client: residential
where: santa monica
task: to create a clean and inviting space just outside main house living room with the focal point to line up and be framed by living room sliding glass doors.
solution: create a wall feature that compliments clients taste and color palate and use the composition of the sliding glass doors to determine size and shape.
client: business
where: downtown
task: to create a living wall to soften up the brick and downtown hardscape at the entrance of nail salon/bar in which space was limited.
solution: tapered metal planters on wall and shallow tall planters on the ground plane with plants to match the lighting throughout the day and a simple seating area of benches and a few chairs.
i have been interested in plants all my life. they are truly a wonder of this world. i am especially drawn to succulents and cactus. california is, after all, a desert. strip away all the roads, buildings and man-planted grass and what is left is an array of some of the most beautiful plants anywhere on earth. the agave (and there are many) is not just beautiful but a true survivor. i love 'em...
one of my signature designs, this bench is made from affordable 2 x 4 studs and steel box supports. modern in shape but related to nature by the choice of wood, this is a perfect example of how i use opposing materials to complement each other. for either outside or inside a room, this bench also doubles as a table.
client: residential
where: venice
task: create interesting pot/arrangement for the walkway adjacent to house.
solution: taking a cue from a completely rust-covered wall that surrounded the the client's house and court yard, thick industrial steel piping was repurposed as planters throughout the property. in collaboration with the client several different sizes of pipe were sourced and installed at different heights to create variation and interest.
most people think of cactus and succulents as thorny or otherwise flowerless, but that could not be further from the truth. yes some cactus and succulents do have thorns, but many do not and just about every cactus and succulent will flower under the right conditions...
client: residential
where: venice
task: to cover an unattractive fence and create some privacy while also creating a visual element on a front patio minimizing the impact of screws and construction for installation in case it had to be removed per the clients HOA...
solution: a simple wood wall on a metal frame to create privacy with the addition of small planters with succulents and air plants for the visual element. distressed wood was mentioned during one of the client conversations and that idea was incorporated into the overall design.
client: residential
where: santa monica
task: outside dinning
solution: live edge table made form canary maple wood sanded and clear sealed. the legs for both the table and the benches are a signature look and design of mine. i incorporate this in many of the pieces i fabricate...
nothing is more modern than a square and/or a square box and nothing is more durable than steel. I have fabricated hundreds of pieces out of steel, however planters are one of my specialties and i never tire of making them or looking at them - especially when they are filled with my favorite plants ;-)
client: residential
where: venice
task: to come up with a functional concept to hang planters that would support the weight of several heavy hanging planters and not obstruct the skylights.
solution: an extruded piece of aluminum at the proper gauge to support the weight, with a channel down one side, allows multiple contact points on the studs but is also clean and virtually hidden from the eye. this solution also allows for any desired arrangment of the planters along the channel itself...
one of the aspects of working with plants or just with nature in general is the multitude of patterns one comes across. this is a mammillaria and the pattern this cactus puts out is arresting. designers look to nature for inspiration all the time and i am no different. whenever possible i will say yes to the hints that are all around me when designing and that includes mother nature as well - she is a good partner to have...
a big vessel, some plants and a bunch of soil. three simple elements put together with intent, a passion for design and a bit of love and the results can be extremely pleasing. there needs to be more arrangements in the world if you ask me...
client: residential
where: montecito heights
task: client removed a very large oak tree and wanted to repurpose the wood slabs into seating.
solution: the slabs would become benches with my signature square steel supports. the design decision was how to finish the large slabs. a common approach would be sanded, planed, and finished with straight edges. a more organic and unique approach was chosen here, leave the slabs as untouched as possible, taking only the surface material off and then sanding to be smooth to the touch. the result is a perfect marriage of the modernness of the metal supports and the unadulterated natural shape and look of the wood.
you would be amazed what you can accomplish with a little bit of water, air and time. i have a thing for color and this deep patina of orange, better know as rust, is absolutely one of my favorite colors. whenever i can, i suggest to clients that have purchased steel pieces from me to just let the steel do its thing and oxidize...
what makes this type of planter so compelling to me is the juxtaposition of the plants that are living, soft and fleshy, with the sharp rectilinear austereness of the steel. the combination of these two aspects is what makes this planter and this look so successful.
it only made sense to fashion up some stools in the same manner as my signature bench. however i chose to change up the supports for the stool. this "x" type shape lends itself more to the stool shape...
