Inside a Vibrant Abode Where California Cool Meets the Scandinavian Summer Home

Table Of Content

• Vitra "willing to take risks" over changing products' appearance to improve sustainability, says CEO Nora Fehlbaum
• Inside Roman Alonso and Steven Johanknecht's Bohemian-Chic Apartments
• Gather Table
• Eight chocolate-brown interiors that look good enough to eat
• The Emergence of Communes and Collaborative Living Spaces
• Examples of Communal Living Spaces
• Commune Design: The Art of Collaborative Living Spaces
• In the Studio: Whitman Shenk

The projects featured in Design Commune display many common threads, such as the influence of handcrafted materials, mid-century modern architecture and vintage designs, but each project remains deeply personal and unique. The Lighthouse is a co-housing community in Seattle that focuses on community building and environmental sustainability. The Lighthouse is designed as an intergenerational community, where residents of all ages and backgrounds can share resources and support each other.

Vitra "willing to take risks" over changing products' appearance to improve sustainability, says CEO Nora Fehlbaum

“They wanted to lean into the West Marin vibe, but they also wanted surprises in color, pattern, and decorative layers,” he adds. Throughout his myriad residential interiors, LA designer Jake Arnold often opts for muted yet impactful rugs that express a relaxed California sensibility. His limited-edition, seven-piece collection for Lulu & Georgia is just as hushed, drawing from 18th-century tapestries and modernist forms alike.

Commune Believes in Design by Committee - Architectural Digest

Commune Believes in Design by Committee.

Posted: Tue, 10 Nov 2020 08:00:00 GMT [source]

Inside Roman Alonso and Steven Johanknecht's Bohemian-Chic Apartments

In 2019, London ceramicist Ian McIntyre and illustrator John Booth, better known together as Supergroup, designed an uplifting series of flower, cloud, and rainbow sculptures for Hem. This time around, the duo has turned out the equally exuberant Bronto, the Swedish brand’s foray into tableware. These ceramic dinner plates, mugs, and espresso cups accentuate overstated soft edges with saturated shades of green, pink, orange, sand, and yellow. As a cofounder of Commune Design, the Los Angeles firm known for its savvy mixing of vintage chic with high-end handicraft, Steven Johanknecht might be expected to know his Neutras from his Navajo rugs. Hiring a design firm like Commune Design can bring a level of expertise and experience to your project, as well as access to unique resources and suppliers. It can also save time and reduce stress by taking on the responsibilities of managing the project and coordinating with contractors and vendors.

Gather Table

Once we were ready to start work on the Santa Monica location, they were already fully part of the Breadblok team. We also used the stand as an opportunity to fine-tune the proportions of the shelves and pastry cases. When we were finally ready to design the millwork for the store, we were already very familiar with Chloé’s range of products and how best to display them.

Eight chocolate-brown interiors that look good enough to eat

Common spaces should be comfortable, inviting, and designed to encourage socializing and sharing. Private spaces should be cozy, tranquil, and designed to promote rest and relaxation. Communal living offers numerous benefits, both on an individual and communal level. Living in a community can reduce feelings of isolation and loneliness, enhance social support networks, and increase feelings of belonging and connection.

The Emergence of Communes and Collaborative Living Spaces

Trendy sunset hues enliven a ski chalet’s principal bedroom in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. The headboard and bedside tables are by legendary firm George Nakashima Woodworkers. The vintage Danish settee is upholstered in shearling for extra comfort.

With furnishings, we’re more expressive and often go for a layered look. If we’ve done our job right, the elements look like they’ve been collected over time by our clients and not by us. At move-in, we leave the house about 25 percent empty with room for growth.

Commune Design: The Art of Collaborative Living Spaces

Meanwhile, the Sylvan design draws on the shifting patterns of light to abstractly accentuate a snowy forest scene. As a calming pandemic-era endeavor, Steven Johanknecht, cofounder and principal of Commune Design, took to painting. Now, those colorful momentos—namely, four small-scale abstract paintings with repeating shapes—have been recast as the Abstrakt collection, a series of 8-inch-square concrete tiles by Commune for Exquisite Surfaces. The limestone tub in the master bath has unlacquered-brass fittings by Waterworks. The armchair is by George Smith, the custom sconces are by Paul Ferrante, the 1960s Austrian ceiling lights are from Orange Los Angeles, and the sheepskin rug is from Grand Splendid. The custom tiles are by Malibu Ceramic Works, and the photograph is by John Michael Riva, Jr.

In the Studio: Whitman Shenk

See How Los Angeles Design Firm Commune Created Domestic Bliss - Architectural Digest

See How Los Angeles Design Firm Commune Created Domestic Bliss.

Posted: Fri, 08 Sep 2017 07:00:00 GMT [source]

After gaining fans at local farmers markets by selling from her Commune-designed stand, she wanted her new location on Montana Avenue to evoke a California style with Provençal influences. The AD100 firm responded to the task by creating a comfortable neighborhood café with a light, airy feel that reflects the organic texture of Breadblok’s baked goods. While the bakery is currently only offering takeout due to COVID-19, the café is looking forward to reopening fully after the restrictions are lifted.

The Formations bench is in a Fortuny wool flannel, the BDDW side tables support lamps by Hollywood at Home, the curtains are of a C&C Milano fabric, and the wool rug is from Patterson Flynn Martin. A longtime friend of Johanknecht’s, she became one of his first clients after he founded Commune Design in 2004 with Roman Alonso and Pamela and Ramin Shamshiri (the siblings have since left to found their own firm, Studio Shamshiri). The stand was a great opportunity to bring these artisans into the project early on.

The Lighthouse's communal spaces include a shared kitchen, garden, and cultural center, as well as private apartments that provide residents with personal space and privacy. Inside, too, the house retained many of its original features, from hand-carved ceiling beams to wrought-iron chandeliers and arched doors. But previous renovations had altered the flow of the home, with some rooms chopped in two, and the 1920s tile flooring had been replaced with a patchwork of mismatched materials. “We wanted to make it feel more holistic while still honoring its heritage,” the designer says. In the living room, the sofas, in a Rogers & Goffigon fabric, and armchair, in a Donghia cotton-linen, are all by George Smith; the custom cocktail table is by Commune Design. Thered lacquer–framed mirror is custom, the 1920s Spanish torchiere is from Revival Antiques in Pasadena, the curtains are of a Brunschwig & Fils velvet, and the rug is by Christopher Farr.