven designers — Brian Patrick Flynn (second bedroom and bath), Christopher Kennedy (living and dining room), Molly Luetkemeyer (2nd floor mezzanine), Christian May (2nd floor powder room), Potted (outdoor terrace), Azadeh Shladovsky (kitchen and downstairs bathroom) and Erinn Valencich (master bedroom and bath) — worked quickly. They managed to design and, with the help of sponsor Lamps Plus (who provided many of the space’s light fixtures) and the crew from The Shops of Warner Bros. Studios (yup, the same super-fast and amazing guys that work on movies are available to do non-film related work), finish their spaces within six weeks.

If you’re in Los Angeles between now and the beginning of November, stop by and see the space in person. The results are truly breathtaking. And, if you let them know that you’re an Apartment Therapy reader (code: APARTMENTTHERAPY), you’ll get $5 off the $20 admission (all proceeds go to benefit the A+D Architecture and Design Museum). Parking is available on the street and nearby, at the Hollywood & Highland complex. More details here.

Apartment Therapy spoke with some of the designers to get their take on the project:

Name: Brian Patrick Flynn
Room: Second bedroom and bath
Company: Brian Patrick Flynn, Inc.
Short bio: Brian is a TV design show producer turned interior designer. Originally from South Florida, he began his design career in Atlanta, then worked in New York and is now designing residential interiors in Los Angeles.
My style: Preppy, midcentury-inspired with a strong emphasis on unexpected color pairings.
Inspiration: A mashup of the classic, preppy Hamptons with the formal architecture of the South mixed with Hollywood Glamour set to a Floridian color scheme.
Favorite Element: The factory window used as a bathroom shower partition.
Biggest Challenge: The soaring 20-foot ceilings and narrow 10-foot width of the space.
Reaction: I had to break the verticality up into 2 zones, the top with colorful pattern and the bottom with architectural detail.
Proudest DIY The two-tone dresser which is sprayed with teal automotive paint on the exterior and salmon on the interior.
Biggest Indulgence: Faux ostrich wall upholstery.
Best Advice: When designing small spaces, go BIG.
Resources: Warner Bros., Crystorama, U Frame It, Larson Juhl, Kravet, Schumacher, Hammersmith Custom Windows, Astek Wallcovering, Mark Boomershine

Name: Christopher Kennedy
Room: Living and dining room
Company: Christopher Kennedy
Short bio: It only takes three little words to fan the flames of a special relationship. Which is precisely what Christopher Kennedy asks of his clients: three adjectives to describe how they would like their homes to look — and then the fun begins. Kennedy himself is partial to fresh colors, strong shapes, and punches of geometric pow. A love of (and degree in) architecture is behind each of his projects, whether it be a sprawling contemporary estate, a tiny hideaway, or Kennedy’s own lines of furniture, case goods, and lighting. The tie that binds? A certain glamorous drama, informed by the young designer’s home base in Palm Springs.
My style: Jetset Modern
Inspiration: The liberal sitcoms that I watched growing up in the late 70s and early 80s. I wanted to bring back the “Supergraphics” that were so popular at that time and which appeared on the sets of many of my favorite shows. In general, I am continually inspired by Palm Springs, where I live.
Favorite Element: The Supergraphics, definitely — especially the green stripe that flies across the ceiling, connecting the whole room.
Biggest Challenge: Squeezing a dining room and a living room into a space that is smaller than most of my clients’ bedrooms!
Reaction: The entire project is just “Wow!” It was so much fun to work with all the other talented designers. There are many stylistic viewpoints, which is fun to see, but the whole project came together beautifully.
Proudest DIY: I’m really not a big do-it-yourselfer.
Biggest Indulgence: Expensive jeans and great bedding
Best Advice: Go with your gut. If you love something when you first see it, chances are that you will love it for a long time. If something inside is giving you pause, or if you are needing to think about it too hard, move on to something else. There are lots of choices out there.
Resources: Schumacher, Phillips Collection, Rose Tarlow, Kyle Bunting. All Christopher Kennedy pieces can be seen at christopherkennedy.com

