In anticipation of the Remodelista Holiday Market in LA—at Big Daddy's Antiques off La Cienega, this Saturday, December 6—we're celebrating Los Angeles style. So park your surfboard and stay tuned for a week of laid-back glamour, palm trees, swimming pools, and holiday present ideas included.

Above: The height of downtown: the rooftop lounge at the Ace Hotel Los Angeles. Photograph by Laure Joliet for Remodelista.

Monday

Above: Wrk-shp of LA, a combination architecture firm, fashion house, and design studio, is one of the new vendors at the Remodelista Holiday Market in LA. Take a look at their wares in the first of our daily Market Spotlights.

Tuesday

Above: In Shopper's Diary, Margot presents an LA-insider's new online antiques shop, the result of a lifetime of collecting and a career turn as a master photographer.

Wednesday

Above: Myles Tipley is a deejay by night and a design blogger and DIYer by day. On Wednesday, in his debut Remodelista post, Myles shows us the display-worthy stereo equipment he's considering for his own living room. Watch for 10 Easy Pieces.

Thursday

Above: In Thursday's Studio Visit, we drop in on fashion designer Chay Wike of cult LA shop Chay in her sun-drenched downtown loft office. Read about Chay in our post A Small Shop with a Big Network. Photograph by Jessica Comingore for Remodelista.

Friday

Above: Ready to head to LA? In Friday's Hotels & Lodging post, Julie takes us on a tour of a Victorian house turned hotel in the heart of Hollywood. Photograph by Laure Joliet.

Saturday

Above: A sampling of the goods at the Remodelista Holiday Market in LA. It's on Saturday, from 10 am to 5 pm at Big Daddy's Antiques. We hope to see you there!

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The Scenario: In 2008, creative couple McShane and Cleo Murnane—he's an architect, she's a designer—boldly took advantage of the real estate market crash by buying a plot of steep, undeveloped hillside land in LA's Silverlake. She was then expecting their first child, Emerson.

The Big Decision: Because of snarled market conditions, getting the requisite construction loan took three years, a chunk of time they used to found Project M+, a Los Angeles collective of designers and architects. They also had their second child, Lake, all the while brooding: Should they save money and build at street level, or blow their budget by building at the top of the site with its sweeping views of the Hollywood Hills and San Gabriel Mountains?

The Solution: Go for broke by investing in the construction and engineering of the smallest possible footprint on the top of the hillside—760 square feet off of which their ingenious new 2,400-square-foot, three-bedroom-house is cantilevered.

McShane and Cleo’s Top Tips:

• Work out priorities while allocating budget expenditures. Spend money on the absolute essentials, letting the rest come later. "We moved in with no landscaping or site stairs from the garage to the house, very little furniture — a dining table and our beds — and we’re still waiting to install our fireplace," says McShane.
•  Stay close to the day-to-day building project. The more of the nuts and bolts you understand, the more rewarding the process is, and the closer to your personal vision.
•  Dream big, work hard, and go for it!

 Photography by Mimi Giboin, unless otherwise noted.

Above: Cleo and McShane Murnane take in the Hollywood Hills and San Gabriel Mountains from the patio off their living room. The space is paneled with mangaris, a dense, strong, fire-resistant wood that is approved for the Los Angeles hills, an area vulnerable to fires.

Above: In order to minimize excavation and the building of foundations, McShane cantilevered the primary living spaces—open living/dining room, kitchen and master bedroom and bathroom—over a 760-square-foot lower floor where the children's two bedrooms, bathroom and laundry room are located. The house is built with traditional wood framing. Concrete caissons and grade beams were used for the deep structural footings and the cantilever works thanks to four steel beams. The garage, constructed from dark gray-painted cement-board lap siding, is at street level; some 70 steps lead from it to the house. 

Above: "The color and materials palette is simple but bold. We like a pared-down aesthetic," says McShane. The couple chose a White Oak Flooring System for "a natural feel"; their sofa is from Remodelista favorite Cisco Home and the coffee table is a custom wood and steel design.

Above: The all-white dining area is punctuated with black, blue, and wood tones. Eames Molded Plastic Side Chairs with Wood Dowel Base and a custom bench (with built-in storage) provide the seating. The vintage hemp cushions are Etsy finds. 

See more under-the-bench storage in our recent 10 Favorites post.

Above: Eventually the fireplace will be built into the area where the couple's daughter Emerson is sitting and painting. "Not putting the fireplace in when the house was originally constructed was a cost-saving measure," McShane says. "In the meantime, it serves as a play area for the kids."

Above: Another cost-saving measure: In place of custom kitchen cabinets, the couple used Ikea designs that they faced with custom MDF fronts. "By painting the lower cabinets gray in contrast to the white Caeserstone counters and full-height cabinets, we created some highlight in the kitchen," says McShane.

Above: The floor-to-ceiling, customized Ikea cabinets maximize storage space. The kitchen feels luxurious thanks to its detailing: oak-and-metal Gordon Stools from Minam, stone countertops, and brass fixtures and cabinet hardware. See 10 Favorites: Architectural Hardware as House Jewelry for sourcing ideas.

Above: Cleo makes use of the East Linear Pull-Down Kitchen Faucet in an antique brass finish from Newport Brass. The Heath Ceramics subway tiles lining the walls were installed by Cleo's father.

Above: In the master bedroom, the couple, both originally from the midwest, pay homage to their new home with a copy of California, a novella by Amra Brooks. "We moved to LA because there's a sense of the untried," says McShane. "It's about where you're going, not where you're from."

Above: McShane and Cleo designed built-in storage around the bedroom window so they wouldn't have to have dressers. At the base a drawer serves as a window seat.

Above: "This is our easterly view, which gives us plenty of morning light," says McShane.

Above: Cleo and Lake in captured in the master bedroom.

Above: In the master bath, sun from a skylight streams across Thassos stone wall tiles. The Avalon Faucets and Fixtures were purchased from California Faucets.

Above: Dandelion Encaustic Cement Tiles by Claesson Kovisto Rune were inspired by Arabic geometric patterning. See the rest of the range in Moroccan Tiles from Claesson Kovisto Rune.

Above: The stairwell with its modern, open wood treads borrows daylight from the public spaces above.

Above: The children's bedrooms are downstairs in the 760-square-foot footprint of the house built into the hillside. The cushion on Emerson's bench is made from 1960s curtain fabric circa designed by Saini Salonen for Boras Boras of Sweden and purchased on Etsy. Emerson's four-poster bed is from The Land of Nod.

Above: When the couple first moved to LA, they found a workbench on the street, which they restored and have been using ever since. It is currently Emerson's desk and is accompanied by a bright pink Eames Molded Plastic Side Chair with Wood Dowel Base.

Above: As another cost-cutting measure, McShane and Cleo put off buying closet doors. They built Lake's open closet from piping with pine plants purchased at  their local True Value Hardware store.

Above: Lake's Industrial Loft Twin-Over-Twin Bunk Bed is from Restoration Hardware.

Above: Both children have secret access to their bedrooms. Lake's involves a climbing wall that leads to the living area. The children's rooms are painted in two tones: The paint on the lower half has a durable, high-performance surface.

Above: Lake enters the living area from his room. Photograph by Gary Friedman for the LA Times.

Above: By building at the top, the Murnane's design maximizes the views available from the steep hillside. Photograph by Gary Friedman for the LA Times.

