An LA-based creative's accidental path from music to furniture design

The Nana chair, designed by Hanne Willmann for Freifrau, has evolved into an expanded collection that now includes a sofa and loveseat, embodying a gesture of warmth and embrace. The initial Nana chair, launched in 2021, is characterized by its voluminous and cloud-like appearance, a result of Willmann's experimental design process involving small cushions and balloons to achieve its soft, curvilinear form. This approach ensured the creation of a seating piece that is both simple and perfect, aiming for unprecedented seating quality. The development of the Nana collection highlights a close collaboration between Willmann and Freifrau. Willmann appreciated the creative freedom and extensive technical and crafting support provided by the company throughout the design journey. The initial concept for the chair involved exploring an airy piece of furniture, which led to hands-on experimentation to achieve the distinctive silhouette. The unique central seam, a remnant of this developmental process, further defines the furniture's aesthetic. Willmann presented her design to Freifrau, which was met with enthusiasm despite the inherent challenges posed by Nana's soft silhouette for the upholsterers. The designer spent nearly eighteen months working in Freifrau's workshop, continuously adjusting prototypes to match the intended form and ensure optimal comfort, a hallmark of Freifrau's products. This meticulous process underscored the company's commitment to quality and the art of furniture upholstery. Following the successful development of the chair, Freifrau decided to expand Nana into a comprehensive family of furniture. While other frame chairs might have been an obvious extension, Freifrau encouraged a bolder approach, leading to the introduction of a couch, a loveseat, and an ottoman. The Nana Love Seat, in particular, addresses the growing demand for cozy and inviting seating options in homes, especially in areas where space might not accommodate larger upholstered landscapes or where a dedicated reading corner is desired. This loveseat serves as a functional intermediary between an armchair and a sofa, offering opulent seating for a single person. Willmann conducted numerous form studies to ensure that the new, larger volumes maintained the collection's characteristic design while avoiding a cutesy aesthetic, ultimately achieving a sculptural presence. The Nana sofa, a first for Freifrau, demonstrates the manufacturer's trust and flexibility in supporting Willmann's vision. Willmann was drawn to Freifrau not only for its special, feminine design ethos but also for its commitment to local production, sustainable practices, and high-quality materials. The family-like corporate culture, characterized by passionate discussions over design details and a willingness to produce distinctive furniture, further solidified this partnership. This approach, where conviction guides product development over purely economic considerations, resonates with customers who seek unique and thoughtfully designed pieces for their homes. #FurnitureDesign #HomeFurnishings #InteriorDesign #ProductDevelopment #CollaborativeDesign #UpholsteryCraft #ModernFurniture #DesignerSpotlight

