Find Creative Inspiration in the West Hollywood Design District

The West Hollywood Design District, located at Melrose Avenue, Robertson Boulevard and Beverly Boulevard, is a cultural and shopping destination that has been providing inspiration for creative visionaries since the 1950s. Visit international design showrooms, and shop for furniture, fashion, and art. Here’s a small sample of what you’ll find when you visit:

Luminaire

One of Miami and Chicago’s top sources for vanguard European design in America for the past 40 years now has a two-story, 15,500 square foot showroom in the West Hollywood Design District.

Founded by Nasir and Nargis Kassamali in 1974, the renowned multi-brand design retailer enlisted Los Angeles-based studio MAKE, to help them reflect the brand’s Miami roots by incorporating the same iconic metal-work on the facade of the space that was originally constructed in 1960.

Inside the glass doors, you are greeted by a Lars Zech sculpture from the owner’s personal collection. You will also find vignettes exploring best-selling works by brands such as Cassina, Cappellini, Living Divani, and Moroso along with debuts of new pieces by Jader Almeid, and kitchen designs by Luminaire for Minimal. In addition to furniture, the showroom will feature offers an expansive collection of accessories and lighting from Ingo Maurer and Davide Groppi.

While growing their brand in the U.S. and propelling their philosophy that good design should be accessible, according to Nasir, “We chose to open our Los Angeles showroom in the West Hollywood Design District because we want to position the space as a welcoming design destination. We are a truly multi-brand store with highly curated offerings from the best manufacturers. In addition to our incredible world-class collections, we have on staff trained consultants who are highly educated in design who can help design every area of your home.”

Through regular curated exhibitions, open-forum lectures and educational programming, the brand has forged connections between design enthusiasts and designers, architects and scholars. “Our collections are not based on trends and our offerings are ever-changing,” says Nasir. “We want to emphasize the importance of design and its effect on people’s everyday lives. We’ve designed our showroom so that people can walk away with not just a design experience, but a design education.”

8840 BEVERLY BOULEVARD, WEST HOLLYWOOD, CA 90048
323-579-2800, LUMINAIRE.COM

Poltrona Frau

In this case, good things come in pairs. In a complimentary connecting space next door to Luminaire, (located at 8840 Beverly Boulevard), leading Italian design brand Poltrona Frau has also a 4,300 square foot showroom that is comprised of a dramatic wraparound glass façade.

Follow the natural oak parquet floors with muted gray walls and a contrasting black ceiling to view the brand’s special area dedicated to Poltrona Frau Leathership® which upholds their commitment to heritage and specialized technique. “Making Masterpieces,” is a demonstration of the high-level craftsmanship put into the iconic Chester sofa.

You’ll find a variety of products from Poltrona Frau’s collection on the main floor, including the award-winning Ren furnishing collection by Neri & Hu, Ludovica + Roberto Palomba’s “Let It Be” modular sofa system, iconic pieces like the Archibald chair created by Jean-Marie Massaud, and artistry from the first accessories collection for the brand, The Objects. Additional features on view include various Emperador marble finishes throughout the space and an illuminated column chair display, along with the show stopping lime mortar of the brand’s logo prominently displayed on the wall, welcoming guests.

8840 BEVERLY BOULEVARD, WEST HOLLYWOOD, CA 90048
310-858-1433, POLTRONAFRAU.COM

Maddox Gallery

Just across the street, forming a perfect trifecta, is the Maddox Gallery, originating from London. Opened by British heiress Petra Ecclestone, along with gallery director Sam Palmer, and creative director Jay Rutland, inside the fall floral façade, you will find some of the best of the blue-chip modern and contemporary British Art scene. Housed in a 3,000-square-foot architectural space with loads of natural light streaming in past the steel ceiling beams, this is a perfect spot to find a new work of art for your home or office, browse the array of paintings during a stroll down Beverly Blvd., or throw a blow-out event.

8811 BEVERLY BOULEVARD, WEST HOLLYWOOD, CA 90048
424-303-7664, MADDOXGALLERY.COM

Farrow & Ball

Once you’ve shopped in the West Hollywood Design District showrooms for all your chic international furnishings and accessories, you might want to further spruce up your surroundings with a new coat of paint. Visit British paint and wallpaper brand Farrow & Ball‘s two-story flagship on La Cienega (technically just outside the Design District in Los Angeles). Known as international color experts, with over 132 titles like Elephant’s Breath to Dead Salmon, the typical boring swatches don’t stand a chance here. Designed by the Project Room, the showroom features an interactive customer experience once you walk past the colorful towering totems.

Transforming the customers experience into a tactile and personalized affair with its premium paint and handcrafted wallpaper, for the first time in North America you can visualize every color palette in every available finish through an innovative magnetic display system that brings paint to life on three dimensional surfaces.

“With this new showroom, we wanted to create an innovative space and rethink what a paint and wallpaper showroom can be,” explains Farrow & Ball CEO Anthony Davey. “The West Hollywood Design District has such an exciting design scene, it seemed right to create a dynamic space that takes a new approach at how we experience color. Together with Project Room, I believe we have achieved something that will really surprise and amaze our customers.” 

The showroom also serves as a canvas to exhibit local creative talent. Michael Dopp, LA-based artist, has created limited edition wood-block posters in Farrow & Ball paint which are displayed on the walls. The billboard on the exterior of the building, will act as an outdoor gallery featuring the work of Los Angeles based artists and creatives.

This location is also composed to be a gathering place for the design community. A series of modular tables can be used as work stations and a second-floor lounge, complete with a design library, welcomes architects, interior designers and clients to work and take meetings.

741 N. LA CIENEGA BOULEVARD, LOS ANGELES, CA 90069
424-303-7664, farrow-ball.com

Want to spend more time exploring the Design District? You’ll find more recommendations for cutting-edge home design and décor boutiques here.

Updated from the original article written by Carole Dixon