Name: Molly Luetkemeyer
Room: 2nd floor mezzanine
Company: M. Design Interiors, Inc.
Short bio: Molly Luetkemeyer founded M. Design Interiors in 2001. From the outset, her mission has been to work with her clients to create personal, comfortable, chic homes that reflect their specific needs and tastes. Her unique style has earned her a place on House Beautiful’s list of Top 100 Designers in America four years running.
My style: Colorful, energetic, balanced, unexpected… with a dash of sexy 70’s sprinkled in for flavor!
Inspiration: In both of my spaces, I was inspired by the hypothetical couple living in the space provided to us by CH+D. She is a costume designer for stage and film, and I decided she was working on an opera about the lives of Alfred Steiglitz and Georgia O’Keefe. O’Keeffe lived in New Mexico for 40 years, so I incorporated Southwestern elements thoughout the space and filtered them through a contemporary, colorful lens — think Southwest on acid. He is a musician and I decided that he had just come back from tour with Arcade Fire and couldn’t wait to unwind, relax and be inspired in his little jam room. I decided to cork the walls and cover them floor to ceiling with images so the space has a dynamic, personal, ever-evolving feel.
Favorite Element: I must say, I love the cork walls covered with images. It is such an assault to the senses, in the best of ways. I also love the wallpaper in her office — the juxtaposition of the natural texture of the paper with the neon pink makes me deeply happy.
Biggest Challenge: Getting those cork walls done! I had piles and piles of images I had collected from magazines of all kinds (music, surfing, skateboarding, fashion, art, current affairs, photography) and there never seemed to be enough. I started looking at all printed matter with a different eye. Catalogues. Invitations. Matchbook covers. If it had an interesting color combination, something that made me laugh or good typography, I would grab it and fill in the holes. I really enjoyed composing that space but it was a very labor intensive project. Three days of me and my iPod and heaps of paper!
Reaction: I’m thrilled with how both of my spaces turned out and other people seem to really dig them, too. It’s fun to watch people go up to the image lined walls and get a little lost in them…
Proudest DIY: Well, I can’t take the credit for the work but definitely the best DIY element happens on the back of the desk chair in her office. I asked Amy (my fellow M. Design-er) to embroider the outlines of a few of the horses on the Florence Broadhurst fabric we used to upholster the chair and even though she had never done it before, she jumped in with both feet and the results are fly. The horses sort of jump out of the pack, and it gives the chair a quirky, personal feel.
Biggest Indulgence: I have a real thing for mineral specimens and I conveniently gave the client the same predilection, so I got to shop for and buy lots of goodies!
Best Advice: When you do a showcase house (or weekend house, for that matter), don’t be afraid of the fake plant. They have really come a long way and no longer have to look plastic and waxy. They won’t wilt and will always bring the illusion of a little life to the space. I would not suggest this for a primary residence but for a place you visit infrequently, it can be just the ticket. I found mine for this project at The Conservatory, a great flower shop on Highland.
Resources: Shumar Hardwood Floors; Benjamin Moore paints. Her area: Élitis Geïsha (Donghia) wallpaper; LBI Boyd Wallcoverings Bulletin Board grade cork, Lamps from Rose Tarlow, Lawson Fenning, Eurofase. Furnishings: CB2, The Container Store, Brimfield Antique Show, Grace Home, West Elm, Calypso Home, Jason Lees Design. Cowhides: Studio McMahon, Fixture Displays LLC. Accessories: eBay, Etsy, WILLIAM B + friends, ScrapbookingAlley, Connecting Threads. His area: eBay, Kelly Wearstler Collection fabric, Ikea.

Name: Christian May
Room: 2nd floor powder room
Company: Maison21 Interior Decoration
Short bio: Christian May is the founder of Maison21 Interior Decoration, an LA-based interior design firm specializing in eclectic, modern and glamorous interiors. The Maison21 design philosophy is to mix vintage with modern and color with pattern to create a chic mix that’s unique to every client. Christian also believes that while design is serious business, there is no reason it can’t be fun as well. His popular design blog, Maison21: Decorative But Not Serious, celebrates that credo.
My style: Vintage + Modern = Cool.
Inspiration: The 1980’s “Memphis” Italian design movement was my inspiration for the wallpaper; the rest just flowed from there.
Favorite Element: Can I say all of it? Because there isn’t a thing I’d change. But if I were to pick one thing (besides the wallpaper), it would be the matte black sink faucet and shower fixtures by Rubinet. They are so chic.
Biggest Challenge: The space is barely 3 feet wide, so there is *that*, plus we couldn’t move any of the plumbing so I had to leave the sink where there basically wasn’t any room for a sink! I was convinced it was going to look awful, but once I had Warner Brothers make the custom cabinet for underneath, it become one of my favorite things… design sometimes works that way!
Reaction: Everyone seems to like it, but they could be lying! One lady on Facebook did comment that she wouldn’t want to be drunk in there, but I dunno, I was a little drunk at the opening party and I did fine!
Proudest DIY: Though the wallpaper, mirrors, shelf and cabinet were custom designed for the space, there wasn’t really any DIY. The closest thing to DIY was the light. I could have pulled a more expensive fixture from Lamps Plus, but when i saw the $27.00 outdoor bulkhead sconce, I instantly knew that it was the one. Right is right, regardless of price tag, and in my design work outside of this bath, I’ll often incorporate a find from a thrift shop or Craigslist, right next to a more expensive custom piece.
Biggest Indulgence: The custom wallpaper. The money spent on such a big statement was super cost effective in a small space.
Best Advice: Small spaces are the perfect places to experiment with big, bold gestures, like wallpaper. Here, because the wallpaper is so over-the-top, I kept the rest of the design elements in check using just two colors, black and white, repeated in the tiles, wallpaper, and plumbing fixtures. I also kept the shapes of the custom pieces simple, and used accessories sparingly. Too much stuff in a small space can feel like a junk shop.
Resources: Custom “Memphis” wallpaper: Black Crow Studios, design by Christian May. Toto toilet and Rubinet matte black shower and bath faucets from Snyder Diamond; Black porcelain floor and wall tiles from Spec Ceramics; White 2″ x 8″ stacking ceramic wall tiles fromWalkon Tile; Bulkhead sconce from Lamps Plus; Custom mirrors, shelf, and cabinet, courtesy of Warner Bros Studio Facilities ; White glass knot sculpture, from Accessory Preview Inc; Vintage white glass vases, Private Collection