California dreaming is a favorite pastime around here;  see some of our favorite house tours:

• All Eras Welcome: A Spanish Colonial Update in LA
• House Call: High on a Hill in Los Angeles
• Black and White Drama in Hollywood Hills
• A Masculine Midcentury Revival in LA
• A Minimal LA Jewlery Designer Goes Maximal

And on Gardenista, visit some of our favorite LA gardens:

• Before and After: A Grande Dame in Hancock Park
• A Tropical Paradise in Echo Park
• LA Confidential: A Private Coutyard Garden Goes Luxe on a Budget

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• Weekend Spotlight: Michael Kors's Life at the Top
• Fresh and Clean: A London Chef Lives the Way She Cooks
• Upstate Style: A New York Prefab by Way of Austria

We're bringing the Remodelista Market to Los Angeles this Saturday, and to celebrate, our sponsor DXV by American Standard (a new line of luxury fixtures and faucets from the venerable brand) is offering two $500 gift cards that can be applied to any of its products. If you're looking to spruce up your bathroom or kitchen, this giveaway could help jump-start it all.

One drawing will take place at the market and is available to all attendees who enter their name onsite (look for the DXV card giveaway). Not in LA? Not a problem—the second card drawing is open to all Remodelista readers. To enter, simply submit your email in the box below before midnight (Pacific Time) Saturday, December 6. The winner will be selected in a random drawing and contacted through the email provided. The giveaway is open to US residents only; see Terms & Conditions for full details.

In Los Angeles this Saturday, December 6? Kick off the holiday season at our Remodelista Market at Big Daddy’s Antiques, 3334 La Cienega Place, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Visit our Market Page for a list of participating vendors and for information on our upcoming San Francisco market.

Above: The lucky winners can apply the $500 gift cards toward any purchase of the more than 70 pieces from the new DXV by American Standard line of luxury fixtures and faucets, or any American Standard product.

Above: Give your bath a faucet upgrade with the minimalist Percy Wall-Mounted Vessel Faucet with Cross Handles shown here in polished chrome; $615.

Above: A farmhouse classic updated with contemporary lines, the DXV Orchard 36-Inch Kitchen Sink could be the most versatile kitchen sink around; $1,400.

Above: The DXV Isle Pull-Down Kitchen Faucet swivels 150 degrees and has a pull-down spout for hidden sprayer convenience; $600.

Submit your email below before midnight on Saturday, December 6, to be entered into the drawing. 

More Stories from Remodelista

Teachers tell us that notes from students and gift cards are their favorite presents. But who can resist adding something unexpected to the mix? Here are six pedagogue-approved suggestions.

To make sure we've got everyone on your list covered, we're running two gift guides a week from now until Christmas. See all the Gift Guides to date in our archive.

Above: Skinny Stripe Stoneware Mugs by Wonki Ware of South Africa are $18 each from Dara Artisans, a new online collective that fosters workshops the world over. 

Above: Every year for the last decade, Finnish graphic designer Noa Bembribre comes out with a new Calendar featuring words highlighted within words (the blue letters, shown here, spell out "calendar"); $45 from the MOCA gift shop.

Above: The Heath Ceramics Bud Vase, a longstanding Remodelista favorite, is a mere 3 inches in diameter and is available in an array of colors and glazes; $23.

Above: For puzzle solvers young and old: The Cat + Fish Tangram is one of a series of wooden animal puzzles by Etsy seller Bright Beam; $36.

Above: Something you wouldn't likely buy for yourself, but would be glad to have around: A Wooden Triangle Ruler by Danish design company Hay; €29 ($36) from the Finnish Design Shop.

Above: Ferm Living's Brass Desk Cup, made in Denmark, is $37 from the Man of the World shop. 

More ideas? See A+ Presents for Teachers and Holiday Gifts for Educators.  

On Gardenista, consider Tiny Topiaries for the Apartment Dweller. 

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• Editors' Picks: 11 Favorite Urban Backpacks

Who: Airi Isoda and Ryan Upton are the couple behind wrk-shp, an LA-based, multi-disciplinary design collective devoted to both architecture and fashion design. 

What: In addition to interiors and clothing, wrk-shp creates jewelry, bags, and goods for the home. 

Insider Scoop: Wrk-shp will be selling sample pieces of their unisex clothing at the market. Shop great deals on shirt dresses, reversible fall jackets, and knit cardigans, all made in California from Japanese fabrics.

Admission to the Remodelista Holiday Market in LA is free and if you RSVP, we'll enter you in a drawing to win one of four prizes, including a $500 gift certificate to our market venue, Big Daddy's Antiques. 

Above L: The newly launched Concrete Hanging Vessel, $55, is made of light-weight concrete and can be used individually as a planter or container that hangs flat agains the wall (shown here suspended from wrk-shp's wood cleats, $36 each). Above R: Two vessels can be combined. 

Above: Reversible clothing from wrk-shop's Fall Winter 2014 Collection.

Above: Paint-Dipped Bags, not yet available on wrk-shp's online shop, are available in black (shown here) and pale gray.

See our post on wrk-shp's affordable lighting and go to wrk-shop for more.

Check out the work of Scout Regalia and Brendan Ravenhill, two other favorite LA companies who will be selling their designs at our LA Holiday Market. 

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• Glamorous Pendant Lights from a French Designer
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• Design Sleuth: 5 Black Sheepskin Throws

Brother and sister team Ramin and Pamela Shamshiri collaborate often. Ten years ago the siblings, along with Roman Alonso and Steven Johanknecht, founded Commune, the LA design collective whose name is synonymous with edgy California style—think Ace DTLA Hotel—and best illustrated in their recently published monograph, Commune.

One of their first collaborations was the design and renovation of Ramin’s own Spanish Colonial house in Los Feliz, a hillside neighborhood of Los Angeles. Inspired by the architecture of the house and by their travels to the Yucatan, the Netherlands, and Granada, the pair pulled together various eclectic references to create a sense of timelessness, something that's become a signature Commune look. “We wanted it to feel like a chef’s kitchen, with a touch of the industrial,” Pamela says. “And we wanted it to seem as if it could have been there forever.” Here are some of Pamela’s tips for pulling the look together.

Photography by Matthew Williams for Remodelista.

Above: The duo combined three rooms—the kitchen, the butler's pantry, and the maid's room—into one large kitchen/dining space. A field of antique white, three-by-six-inch Capriccio Rectangle Floor Tiles by Ann Sacks adds a sense of lightness to the dark and moody color palette. (For details on the tile, see below.) The custom kitchen cabinets feature doors and drawers inset into the frame—a detail seen in prewar cabinetry. "My brother was very specific about the color of the cabinets—he was inspired by a lacquered door we saw in the Netherlands and wanted to obtain the same depth," Pamela says. "We arrived at the custom color after mixing 17 paint samples (Fine Paints of Europe)." The kitchen island has a dark walnut butcher block with a mineral oil finish similar to ones the pair admired in Spain.

Above: Pamela installed a new window over the sink; its arched shape matches an existing window in the living room.

Above: A live-edge dining table from Lawson Fenning is paired with a suite of Y-backed Hans Wegner CH24 Wishbone Chairs in black from Danish firm Carl Hansen & Son. The hard acoustics of the tiled surfaces are softened by the wood beams and by additional insulation in the ceiling.

Above: Glazed French doors lead directly from the kitchen into a sunken courtyard where Ramin and family can dine outside. A Pot Filler is installed on the wall to be close to the cooking. (See why Michelle thinks Every Kitchen Needs a Pot Filler.)

Above: The Viking appliances—Freestanding 48-Inch Range, Wall Hood, Side-by Side-Refrigerator/Freezer and Dishwasher—lend the kitchen an industrial aesthetic.

Above: Open walnut shelving provides easy access to tea stored in Kakaido Tea Caddies and a contrasting texture to the tiled walls.

Above: A hard-wearing stainless steel counter—a favorite countertop material in restaurant kitchens—with integrated sinks is installed in the heavily trafficked food preparation and dishwashing area. In Remodeling 101: Stainless Steel Countertops, find out if this is the ideal work surface for you.