Los Angeles is experiencing a vibrant surge in its home design retail landscape, with numerous new shops and pop-ups offering a diverse array of styles and unique finds. These establishments cater to a wide range of tastes, from minimalist modern and industrial chic to coastal elegance and vintage aesthetics, attracting both celebrity clientele and design enthusiasts. Cassina, an Italian furniture manufacturer, has opened its largest store to date in Los Angeles. This three-level space, designed by art director Patricia Urquiola, showcases modular works by Virgil Abloh and features its iMastri Collection, which includes timeless pieces resulting from collaborations with significant architects and designers such as Charlotte Perriand and Gaetano Pesce. The showroom is located at 145 N. Robertson Blvd. Olive Ateliers, a shop that has gained popularity through TikTok and Instagram, has become a favorite for home accessories, even attracting celebrities like Kim Kardashian, Kendall Jenner, and Elsa Hosk. Co-founded by Kendall Knox, Ben Knox, and Laura Sotelo, Olive Ateliers specializes in “objects with old souls,” such as worn Turkish vases and vintage Chinese elm benches. The store is situated at 1210 Mateo St. Inner Gardens, a long-established garden emporium known for landscape designer Stephen Block’s global finds and reproduction pots, has relocated to a former bank building in Culver City. The store's unique and serendipitous inventory appeals to high-profile clients including Spago, Soho House, Kelly Wearstler, Elton John, and Ellen Pompeo. Its new address is 4444 Sepulveda Blvd. Habitat Home & Garden, a family business with its third outpost in Malibu, emphasizes unique furnishings and one-of-a-kind designs that reflect the laid-back luxury of coastal California. The store, which includes rustic wood furniture, vintage rugs, and sun-bleached accessories, counts the Duke and Duchess of Sussex among its customers. It is located at 21249 Pacific Coast Highway. LDV, an establishment co-founded by Guido Callarelli and Birta Ólafsdóttir, now has a pop-up store near the West Hollywood Design District, allowing in-person viewing of its impeccably restored Art Deco and 1970s-era furniture. Previously, its inventory was available exclusively through an invite-only online platform. The pop-up is at 156 S. Robertson Blvd. Pop-Up Home, a furniture shop previously known for its roving nature, has found a permanent location in Melrose Hill. Founder Tricia Benitez Beanum curates a diverse collection that includes sculptural vintage furniture, 1970s studio pottery, and contemporary art from UNREPD, a gallery co-founded by Beanum that focuses on emerging artists. The store is located at 642 N. Western Ave. NB Shop, run by interior designer Natasha Baradaran, offers an experiential retail space that reflects her tactile approach to home and life, appealing to clients such as Heather and Christopher McQuarrie, Luis Miguel, and Kate Hudson. The shop, located at 725 N. La Cienega Blvd., features her Persian Garden textile collection, inspired by her Iranian heritage. The Expert, a design consultation platform co-founded by John Legend and Chrissy Teigen's interior designer Jake Arnold, has expanded with an e-commerce arm, Showroom, and a by-appointment warehouse in West Adams. The Showroom offers vintage pieces alongside Arnold's made-to-order furniture line. Appointments can be made via email. Flora Grubb Gardens, a well-regarded San Francisco garden shop known for its focus on sustainability and drought-tolerant plants, has opened a new location in Los Angeles, taking over the Marina Del Rey Garden Center at 13198 Mindanao Way. The Future Perfect, led by David Alhadeff, continues to elevate the concept of blending residence and retail with its fourth Los Angeles iteration. Now housed in a historic Beaux-Arts neoclassical home, newly landscaped by Art Luna, the space offers collectible contemporary design by appointment. House of Leon and Tappan Collective, run by siblings Jordan, Steven, and Chelse Neman Nassib, occupy adjacent shops on Melrose Avenue. House of Leon provides stylish and accessible furniture, while Tappan Collective showcases art from emerging talent, demonstrating how to integrate furniture and art seamlessly into residential spaces. They are located at 8200 Melrose Ave. Kalon Studios, known for its minimalist wood furniture favored by Kylie Jenner and Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, has opened its first space at 3559½ Casitas Ave., Atwater Village, featuring a landscaped roof deck designed by Teremoto. Pierce & Ward, the interior design duo behind homes for celebrities like Leonardo DiCaprio and Dakota Johnson, has opened their first shop at 1956 Hillhurst Ave., Los Feliz, featuring their maximalist aesthetic softened by sage green walls. Maquette, a collective formed by interior designers Caitlin Scanlon, Abby Wolf-Weiss, and Julie Goldman, has transformed a bungalow into a retail and co-working space. Located at 507 N. Larchmont Blvd., the shop attracts clients like UTA’s Blair Kohan and CAA’s Risa Gertner. Cooper Reynolds Gross has partnered with Fred Segal to launch his first commercial furniture collection, “Feels Right, Feels Good,” at Fred Segal on 8500 Sunset Boulevard. Coup D’Etat, a San Francisco-based gallery, is opening a new location on Robertson Boulevard. It will offer high-end furniture, exclusive artist collaborations, curated vintage pieces, and a dynamic visual program, attracting renowned designers. Gilded Owl, a decorative arts gallery from Hudson Valley, has established a presence on Beverly Boulevard at 7282 Beverly Blvd., showcasing mid-century Italian furniture and collaborations like “The Pool Table Series,” appealing to patrons such as Kirsten Dunst. Seventh House LA, located at 7001 Melrose Ave. in a building designed by Frank Gehry, presents a collection of early 20th-century Art Deco, postmodern, and contemporary art furniture. Albertz Benda | Friedman Benda, a New York gallery, has an L.A. outpost at 8260 Marmont Lane, aiming to broaden the concept of art and design by incorporating craft, architecture, and technology. This addition is significant for the L.A. design scene, as noted by interior designer Oliver M. Furth. Studio Balestra, Adriano Balestra’s shop at 767 N. La Cienega Blvd., blends his Italian heritage with Japanese antiquities to create a unique wabi-sabi aesthetic. This compilation provides an overview of the burgeoning home design scene in Los Angeles, highlighting various styles, celebrity endorsements, and key figures driving the industry. #LosAngeles #HomeDesign #InteriorDesign #LuxuryFurniture #VintageDecor #Lifestyle #Retail #ArtAndDesign #CelebrityStyle

Eclectic interior design is characterized by a "collected-but-not-a-collection" aesthetic, where diverse items from different eras and styles are thoughtfully combined to create a cohesive and personalized space. This approach eschews rigid design rules, embracing individuality and a broad range of influences. Designer Lindsay Boudreaux defines it as deriving ideas, style, or taste from diverse sources, creating a mix of traditional, modern, artsy, and collected elements. The style is gaining popularity, sometimes referred to as quiet luxury, bookshelf wealth, or vintage modern. Key elements of eclectic design include combining opposites, such as a minimalist Scandinavian sofa with a Baroque mirror, to tell a continuous story rather than just matching components. It also involves a daring use of color and pattern, exemplified by a bright African rug contrasting with earth-toned furniture in a loft apartment. Fusing various textures and materials, like glass, metal, wood, and fabric, adds depth and interest to a space, as seen in a vintage Brooklyn brownstone blending Victorian nostalgia with contemporary art. The freedom inherent in eclectic design allows individuals to express their unique personal taste. It encourages the incorporation of vintage or antique pieces, like a Persian rug, alongside contemporary items, such as a modern sofa, a midcentury teak bookshelf, and an Andy Warhol print. This creates a collected-over-time vibe, similar to maximalism but without excessive clutter. A minimal eclectic style is also possible, featuring a clean, sparsely decorated interior with functional pieces of different styles that harmonize through their materials. Several practical tips can help achieve an eclectic look. Art is an accessible way to introduce this style without a major commitment; blending various art styles and periods on a gallery wall can create a diverse yet unified focal point. Sculptures, artistic lamps, and vases also serve as art elements. Textiles like throw pillows, rugs, or curtains with varied patterns and textures, such as velvet, linen, or leather, add character, depth, and warmth. Mixing bold prints, textures, and color palettes creates visual interest, provided there's a unifying element like a common color or theme to maintain cohesion. Layering different lighting sources, including pendant lights, floor lamps, and table lamps, helps create a layered and inviting atmosphere. Combining modern and vintage elements, such as pairing a contemporary dining table with vintage chairs, achieves a balanced aesthetic. Finally, displaying personal collections—whether books, ceramics, or travel souvenirs—adds a unique touch that reflects the homeowner's personality. The guiding principle for eclectic design is intentional mixing of different styles, avoiding the over-reliance on any single design trend, to create a comfortable and lived-in environment. #EclecticDesign #InteriorDesign #HomeDecor #DesignTrends #VintageModern #ArtIntegration #TextileMixing #LightingDesign #PersonalizedSpaces