Today's reveal is a little closer to home than what we have been sharing -- our office and showroom space in Westlake Village, California. Calling it "new" is a bit of a stretch because we signed the lease in December 2019 (it was actually my biggest goal for that year -- nothing like a little last-minute goal-reaching!) and moved in on March 1, 2020, about two weeks before we had to close down due to the Covid-19 pandemic (are you noticing a theme in our projects from last year??).
When we got the keys on January 1, the front part of the space had cave-like low ceilings and dark green -- almost black -- carpet. There were three small offices in the front, a bathroom that I couldn't wait to rip out, and a huge unfinished warehouse space with a roll-up door in the back, which was a big selling point!
It wasn't exactly what I had in mind but I knew that with some better space planning and loads of white paint, it could be the bright, happy space I'd been envisioning. We spent about two months on renovations with our go-to construction team, McMaster & Hill as well as some help from my cousins' San Diego-based businesses Brian Despres Refrigeration and Jennifer Cole Florals and here's what we did...
We started by removing the drop-down eight-foot ceilings at the entrance and opened it up to the metal beams and exposed conduit for a sort of clean, industrial vibe. We took down almost all of the interior walls and skim coated the ones that were left to provide a clean surface to paint EVERYTHING one of my favorite white paint colors, Chantilly Lace by Benjamin Moore.
The existing bathroom wall didn't reach the new higher ceiling, so we extended that and renovated the bathroom (trust me, it was scary before!). Now, it has a pretty textured wallpaper, warm brass fixtures, and a fun patterned floor. Around the door, I added a collection of seascapes that I will be a little sad to part with, if I'm being honest!
There was an open room in the middle with plumbing roughed in for a kitchenette (yay!) so we finished that out and painted the cabinets Cheating Heart by Benjamin Moore for some contrast against the rest of the all-white space. All of the items we used to style the kitchen are available in the studio and it is really fun -- and helpful for our clients -- to be able to see them styled as they envision their own space.
Across from the kitchen, there are two tables that we can use to spread out when working or to meet with clients. We added decorative lighting throughout to highlight some favorite vendors, and hid track lighting up high to make sure the space stays bright. The whole space got new luxury vinyl plank flooring which gave us a nice, neutral base to work with.
At the back, we have space for our desks and sample library with the warehouse space just beyond. It has already been a game changer to have so much room to spread out and keep everything tidy and organized. We've actually been able to stagger our seating so everyone can be socially distanced throughout the day. I feel so much gratitude for that.
Of course, the front is the showroom which is stocked with goodies from all of our favorite to-the-trade vendors, now readily available for you. I'm so excited to now have the ability to order ANYTHING for you guys. Our team can sit with you to order any custom furnishings you'd like - like our favorite performance fabric upholstered pieces to the perfect barstools that are actually comfy.
We have sofas, chairs, small accent furniture, textiles, art, lighting, and accessories ready for you to shop and for our clients to try out. There are tons of items that I can't wait for you to see but we have been especially impressed with the Boden sofa by Rowe, which can be either upholstered or slipcovered (or both!) and has tons of options for creating a look that is truly unique. The Breathe by Milliken fabrics look amazing on it, and it is a collection of uniquely eco-elegant performance fabrics, sustainably designed using plant-based or recycled fibers that are naturally liquid repellant and durable. You know I love a performance fabric, and this one is top-notch!
One of the reasons that I was so excited to have this space is to be able to offer some new services that we just didn't have the ability to try before. We aren't quite ready to launch them, but I just can't wait any longer to tell you about them!
The first will be a concierge-style shopping experience where you can sit down with one of our designers for a set amount of time -- and have access to our trade-only product catalogs -- to get the LBD look without using our full service design services. We're hoping this will appeal to design-savvy customers who might need help getting through a design road block that has them stumped, or need a few special items to really finish our their space. The second service will be an in-home styling session using products from our showroom.
I promise to keep you in the loop as we get ready to launch, but for now, if you are interested in anything that you see here, please email us at sales@lindseybrookedesign.com to make an appointment to shop. And as always, if you are interested in any of our existing design service from home furnishings, renovations, or new construction, please fill out our design inquiry and a member of our team will be in touch soon.
All photos by Public 313 Design