Above: In the glazed upper cabinets, the arch-shaped cutout references the Spanish Colonial influences of the rest of the house.

Above: Commune's Porcelain Wall Socket has been upgraded with a nickel finish by custom lighting company Paul Ferrante.

Above: The 2038 Theo Hanging Fixture from Paul Ferrante has a customized nickel finish.

Above: The leather-covered midcentury bar stool, designed by Hendrik Van Keppel and Taylor Green, is from the Reform Gallery.

Above: Mirrors inset into the reclaimed, wire-brushed walnut pantry doors reflect the natural light that comes in from the courtyard. The Contemporary Grip Handles in an oil-rubbed bronze finish are from Sun Valley Bronze.

Above: Commune designed the concrete tiles and had them manufactured in Mexico. They're part of Commune's new collection of patterned concrete tiles called Native, created in collaboration with Exquisite Surfaces.

Above: In Commune, recently published by Abrams and available for $42.88, the firm documents 25 more of their projects in LA. The monograph is available in the UK through Amazon for £26.

See more Spanish Colonial charm in our posts LA Style, Artisan Edition and All Eras Welcome: A Spanish Colonial Update. And on Gardenista, The Ace Hotel Turns Tropical in Panama City.

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In 1885, potter J. Andy Bauer of Paducah, Kentucky, answered a local need by making whiskey jugs and other bits of humble crockery. A better climate for his asthma and the Transcontinental Railroad lured him to Los Angeles in 1910, where the locals were more interested in the Arts and Crafts movement than whiskey jugs. Bauer responded by hiring an innovative designer, Louis Ipsen, who was later joined by ceramics engineer Victor Houser. Together the two were inspired by the colors of the citrus groves, palm trees, and Pacific Ocean. Houser experimented with bright glazes and Ipsen created the California Colored Pottery range. This was followed by Bauer's famed Ringware line, and the company thrived during the Depression as homemakers discarded granny's floral china and replaced it with radical mix-and-match colors. 

Bauer was widely imitated, most notably by Fiesta, which led to the company's demise in 1962. Happily, Bauer was relaunched in the 1990s by Janik Boniecki, a Bauer collector and British transplant, who used vintage pieces to create new molds. The new factory stands just around the corner from the original, and Bauer, now flourishing again, has recently opened a showroom in Tokyo. Here are some current examples.

Five to Buy

Above: Julie has a selection of vintage Bauer bowls in her kitchen that add a splash of California color to the white room. Vintage Bauer can be found on eBay and specialty sites, such as Old & Antique Pottery. Photograph by Maria del Rio for Refinery 29

Above: Bauer mixing bowls work well when the colors are mixed and matched. The prices range from $28 to $64 each, and a Classic Style Mixing Bowl Set of Four is $158 and a Classic Style Mixing Bowl Set of Six is $240 at Bauer Pottery. Domestic Domestic offers the Bauer Pottery Bowl Set, shown above, for $149.

Above: The softer hues of Art Deco California can also be found at Bauer. These colors bring to mind the shirts and slacks that might have been worn by Gregory Peck and Marlene Dietrich during the Golden Age of Hollywood. The Ice-Box Box, six inches in diameter and three inches deep, is available in a range of colors at Ancient Industries, $45, as well as at Bauer.

Above: The colors of the sun, cactuses, and oranges are evoked in this selection of Dinner, $30, Luncheon, $27, and Bread plates, $18, from Bauer.

Above: Fido and Felix are invited to dine in style (Bauer also make cat bowls and reportedly has a rabbit bowl in the works). Medium Dog Bowls, 7.5 inches in diameter, are $30 at Ancient Industries.

Object Lessons columnist Megan Wilson is the owner of Ancient Industries and the curator of the Remodelista 100, a collection of essential everyday objects presented in the Remodelista book. Watch for her column every Tuesday, and have a look at her past lessons on iconic designs, including French Bistro Ware from Duralex and Kaj Frank's Teema Dinnerware.

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LA insider Amanda Demme has worn many hats in Hollywood, from music supervisor ("Garden State" and "Mean Girls") to nightclub designer to artist-photographer specializing in portraits. All along the way, she's been an avid collector of old things, and she's now selling some of her finds in a new online store called State of Space. But first she takes ravishing, cinematic photographs to remember each object by.

Photography by Amanda Demme.

Above: A Civil War Silverware Set, $175, comes with the French denim paintbrush sleeve that Demme uses to display the wood- and bone-handled cutlery. "Objects speak to me," says Demme, who traces her love of age-worn things to childhood hours spent admiring the tools and curios in her electrician grandfather's basement. 

Above: Demme's collection ranges from the grand to the humble but resonant. In the glam camp, this Chesterfield Couch, $3,000, shown in her Atwater Village studio, is a find from her days as a club impresario (her credits include the wildly successful Teddy's at the Roosevelt Hotel, which she named for her late husband, filmmaker Ted Demme). Of the sofa she says: "It was too nice to give up. A lot of Chesterfields are oddly proportioned; this one is lower and less puffy. It has very modern lines. I'd be really sad to see it go."

Above: "The grooves and the patina are just sick," says Demme of this Vintage Garbage Can, $150. "Amanda photographs still lifes the same way she photographs people," explains her studio assistant, Stephanie Oller. "She finds each object's best side."

Above: Demme is known for her moody lighting, a carefully calculated combination of natural light and strobes that give her medium-format photographs—such as this stack of Vintage Books, $300—the look of old-master paintings.

Above: Vintage Top 2; $100. As far as prices go, Demme admits that hers tend to be on the high side, but says she, herself, is no haggler and that the figures in her shop are "what I'd spend."

Above: A lot of the objects have put in appearances as props in Demme's portraits, including this Vintage Jump Rope, $100, which appeared draped around the neck of an old man: "The weight of his life is in that jump rope." (And, not surprisingly, a lot of Demme's customers are production designers and stylists.) She shows her photographs at Obsolete, in Venice, CA, which is owned by Ray Azoulay, a fellow inspired collector.

Above: A subspeciality of Demme's is old gym equipment: She lives with leather gym mats and pommel horses and finds it hard to pass up a decrepit pair of football cleats. This Vintage Everlast Wrestling Head Cover is $300.

Above: Vintage Tool Box 2; $150.

Above: Vintage Cake Tray; $350

Above: Lovingly patched and mended Vintage Japanese Gloves; $500.

Above: Vintage Ruler; $15.

Above: Vintage Chair; $100. See more at State of Space.

Share Demme's enchantment with old things? Take a look at:

• Editors' Picks: 10 Favorite Sources for Bargain Vintage Furniture
• 10 Favorites: Vintage Gym Equipment as Decor
• Calm and Collected: At Home with the Duo Behind Aesthetic Movement
• Domestic Dispatches: The Allure of the One of a Kind 

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• Remodelista LA Market Spotlight: Noon Design Studio
• Table of Contents: LA Story
• 18 Best Cyber Monday Deals, Remodelista Reader Edition

Who: Noon Design Studio was founded in 2010 by Jane Palmer in her garage in LA's Beachwood Canyon neighborhood. She has since expanded into a large studio in the city's downtown garment district.

What: The studio is the premier natural dye production house in the country, employing roots, bark, flowers, wood, leaves and mineral powders to create rich hues for dying organic cotton, hemp, linen, and cashmere.

Insider Scoop: At the Remodelista Market, Jane will introduce an exclusive line of tabletop linens dyed with pine charcoal and soils from around the US. 

Above: A selection of Shibori Pillows; prices start at $134.

Above: Noon Design Studio's Cashmere Blankets are a collaboration with LA weaver Christy Matson.

