Design, Travel, Repeat: A Month in the Life
When an interior designer gets asked what they do for a living, and we give our response, 99.9% of the time we get: “That must be so much fun!”
The truth is that this industry is a crap-ton of work, all-consuming and stressful, AND it can also be fun…sometimes. Luckily, Kim, Anita, and I crack each other up, and levity goes a long way on the tough days. Plus, we have some pretty fantastic clients and associates, so yes, we occasionally have fun.
The Venice Beach Project: Finally IRL
Last month, we got to break up our leisurely days of laugh riots with a work trip down to Venice Beach for our first on-site visit for a project we’ve been collaborating on with our longtime, incredibly creative, and cool clients and their architectural team.
Up until now, it’s all been over Zoom and emails, so we were excited to see a few of our decisions in person. The project is still in process, but it was super cool to see what we’ve only seen in 3D’s. Here are some progress shots of our collaboration with Bestor Architecture and our clients, Nikki and David:
Where We Stayed: Design Inspo at Every Turn
Once we were done here, Kim and I checked into our adorable hotel in the perfect location within steps of the Venice Beach “boardwalk” (which is concrete, so don’t go looking for actual boards).
Anyway, the boutique Gjelina Hotel could not have been more lovely—from the people, to the accommodations, all the way up to the rooftop patio. Perfection. We can also highly recommend their restaurant, just a short walk away. Unfortunately, their store was closed, but through the window (and Nikki’s high praise), we know it has great stuff. We both took a ton of pictures of the hotel, but here are a few tiny shots to give you an idea:
A Wild Mix of Everything
We got the chance to walk the “boardwalk,” and what a fantastic, eclectic dichotomy this place is. Woven between cheesy touristy stuff (that every beach town seems to have) are outdoor gyms. Yes—people lifting weights in-the-out-of-doors. Walkers, like us, annoyed the runners and bikers on the paths that weave through areas where there are groups of roller skaters, skateboarders, roller bladers, basketball players…so many sports! Everyone had their tribe. It was fascinating.
There were people rapping (several, actually), one guy singing Yacht Rock tunes—he was my fave, of course. The homeless/houseless situation hasn’t missed this city, and even this population seemed to have their own vibe. It’s as if the characters from the movie Fast Times at Ridgemont High ended up in Venice Beach—on the boardwalk specifically. 😆 Here are some artsy shots of Venice:
It was a whirlwind trip down there that was packed full of meetings and also included a tsunami warning. Of course it did. Being the fearless leader that I am, my survival plan for myself and Kim was to be sure to sleep with our bras on, just in case we had to run. Thankfully, nothing came of it—but an uncomfortable night of sleep.
Band-Aids, Laughter, and a Back Patio Install
The next day, we had the very fun-truly-experience of going to Lululemon to help our client with her office decor, and her assistant was AMAZING!
We laughed and chatted, and she brought me socks and as many Band-Aids as she could grab because I am still not old enough to learn my lesson about wearing the wrong shoes on business trips, apparently.
Kim thought it was both sad and hysterical...mostly sad. 😂
And then, because there’s no rest for the wicked, the next day we installed furniture for just the most beautiful back patio we have been working on with Opus Vitae. The weather was perfect for it, and although it was a long day, it was super gratifying to see it all come together. On these projects, we get to know each other pretty well, and Eileen knew I might need a beverage at this point, so she invited the neighbor (my bestie) over and fixed us all drinks. We sat and chatted, and it was absolutely wonderful. Thank you, Eileen and Marissa. ♥️
An Old Friend & A Full Circle Moment
As I was writing this, a very special longtime client—from before Lord Design and also from the early days of Lord Design (shortly after Kim joined us)—dropped in to say hello and have a glass of wine. She is best described as delightful.
It was like we had just seen each other last week, and yet it’s been ten years. We’ll be working together next year to create a snug of a space for her to heal and to gather her family around her as they all learn how to navigate the world without Dave, her husband of 38 years. He was a funny, smart, very loving man that I am so glad I got to know. I am excited that Kim and I get to help create a soft place that embraces Kathryn and her family when they are home. This will be a happy space of color and pattern where you come as you are, put your feet up, laugh loudly, and cry just as loud if you need to. Cute tissue boxes will be close by—as will the spirit of Dave.
Gratitude, Always
So…I guess it doesn’t completely suck to be in this industry after all.
I am incredibly grateful for this life and the various characters…(and some of you are some real characters—you know who you are…Kevin)…who make my life so rich. I begin and end my days with a practice of gratitude, but I sometimes forget the little things that happen throughout the day that are little pieces of magic that I am going to make a point to notice more. Embrace more. And be thankful in the moment for.
I hope you do the same. It’s a short trip—let’s savor it. Thanks for being here.
Whether you’re redesigning your home or crafting a healing space for a new chapter of life, Lord Design brings warmth, intelligence, and irreverent charm to every room we touch. Follow along @lorddesign.interiors or reach out to inquire about upcoming availability.