Name: Mary Gray and Annette Goliti Gutierrez
Room: outdoor terrace
Company: Potted
Short Bio: Mary Gray spent 18 years in the film industry as an art director and set decorator before opening Potted in 2005. Annette Goliti Gutierrez also came from the film industry as a screenwriter and graduate of AFI. She found herself designing and renovating homes for fun. They both share an intense passion for design and innovation and are committed to seeking out and designing products that embrace a unique perspective of the Southern California lifestyle.
Our Style: Our style is eclectic and colorful.
Inspiration: The inspiration for this space came from Hollywood itself. There is an energy and excitement here. The Moroccan decor immediately conjures up the exotic, and we wanted that atmosphere infused into a modern lifestyle.
Favorite Element: The wall colors. The bold color gives this space an immediate personality. It is friendly, modern and makes you feel like you are in a garden.
Biggest Challenge: The space was claustrophobic and completely artificial.
Reaction: The reaction was exactly what we wanted… people saw the patio as another “room” in the loft.
Proudest DIY: Our proudest DIY moment at Potted was the Cinderblock Wall we did that was featured a while back on Apartment Therapy.
Biggest Indulgence: The Firefly Chandelier from Cleveland Art with its beautiful handblown glass crystals.
Best Advice: When decorating, start with that key piece you are in love with and pivot off of that. Whether it’s a rug, a piece of art, a table, it will inform and ground your other choices. Embrace color.
Resources: Kismet Tile, Dash & Albert, Cleveland Art, Modfire, Bend Seating, Badia Design, E & K Wood, F & S Fabric, Roost, Bauer Pottery, Firmly Planted, Warner Bros., Potted

Name: Azadeh Shladovsky
Room: Kitchen and downstairs guest bathroom
Company: Azadeh Shladovsky
Short bio: Founder of the eponymous multidisciplinary design firm, Azadeh Shladovsky has emerged as a designer known for artful, empathetic interiors and furniture designs. Defined by an aesthetic ability to create depth in the way interiors are experienced, Shladovsky translates details into “meaningful moments and experiences,” as the intention of every project she undertakes. In 2012, her debut furniture collection for Jean de Merry garnered rave reviews from Elle Decor, Robb Report, LA Times and Architectural Digest, France.
My style: Modernist meets Classicist.
Inspiration: Architectural elements.
Favorite Element: The 16′ ceilings.
Biggest Challenge: The 16′ ceilings!

Name: Erinn Valencich
Room: Master bedroom and bath
Company: Erinn V. Design Group / Erinn V. Maison
Short bio: Erinn V Design Group, led by interior and product designer Erinn Valencich, is known for a bold signature style and flair for color and pattern. With a solid foundation in the design industry and hotel and residential projects spanning the country, Erinn’s growth into creating her own furniture collection came naturally. The Erinn V Maison showroom in Los Angeles is known for sophisticated style that artfully marries understated glamour with modern livability.
My style: I love color and pattern and beautiful lines with a modern touch.
Inspiration: I was inspired to create a sophisticated modern boudoir and took my color palette from the John Russo photographs I used in the space.
Favorite Element: One of my favorite things is the rug from Amadi Carpets. It’s taken from a Japanese textile and adds a little bit of a rock star element!
Biggest Challenge: The ceilings are very high and the room was chopped up architecturally so I wanted to make sure that the angles didn’t feel harsh. The deep blue from Portola Paints And Glazes worked to make it feel cozy.
Reaction: It’s so glamorous!
Proudest DIY: I love how the herringbone porcelain wood tiles turned out in the bathroom.
Biggest Indulgence: The EVM mirrored bed is pretty sexy. I think if you’re going to go all out in a bedroom, the bed needs to be number one.
Best Advice: Choose a color palette and stick to it. That brings a cohesive look to any space.
Resources: Erinn V Maison bed, nightstands, accessories & pillows; Grace Home bedding, lamps & ottomans, Snyder Diamond for faucets, hardware, toilet. Warner Bros. vanity & shades. Flooring by Quick-Step. Sheer shade fabric by Larsen, Cyan Design Chanedelier, available at Erinn V. Maison

Thanks, California Home + Design!

(Images: Bethany Nauert)

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