Above: The blankets are made from leftover pieces of hand-twisted cashmere yarn that's dyed with natural ingredients (such as California walnuts, cutch bark, and madder root) in the Noon Design Studio. The warp is linen deadstock from an LA denim company that is hand dyed with walnut. Inquire about pricing.

Above: Plenty of Indigo Dye Kits will be available at the market. They come packaged in a cotton shibori wrapper and contain enough indigo to dye several pieces of clothing; $42. See the full line at Noon Design Studio.

For more indigo favorites, see our posts on Silvia Song's Indigo-Dyed Wooden Bowls and the Indigo Ombre Hues from Cle Tiles. 

Get all the Remodelista market details here. 

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I've been DJing and collecting records since 1998— yes, the nineties. Music is super important to me; it's shaped so much in my life, and it's how I met my wife, who is also a DJ. We have a three-year-old son, and records crowd our smallish Brooklyn apartment, but we love how they make the space feel. Since our son was born, we've developed a daily routine: We wake up, head into the living room, and he picks a record; as long as it's appropriate, we play it. We let him look through the album art and we enjoy some music while we eat our breakfast.

So now I'm trying to set up a listening station, or, at least, a seating area in the living room, that revolves around the turntable and not the TV. As much as I'm into music, I've never fully taken a leap down the audio hole, but now I'm ready. I've been doing tons of research over the past few months and have come across some really interesting and good-looking options at a range on the price scale.

Amplifiers

Above: Available in either a silver or black faceplate, the Pro-Ject Tube Box DS Pre Amp would be a beautiful addition to anyone's home sound system, especially the vinyl heads. Features include ultra-low noise circuitry, gold-plated RCA sockets, and a switchable subsonic filter; $699 at Music Direct.

Above: The Elekit Tube Amp from Japanese designer Koichi Futatsumata is a new generation vacuum tube amplifier. It features rear RCA jacks and side input for portable music devices. For pricing and availability, contact Case-Real. Alternatively, Futatsumata's first-generation amp, the Elekit TU-8100 PCL86 Vacuum Tube Amp Kit, is available for $299.99 on eBay. 

Above: I was told by a super-knowledgable audiophile that the McIntosh MPC 1500 Receiver is a piece you pass down to your heirs. There isn't a better receiver out there. Each is handmade in the US and the attention to detail is unmatched. For pricing and availability, contact McIntosh Labs directly.  

Turntables

Above: Last month, another audio expert told me to look up the Rega RP1 Turntable. He said for the money it can't be matched. I have yet to give it a listen, but it looks rad. It comes with two moving magnet phono cartridges, an upgrade drive belt, and a high-performance turntable mat; $640 at Sound Stage Direct.

Above: The Technics 1200MK2 is a classic: This is your DJ's favorite turntable. It's built for DJing because it's direct drive and not belt driven, but it also works great in the home. The sound quality is amazing, it's got a classic old -school look, and it's a piece you will have forever; $349.95 via Amazon.

Above: The Music Hall MMF Turntable is a straightforward, belt-driven turntable with a very warm, rich sound and some interesting interchangeable dust covers that come in a bunch of different colors; $499.99 at Crutchfield.

Speakers

Above: San Francisco designer Joey Roth has created this beautiful Ceramic Sound Speaker System. As far as small systems go, this is at the top of the list. It has more capabilities and a larger sound than most systems of its size. You can connect a turntable and it's Bluetooth optional; $1,095 for the complete system, which includes two speakers, a subwoofer, and Bluetooth receiver.

Above: The Nocs NS2 Air Monitors are great-looking speakers with exceptional sound quality. These are for the person looking to play music wirelessly from their Mac, PC, iPod touch, iPhone, or iPad. They come in a ton of colors, including gray (shown here), white, yellow, orange, red, and black; $299.95 for the pair.

Above: This walnut-encased, vintage-style speaker is huge: it weighs in at just under 190 pounds. And the sound is also huge. The Klipsch La Scala II Three-Way Horn-Loaded Loudspeaker, Subwoofer, and 2-Inch Composite Cone is something you'll be able to enjoy for the rest of your life. It features a three-way, horn-loaded loudspeaker, subwoofer, and a 2-inch composite cone; $3,499 at Amazon.

Above: I read about the People People Transparent Speaker a few years ago when it was a prototype, and was delighted to learn that it's now in production. Swedish designers People People have put together an amazing-looking speaker with exceptional sound. You can connect using WiFi or directly to the aux; $849 from People People.

Remodelista's newest contributor, Myles Tipley is a DJ by night and a designer blogger and DIYer by day—see MylesHenryBlog. Watch for his posts in the coming weeks.

For more of our equipment recommendations, see:

• 12 Ways to Warm Up Your Electronics
• 7 Stylish Charging Devices 
• How to Declutter Your Tech Experience

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• Remodelista LA Market Spotlight: Edible Gardens LA
• A Bohemian Surf Shack in Topanga Canyon

“It all began when we were invited to see our friends’ cabin in Topanga Canyon,” says Mason St. Peter, of how he discovered the Southern California artists' enclave imbued with decades of mystical bohemian lore. For designer and builder St. Peter and his wife, artist Serena Mitnik-Miller, the sleepy town that neighbors Malibu was love at first site. After a search for a rental proved fruitless, the couple, avid surfers, decided to build their own "happy place," a 120-square-foot cabin six miles from the beach.

The design phase was quick—“maybe a few days collaborating with Serena”—but the build, which they did themselves, took a month's worth of days, spread out over two years. With a bit of elbow grease, weekends devoted to the project, and hip furnishings sourced from their own General Store in SF and Venice (see Michelle’s Visit to San Francisco’s Foggiest Backyard), it has become a place that the SF-based free spirits find themselves visiting as often as every other weekend. 

Photography by Mariko Reed, unless otherwise noted.

Above: "It's for relaxation solely," says Mason St. Peter and Serena Mitnik-Miller of their 120-square-foot cabin in Topanga Canyon. 

Before

Above: The couple positioned their cabin so that the sliding doors face south and sunshine is filtered through a grove of trees. For dreamy shots of California sun, see St. Peter's Instagram feed. Photograph by Mason St. Peter.

Above: The couple drafted plans for their surf shack almost overnight.

After

Above: A ladder leads to a 625-square-foot deck, used for stargazing and spending time with friends. 

Above: The wood siding, old red cedar, was sourced from Building REsources, a nonprofit in San Francisco that carries reclaimed materials for construction. All glass was repurposed from previous job sites taken from St. Peter's other business as a designer and builder. 

Above: Mitnik-Miller sourced all furnishings from their own General Store and from flea markets.

Above: A view from the inside, with a counter made of wood left over from the General Store's Venice outpost. 

Above: Hand-dyed shibori fabric, also used as dressing room curtains at the General Store, serves as cushion covers for the banquette. Want to shop the Venice store? See Sarah's Shopper's Diary.

Above: His and hers surfboards.

For more relaxed outdoor living, see:

• Steal This Look: A Boho-Chic Backyard Patio in LA
• 10 Easy Pieces: Nap-Worthy Hammocks
• Haute Bohemia: Korakia Pensione in the California Desert

More Stories from Remodelista

• Gift Guide: 10 Geometric Tree Ornaments
• Remodelista LA Market Spotlight: Edible Gardens LA
• 10 Easy Pieces: DJ-Approved Home Stereo Equipment

Who: Lauri Kranz is LA's go-to organic vegetable gardener. The former singer-songwriter, in her own words, "builds, plants, and sustains organic vegetable gardens," helping families, chefs, and schools across the city through her outfit Edible Gardens LA. 

What: In addition to her gardening, Kranz runs an Edible Gardens LA online market. The goods, often made by Kranz in collaboration with LA friends and creatives, run the gamut from custom pots and planters to hemp blankets to Lauren Soloff's Granola Project.

Insider Scoop: At the Remodelista Holiday Market in LA this Saturday, Kranz will debut her latest creation with chef Suzanne Goin: organic pumpkin jam.

Above: Planter One by Victoria Morris for Edible Gardens LA is a limited edition hand-thrown ceramic pot; $168.

Above L: The Edible Garden Joe's Jeans Apron is made of Japanese denim; $98. Above R: A small jar of The Granola Project Granola is $12.

Above: Just-picked greens in galvanized tin pots.

See our LA Market spotlights on Noon Design Studio and architect/fashion designers Wrk-Shp.

Explore LA Indoor/Outdoor Living with Gardenista, including Before and After: A Grande-Dame Garden in Echo Park and the World's Best Carport.

More Stories from Remodelista

• Gift Guide: 10 Geometric Tree Ornaments
• A Bohemian Surf Shack in Topanga Canyon
• 10 Easy Pieces: DJ-Approved Home Stereo Equipment

Call it the new geometree: Our favorite Christmas tree ornaments this year come in angular shapes that look great against the lines of the branches. Here are 10 handmade examples.

Above: Great Lakes Goods of Brooklyn points the way to a festive tree with Me and My Arrows, hand-painted on dye-cut wood; $5 each at Brit and Co. Other shapes, including Feathers and Moons, are $15 for a set of four, and they all also work well as gift toppers.

Above: Another favorite from Brit and Co., these Animal Tangram Ornaments by MakeATX of Austin are laser cut from Baltic birch. They're available in bear (shown here), fox, shark, and whale shapes for $6 each.

Above: Every year the Scandinavian-inspired designs of Ingrid Shwaiko of Quite Alright top my list—and provide some DIY ideas. This set of four Wrapped Paper Christmas Trees is made from recycled paper and embroidery floss; $15.

Above: Pilosale's simple designs are another annual favorite. This set of 5 Wooden Stars in a cotton bag, $24, makes a great hostess gift.

Above: For those who prefer a bit of bling, Ferm Living's Solid Brass Decorations come in three shapes: triangle, circle, and hexagon; $12 each at Scandinavian Design Center.

Above: Designed by New York illustrator Mister McGinnis, these Laser-Cut Plywood Ornaments are patterned on each side with bold graphics in yellow and blue (shown here), red and white, and blue and purple; $20 each at Brit Co.

Above: These Geometric Gift Boxes from Atelier Weasel of Seattle can be hung as ornaments or used to present holiday party favors. (Note that they require assembling with a bit of tape or glue.) Sets are available in four color combinations and three different shapes: an eight-sided octahedron, an elongated bipyramid, and a 20-sided icosahedron; $30 for a set of 10 from Brit Co.

Above: Ideal for dangling from evergreen boughs or simply hanging in a window, Ferm Living's Wooden Stars come in birch (pictured) and oak; $9 each for the small size at Scandinavian Design Center.

Above: A bold take on the classic Christmas ball, Great Lake Good's Adorn Ornaments come in a wide array of hand-painted bright colors and patterns. They're available at Bibelot and Token for $16 each. Other colors are also available at Brit + Co. for $14.

Above: This year's offerings from Denmark's Bloomingville feature a number of geometric trimmings inspired by nature. The Set of Wooden Ornaments above is $18 at Scandinavian Design Center.

Looking for more tree trimmings? See:

• 10 Easy Pieces: Handmade Holiday Ornaments 
• 5 Favorites: Ornaments for Nature Lovers
• DIY: Snowballs for the Christmas Tree
• The Plant-Decorated Christmas Tree
• A DIY Gilded Tree Inspired by Nature.

More Stories from Remodelista

• Remodelista LA Market Spotlight: Edible Gardens LA
• A Bohemian Surf Shack in Topanga Canyon
• 10 Easy Pieces: DJ-Approved Home Stereo Equipment

The Scenario: A Toronto girl with an art degree makes her way in NYC from Vogue intern to star stylist's sidekick to Graydon Carter's assistant. Along the way she splashes out her own loft, and friends start signing her up to overhaul their places. Leigh Herzig's design career is born—and it flourishes when she and her husband relocate to LA in 2007. Her credits include several top-to-bottom house remodels and Bruno Mars's recording studio in Hollywood.

The Challenge: Herzig is ready to try her hand at architecture—"I love creating spaces. I thrive on gnawing over design challenges," she says—but who is going to hire a self-taught, untried newbie? 

The Solution: Herzig and her husband, owner of a rum company, invest in a West Hollywood teardown, which presents her with her dream job. Acting as her own client, she assembles a crew (trusted general contractor, engineer, and cabinetmaker included) and designs and builds a five-bedroom spec house entirely from the ground up. Two years later, it's complete, fully staged, and on the market. 

Top Takeaways: 1. Supply your crew with as many drawings as possible. "Visuals say much more than words." (Herzig sketched out all details and had a draftsman—in Poland—supply the CAD drawings. "Learning CAD is one of my next to-dos." 2. Splurge on expensive materials in small spaces: "I used antique marble in the powder room because I only needed about 20 square feet." 3. Consider plasterwork walls instead of paint: "Beautiful plaster adds so much warmth and nuance to a house that you don't need much else." 4. When the cash runs out, paint can mimic plaster (such as in the upstairs rooms). 5. Don't let the permitting process kill you: "It just takes tremendous persistence."

Photography by Laure Joliet.

Above: Designed to tip its hat to the Spanish-style architecture of LA, the 4,000-square-foot house is, says Herzig, "a mix of old-world European and earthy modern California, with inspiration from the Belgian interiors of Axel Vervoordt and Vincent Van Duysen." The entry opens to a showstopping winding stair and arched doorway with walls and ceilings clad in Stuc Italien, a Venetian stucco from LA company Terre du Monde. Of her passion for plaster, Herzig says, "What we used is completely green and all natural; it's soft and modern-looking and earthy all at once."

Above: To get the house ready for sale, Herzig worked with a staging company that supplied many of the major pieces, including the den's sofa, sideboard, Restoration Hardware rug, and artwork. The room opens onto the back courtyard and pool. As for what look like metal-framed windows, Herzig says, "I spent a lot on light fixtures but was more resourceful when it came to the windows and doors. I desperately wanted those gorgeous, big steel-framed doors, but they were totally cost prohibitive. Instead, I worked with Kobi's Windows & Doors, a custom manufacturer, to create the same look with wood and glass."

Above: A banana leaf palm rises in a corner. The armchairs are Palapa Lounge Chairs from Pacific Wonderland. Herzig's favorite accent in the room? The pink Acrylic Fearless Tray from Alexandra Von Furstenberg: "It looks illuminated."

Above: "I wanted to create a modern kitchen in a rustic setting," says Herzig, who situated the room in the back, flanked by the den and dining room (and overlooking an outdoor courtyard with a fireplace). For durability, its walls and ceiling are clad in Tadelakt Decolakt, traditional Moroccan lime plaster used in hammams and sourced from Terre du Monde. "You really can't tell the difference between it and the Italian plaster, but it's completely waterproof—you just clean it with Marseilles soap. Because it's so durable, I didn't have to add a backsplash, which gives the room a clean look."

The countertops are Massangis French Limestone and the floor is Pierre de Marly French Limestone both from Impression, in Torrance, California: "I love the color. To me, there was no other choice, if I could afford it. Tile in general is so cold, but natural stone is warm and rugged."

Above: Herzig paired the plaster walls with custom cabinets and shelves made from reclaimed wood—a combination of oak, poplar, and beech—sourced from E & K Vintage Wood. She looked for especially thick planks of oak for the open shelves. The cabinets were built by Miguel Matias, who Herzig works with on all her projects, and the Antiqued Brass Hardware is from one of Herzig's favorite LA finds, the Golden Lion. As for the plasterwork, she herself has taken classes and is learning how to apply it, but for this project she hired a specialist who worked nights, after the dust had settled. 

Above: The kitchen sink and fridge are conveniently situated alongside a central island, which is topped with stainless steel and has its own integrated sink. 

Above: The dining room has an indoor/outdoor feel. "It's cozy for a family of four but big enough to seat 12," says Herzig, in sales mode. She paired a Saarinen table with Ikea rattan chairs and a Serge Mouille ceiling light.

Above: The same wood cabinetry from the kitchen puts in an appearance in the living room, which is anchored by a Spanish-style fireplace, Ikea rug, and midcentury-inspired light, the Choros Chandelier from Circa Lighting. All the pale surfaces, including the coffered ceiling, are Venetian plaster—"It's actually a beige that reads as white." The lucite bar cart came from eBay.

Above: Recessed shelves flank the fireplace. The leather armchairs came from Lee Stanton—read our post about his Tips for Antique Furniture Care.

Above: "I was able to spend money on things I didn't need a lot of," says Herzig, who sprung for antique black-and-white marble tiles in the powder room and a limestone trough sink from Big Daddy's—site of this Saturday's Remodelista Holiday Market. The Custom Metal Mirror is from Restoration Hardware and the sconces are 1950s Dutch from LA vintage lighting shop ReWire.

Above: The downstairs office has an en suite bathroom (and shower), and can also be used as a bedroom. The desk is by LA designer Andrew Riiska. When Herzig went looking for wood flooring, she was surprised to discover affordable canewood, engineered flooring made locally using European white oak: "It's about $6 to $8 a square foot. You can't find long boards, but otherwise it looks identical to stuff that's double the price."

Above: A look at the subtly mottled Venetian plasterwork. Powder-coated steel Cobra Wall Lamps, midcentury designs by Greta Grossman from Horne, hang above an African bench.

Above: The stairs are solid white oak that Herzig had carefully matched to the wood flooring.

Above: In the upstairs hall, Herzig displays an antique console table from the Rose Bowl back side out "to hide the drawers and the English hardware." 

Above: A Cord Chandelier by LA lighting designer (and Remodelista favorite) Brendan Ravenhill hangs from the domed ceiling.

Above: There are four bedrooms on the second floor, all with balconies. The master bedroom, shown here, has a bed with a view of the backyard and a fireplace. The Platform Bed and side tables are by Mash Studios. Read about the Noguchi globe light here.

Above: The fireplace also opens to the master bath, which is tiled with large-format limestone squares from Ann Sacks. The fireplace is painted with Sydney Harbour Paint's Liquid Tin: "It's a paint you can burnish! Rubbing it with steel wool brings out a shiny, metallic look." Like the kitchen, all bathrooms in the house are sheathed in waterproof tadelakt.

Above: Inset towel shelves made of salvaged oak.

Above: A nursery with a cove ceiling—"it hides a huge soffit on one side where we had to run air-conditioning pipes." The ceiling light is from Circa.

Above: No two bathrooms are alike—this one has a custom vanity: "It's made of concrete board with two base coats of an aggregate troweled on top and then tadelakt." The bathtub is from Kohler and has a limestone apron. The sconces are an Original BTC design from Horne that we singled out in the Remodelista 100. 

Above: Another bedroom is nestled into the house's front turret. The rattan throne is the Roost Olaf Chair.

Above: A view from a bedroom. The round tables are Bamileke Coffee Tables hand-carved in Camaroon from solid pieces of wood.

Above: The backyard has a saltwater pool and Palladian pool house, also designed by Herzig.

One of the big quandaries was what material to use on the ground: "The obvious thing would have been to continue the limestone floors outside, but that was a very expensive option. I thought about flagstone, but it didn't suit the style of the house. Decomposed granite would influence the rest of the landscaping (and it's not ideal to have dirt next to a pool). I love concrete but am used to seeing it in more modern settings. Then, one day, my mother and I admired a line pattern shaped like a frame on someone's concrete driveway. That immediately solved the problem. We used poured concrete with an acid-washed finish and gravel in between. The framing made the whole thing work."

Above: The pool house is designed for lounging and has a small bathroom. 

Above: It also has an outdoor shower with a Rainfall Showerhead from Signature Hardware. (Read about 8 Water-Saving Showerheads, including a rainfall design.)

Above: Charro, Herzig's rescued Australian Cattle Dog, accompanied her to the site daily and stayed by her side off-leash. 

Above: Herzig designed the front of the house, with its stucco walls, terracotta roof tiles, and Chateau Marmont-inspired striped canvas awnings, to fit in with the neighborhood: "I'm tired of seeing modern, generic new construction go up with complete disregard for the surroundings." The landscaping was inspired by the work of Scott Schrader, her neighbor, and includes a spiraling cypress topiary, boxwood globes, and Agave attenuata. Under the gravel drive are honeycomb-shaped Easy Roll Gravel Pavers, "an amazing recycled drainage system," says Herzig, that holds the rocks in place. 

The house is at 734 N. Kilkea Dr., in West Hollywood, and is on the market via several online real estate sites, including Redfin and The MLS; asking price: $3,295,000. Go to Leigh Herzig to see more.

If you like the look of Venetian plaster, read our Remodeling 101 on chalky, mineral-based Limewash Paint.

More LA architecture? Take a look at:

• Park McDonald Renovate an Iconic Midcentury House
• Kelly Lamb's Glamorous LA Art Studio and House on a Silver Lake Estate
• Midcentury Meets Zen: A DIY Remodel
• A Masculine Midcentury Revival in LA 

More Stories from Remodelista

• The Springs: An LA-Style Health Complex by Design Bitches
• An LA Cliffhanger: Go High or Stay Low?
• Weekend Spotlight: Michael Kors's Life at the Top

Even Arianna Huffington reads in bed. In the first of our three-part series on how best to light bedrooms, we're zeroing in on a crucial detail with a lot of options: bedside lamps. 

Above: Mismatched ceramic lamps (for a small/large couple?) flank a bed in a 17th-century Italian farmhouse renovated by Alexander Waterworth Interiors, a member of the Remodelista Architect/Designer Directory. Take the full House Tour. Photograph by Emily Andrews. 

Why have bedside lighting?

Recently we wrote about the importance of being able to achieve total darkness in the bedroom (insomniacs, that post is for you). Dark bedrooms are great for sleeping, but too little light hinders other activities, such as reading, dressing, and getting ready for bed. Since no single fixture can effectively serve all bedroom lighting needs—it would be a blinding light— what's needed is a combination: controlled task lighting and gentle ambient light. This use of multiple sources is known as light layering.

Above: Make your own side tables: industrial task lamps elevated on ad-hoc platforms. Photograph via Skona Hem.

What's the best height for bedside lamps?

Bedside lights have a specific task: to illuminate the pages of your book (or book-like device) without requiring you to contort—and without bothering your bedmate. To prevent shadows, the bottom of the lampshade should be positioned between your head and the page. Factors to consider are the height of the bed, the height of the bedside table, and the position of the reader: You don’t want the lights so high that they create glare; on the other hand, you want to be comfortable.

Randall Whitehead, author of Residential Lighting: A Practical Guide, advises that "the best way to find the correct height is to get into bed and hunker down against the pillows in your normal reading position. Then measure from the floor to just above your shoulder height." The base of the shade should be at that height.

Above: A single table lamp can provide light for two when set between single beds as shown in this bedroom by London designer Ben Pentreath. 

What are the most popular types of bedside lighting?

The most common options are table lamps, wall-mounted lights, pendants, and adjustable task lamps. They're typically placed on either side of the bed and are usually matching. (Note that lighting experts say to avoid installing ceiling down lights directly over beds—soft light at face level is more effective and saves you from staring up at a bulb.) Here's what to know about each of the recommended lighting types.

Table Lamps

From a decorative standpoint, table lamps offer the widest range of options. A general rule of thumb when selecting bedside table lamps: the bottom of the lampshade should be about 20 inches above the mattress. 

Above: A bedside table lamp in the home of Danish designer Tine Kjeldsen, founder of the Tine K Home shops in Europe.

Wall-Mounted Lamps

Wall-mounted fixtures free up bedside table space—or eliminate the need for bedside tables altogether. Many wall-mounted designs are moveable, making them a choice with built-in flexibility. 

Above: Architect Jerome Buttrick carved out vertical shelving, complete with easy-to-access light switches for the wall-mounted reading lights on either side of Remodelista editor Julie's bed. Photograph by Maria del Rio for Refinery 29. 

Above: Swing-arm, wall-mounted lights that move both horizontally and vertically offer a solution for people who share a bed but rest at different heights. The lamps can be mounted at matching heights and adjusted for the different reading positions. The examples shown here are by Long Made Co., a company founded out of frustration when the owner Jamie Long couldn't locate a decent bedside light.

Pendant Lights 

Pendant lights become bedside illumination when hung at table-lamp height. Avoid spotlights that will only point light to objects directly below. Instead choose pendants that provide diffuse light whether via a wide shade, opaque shade, or no shade at all.

Above: In Sarah’s Refined Rental in St. Helena, the master bedroom is small. Side table lamps would make it feel cramped, and drilling holes in the wall was not an option, so she sourced some hanging bulbs and used metal prongs intended for telephone wire to attach the lamp cord to the ceiling. Photograph by Matthew Williams for Remodelista.

Above: In A Cobble Hill Transformation, architect Oliver Freundlich used pendant lights for bedside illumination. "The idea was to keep the bedroom spare and the furnishings low, and allow the wood ceiling to soar," says Freundlich. "The pendants dropping from the ceiling add some drama to the height." (There are dimmer switches next to each side for easy on and off.) The lights are Barn Light Electric's Ivanhoe Dino Porcelain Cord Pendant Light. Photograph by Matthew Williams.

Task Lamps

The adjustability of task lamps has fostered their migration from lab and office to bedside table. Choose task lights with a well-shielded bulb, so you can read without bothering your bedmate.

Above: Clip-on task lights are an easy-to-install solution (see our 10 Favorite Clip-On Lights). Photograph via Emma's Design Blog.

Above: French industrial Jielde task lamps in a bedroom in Norway. Photograph by Corina Olander via Expressen.

Tips for bedside lighting selection and placement:

• Consider furniture and electrical power outlet placement when planning your bedside lighting. It may be worth adding outlets or hardwired fixtures.
• Pay attention to how the lamp turns on and off to ensure it's easy to operate when you're in bed.
• Opaque shades are a good choice for reading lamps because they cut glare.
• Each bedside lamp should operate on its own on/off switch.
• If the fixtures are hardwired, consider wiring them to two switches, one accessible from your bed and the other near the bedroom door.
• Switches can be placed close to the middle of the headboard, enabling you to easily turn off a snoozing partner's reading light.
• Avoid use of CFL bulbs that emit blue light, which has been shown to suppress sleep-inducing melatonin production. Consider using low-wattage incandescent lamps at your bedside (and turn off overhead lights as you get ready for bed). For reading, 40- to 60-watt bulbs are best.

Above: A Studio Ilse Lamp sits next to a Studio Ilse Companions Bed. Photograph via De La Espada.

Looking for lighting in other rooms? Read our Remodeling 101 primers:

• How to Install Flattering Lighting in the Bathroom
• Lighting Your Home Office
• How to Choose an Overhead Light Fixture
• Afterglow—10 Solutions for Romantic Lighting

More Stories from Remodelista

• Mix-and-Match Linens from France
• Design Sleuth: The Japanese Boro
• 10 Easy Pieces: Wood Platform Bed Frames

Who: Three talented siblings—an interior designer, a woodworker, and a photographer—create modern, functional handmade wooden pieces for the home.

What: De Jong & Co. specialize in what they dub small goods: Think chopping boards, rolling pins, spice mills, and wooden cups. They sell their wares in their online shop and will be showing their latest designs at our LA Market (this Saturday, December 6) and SF Market (December 13).

Insider Scoop: De Jong & Co. will be presenting a prototype chair design at our markets and encouraging feedback. They're also offering free gift wrapping for all their table goods.

Above: White Oak Salt and Pepper Grinders; $150 each from Spartan Shop. Individually hand-turned, they can also be used to mill coffee beans and spices.

Above: The three-legged Dibbet Stool in white oak is $350 from De Jong & Co.

Above: Serving Board No. 2 of hand-carved black walnut is $220 from De Jong & Co.

Check out our Gift Guides for more holiday ideas, including:

• Gifts for the French Chef
• Cookbooks that Make Perfect Presents
• Gifts for the Holiday Host
• Surprises for the Beginner Gardener

More Stories from Remodelista

• Gift Guide: 10 Geometric Tree Ornaments
• Remodelista LA Market Spotlight: Edible Gardens LA
• A Bohemian Surf Shack in Topanga Canyon

The Springs in LA is a crunchy adult's playground, where terms like "enzymatic power" and "yoga DJ" get thrown around. Whether that's your vibe or not, we think the decor of the downtown LA hotspot is worth noting. 

The Springs opened in mid-October as a natural health super center—almost 14,000 square feet of yoga studio, juice bar, raw vegan restaurant, holistic healing clinic, and supply shop. The interiors were designed by architects Catherine Johnson and Rebecca Rudolph of the sassily named firm Design, Bitches, who transformed a standard-issue 1980s cinder block warehouse into the colorful urban oasis it is today. The Springs isn't one thing per se—the designers point out that the floor plan is "non-hierarchical" in order to let users define the space over time. All told, the transformation took about 13 months—but its identity is just beginning to unfold. 

Photography by Laure Joliet.  

Above: The juice bar is defined on one side by a wall of custom plywood cubbies; on the other, by custom concrete-block planters that were added to match the existing walls.  

Above: Skylights provide light by day; overhead LED strip lights glow by night. The existing concrete floors of the warehouse were in good condition and required only minor patching.

Above L: Custom-made cafe tables are paired with yellow Broom Chairs by Phillipe Starck for Emeco. Above R: The designers positioned Assembly Home Paperclip Desk Lamps along the juice bar. Bar stools are by Brendan Ravenhill; the legs of the cafe tables were painted to match. 

Above: Johnson and Rudolph used translucent colored plastic in yellow and red to give the juice bar a "sun-drenched" feel. The plywood cubbies were styled by owners Jared Stein and Kimberly Helms, with help from a theater-stylist friend. The trio wanted to channel personality, quirkiness, and fun. 

Above: A rope screen serves as a subtle room divider. The vegan raw restaurant is headed by chef Michael Falso of M.A.K.E. in Santa Monica. None of the food is heated over 108 degrees, and is made by juicing, blending, soaking, and dehydrating—not cooking. (Not the vegan raw type? Start with the organic beer and wine on tap.)

Above: Blue and turquoise Acapulco chairs in the lounge. The same overhead white lanterns are used throughout the entire complex to create a continuity among the spaces.

Above L: A blue-stained plywood wall defines the area in the vegan raw restaurant. R: The yoga studio is painted with a mural by local artist Angelina Christina. Yoga mats are by Kharma Khare, made from car tires salvaged from landfills. 

Above: The way to the yoga studio. Because the building sits next to a trucking thoroughfare, the indoor air is filtered. Whatever the mechanical system can't accomplish, air-filtering plants take on. 

Above: The shop is curated by Oakland's Atomic Garden and includes organic clothing by LA-based LVR—the uniform-of-choice for yoga instructors at The Springs. 

Above: The Springs even offers indoor bike parking via Bike Tracs, made in the US by Wisconsin-based Saris. 

For further proof that what's good for you can look good, too, see: 

• Blissed Out: A Serene Yoga Studio in Australia
• How to Achieve Total Darkness in the Bedroom
• The Butcher's Daughter in New York City
• Required Reading: Green Kitchen Travels

More Stories from Remodelista

• Hollywood Tale: A Spec House with Uncommon Style
• An LA Cliffhanger: Go High or Stay Low?
• Weekend Spotlight: Michael Kors's Life at the Top

Eight years ago, when real estate developer Jacques Massachi bought the former Lombardi estate on Hollywood Boulevard, his plan was to tear it down and put up an apartment complex. Built in 1904, the Victorian farmhouse had most recently been owned by vocal coaches and vaudeville entertainers Philip and Sylvia Lombardi, but it had fallen into disrepair, and salvaging it seemed like a futile exercise. At the urging of local preservation mavens, however, Massachi changed course and decided to turn the property into a guest house/event space. Working with architects Project M+ and interior designer Amber Lewis of Amber Interiors, Massachi has created Lombardi House, a cheery, urban oasis that can accommodate up to 28 guests in four apartments.

Above: The camera-ready exterior (already a favorite photo location for wedding parties).

Above L: Bicycles are available for guests to use. Above R: An exterior view of the event barn.

Above: Project M+ architects converted the 1,700-square-foot barn into a party space.

Above: A living room in one of the apartments.

Above: Massachi was careful to preserve the house's original detailing.

Above: The kitchen and dining area in the two-bedroom Suite 1715. The banana leaf palm fabric is a salute to the famous wallpaper at the Beverly Hills Hotel coffee shop.

Above: The dining room in the two-bedroom Suite 1717.

Above: Bedrooms feature an eclectic mix of textiles and patterns.

Above: A bedroom in Suite 1717. 

Above: Exterior details.

Above: A wedding getaway vehicle at the ready. For more information and reservations, go to Lombardi House.

For another project by Project M+, see An LA Cliffhanger: Go High or Stay Low?

Heading to LA? See more of our favorite finds, including LA institution Joan's on Third, in our LA City Guide.

More Stories from Remodelista

• Trending on Gardenista: California Christmas
• Remodelista LA Market Spotlight: Block Shop
• Remodelista LA Market Spotlight: De Jong & Co.

Who: Founded by sisters Hopie and Lily Stockman (both Harvard grads, for the record), Block Shop is a textile company based in Los Angeles and Bagru, India. The Stockman sisters work directly with a cooperative of 20 master printers in Bagru to bring their block-printed textiles to life by hand, one piece at a time, the way it’s been done there for 350 years. 

What: The sisters will be selling their latest signature oversize winter scarves, hand block printed with natural dyes and inspired by the geometric motifs and majestic architecture of Jaipur, their home away from home.

Insider Scoop: In addition to their current collection, Block Shop will be selling a limited-edition run of their favorite classics, available exclusively for the Remodelista markets.

Block Shop will be at the Remodelista LA Market (this Saturday, December 6) and SF Market (December 13).

Above: Lily and Hopie Stockman in front of their block-printed textiles.

Above: An over-dyed shell pink Navy Clover Scarf, 25 percent silk and 75 percent cotton; $120.

Above: The sisters working on future designs in their LA studio.

Above: A herringbone scarf created from hand-carved wooden printing blocks.

Above: Detail of a print pattern.

Above: Hopie with their dog, each sporting a Mosaic Marigold Scarf; $120.

For more Indian fabric offerings, see:

• Hand-Blocked Bedding from India
• Traditional Kalamkari Linens from Les Indiennes
• Auntie Oti Fabrics and Linens

More Stories from Remodelista

• Trending on Gardenista: California Christmas
• Green Acres: Lombardi House in Los Angeles
• Remodelista LA Market Spotlight: De Jong & Co.

Dosa fans will be familiar with this loft space: It's where designer Christina Kim holds her annual Dosa sample sale in LA. The rest of the year, it serves as the offices of Lindon Schultz, architect, furniture maker, and downtown LA pioneer. (In the nineties, when South Broadway was a wasteland, Schultz designed studios for himself and Kim, a fellow DTLA trailblazer, in the United Artists Building, now home to the Ace Hotel.) Fourteen years ago, Schultz moved into his current office, located across from the Ace, in a grand 1928 Art Deco tower designed by Claud Beelman, a well-known LA architect responsible for several monumental designs in the neighborhood.

The 3,500 square-foot-loft now also serves as a design studio for Chay Wike, owner of cult LA fashion and housewares store Chay. The two met a few years ago when Chay visited the Dosa showroom and admired a table by Lindon. She commissioned him to make one for her home, then asked if she could sell them at her shop. When she outgrew her work studio, Lindon offered her space in his roomy setup. The two recently gave us a tour:

Photography by Jessica Commingore for Remodelista. 

N.B. Chay will be selling her designs at our LA Market this coming Saturday at Big Daddy's.

Above: The open studio. Lindon explains that when he moved in, "the space was a typical garment factory with a rabbit warren of unpermitted offices on one side and storage racks on the other. There was also an awkward dropped ceiling." He meticulously pared down the interior, stripped the windows, and refinished the concrete floor to create an open, light-filled loft.

Above: Bookshelves in front of a private office area.

Above: Lindon's desk.

Above: A salvaged workbench (Lindon is an avid dumpster diver). The desert shrub and chaparral on display around the studio are all local finds. He explains that his "too many sticks and what-nots" come from weekends spent in the mountains and desert.

Above: Chay's desk and studio occupy one end of the loft.

Above: A low table by Lindon and butterfly chairs. (In the market for your own butterfly chairs? See Object Lessons.)

Above: A Heather Levine mobile hangs above one of the Live Work Tables that Lindon designed with Chay. She tells us, "So far we've only done the table together, but this spring we're planning to introduce a platform that can be used as a table or a base for a bed."

Above: Chay followed Lindon's lead in keeping her studio space simple: "My house and the store look very different from the loft. But the loft is so lovely on it's own that it doesn't need much."

Above: A view from Chay's workspace of Lindon's office area with a partitioned room at the end with a daybed. Lindon took advantage of the natural light and explains, "Opening up the space helped balance out the cross ventilation. I didn't want to do much that read as architecture. It's really pretty in the summer with the raking afternoon light and the surprisingly stout breeze. It feels like the beach." 

Above: Chay's clothing line: silk and linen jumpsuits, dresses, wrap skirts, and tunics (she also occasionally offers vintage dresses). "I make everything locally," she says. "My clothes are designed to be easy to wear and flattering."

Above: A tea devotee, Chay spent a year working with a tea atelier in Central California to come up with the Chay Tea Collection, Five Varietals—Breakfast, Rose, Cocoa Rooibos, Digestive, and Bedtime—that "support you through the cycle of a day." 

Above: Space mates Lindon Schultz and Chay WIke.

For more on Chay, see A Small Shop with a Big Network. To see Lindon's loft design for Dosa, go to Shopper's Diary: Dosa 818 in Los Angeles—and take a full tour of Dosa 818 in the Remodelista book.

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