you have to ask yourself this question: what is it that we want from our home/space/living area? aside from safety and storage, the primary function should be to enrich our lives. this can be achieved many ways, but one of the easiest is to add a plant or two, a few pots, some nice fencing and while we are at it, a buddha couldn't hurt...
didn't i say somewhere earlier that there should be more arrangements in the world... well i'm saying it again, there should be more arrangements in the world ;-)
i was lucky to be raised by not just one but two artistic parents, one a graphic designer, the other an illustrator, so art and design has always been a large part of my life. a stint at art center college of design really opened my eyes to just how influential being creative can be. this chair began as just an exercise for myself in form and function but has become a hallmark of how i approach design.
whenever possible i collaborate with other artists not just because it is inspiring and i can always learn from someone else's perspective but because, simply put, working with like-minded people is quite a bit of fun.
choosing specific plants is one of the main focal points in regards to landscaping, but how one chooses to arrange them and display them can be just as compelling. whether in an elegant vessel or arranged in the ground or even staged on a table or shelf, the arrangement alone can really bring a sense of poetry to the given space...
client: residential
where: culver city
task: client requested some kind of art piece/sculpture in backyard that, as they put it, "i will never get tired of looking out."
solution: create an artistic focal point in client's back yard with color to break up the monochromatic green. in this case i chose a bold and bright color to play off the dark green. this wall feature, like all the wall features i design and build, has panels that can be removed and painted over with a different color or even painted individually to create yet more color combinations.
without a doubt one of my favorite and most used plant varietals. aloes come in so many sizes, colors, shapes, and patterns, I could literally do an entire landscape project using just this plant. anyone up for that challenge???
show me a blank area on the side of a house, building or even the sky and i will show you how to fill in that space. large succulents or trees give a reference point and create scale within a given space...
I like making custom pots and planters either from old stuff found in junkyards or other repurposed objects. in the case of these pots, i just used leftover scrap wood to create simple shapes and treated them inside and out to hold up under the conditions of water and soil...
while i source many plants that are meant for general use and ground cover I also encourage my clients to discover the beauty and characteristics of the more unique types of succulents. they do require a bit more care and attention - but well worth it...
by accessing several vendors there are hundreds of styles, shapes and colors of vessels, urns, pots and planters to choose from. I will find the right one for your space and your taste...
i can't emphasize enough how much i like working with steel/metal. the work that is out there already within the landscaping community is very compelling and to be part of the group of artists and designers that use this medium is a real honor...
Take the rose—most people think it very beautiful: I don’t care for It at all. I prefer the cactus, for the simple reason that it has a more interesting personality. It has wonderfully adapted itself to its surroundings! It is the best illustration of the theory of evolution in plant life.
Charles Proteus Steinmetz
some succulents remind me of little jewels which all have an exclusive cut and each one looks unique when the light strikes it in a certain way. this euphorbia decaryi is from my personal collection and what gets me is the small delicate leaves with the crinkle on the edges...
while this is not my design i did install and fabricate these beatiful elevated planters. if you can imagine it, i can build it...
i love what i do - enough said...
client: hospitality
where: downtown los angles
task: outside dinning
reimagined by the restauranteurs Amy Knoll Fraser and Chef Neal Fraser, downtown’s historic vibiana space houses their fine dinning restaurant Redbird. however they didn’t stop there, the entire space was developed with the sole purpose of serving fine food in a unique atmosphere. my task was to create a simple yet elegant movable bar for events - solution use a natural material, in this case mangaris (brazilian hardwood) that can stand up to wear and tear of catering events while also look the part.
client: hospitality
where: downtown los angeles
task: coverage
i make metal planters. it has become a signature of mind, if i am designing anything for you, be it a front yard treatment, an entire backyard or anything in between i will more than likely include some type of metal work. this is usually in the form of planters. i can make any size and any shape and every single one is compelling to look at - the plants are nice top… ;-)
communication always makes the job a bit easier. while i feel i can convey quite clearly the ideas and/or concepts for any project successfully i as all designers use image boards and concept sketches to supplement the speak. loose but in the vernacular that everyone can quickly understand every project begins with pen to paper.
client: documentary director
where: venice
task: transform dull parkway
no job is too small and just because a job is small this does not mean it deserves any less attention. this was a parkway which needed a face lift. with the addition of just a few large specimen plants and a simple ground treatment the client now has a parkway that is simple and interesting and easy to care for.
client: residential
where: venice
objective: with very little room to work with, the client requested something dramatic yet scaled down as to not take up the entire area. immediately i thought something off the ground would create this effect - dishes were exactly what could achieve this effect. while creating space under the point of interest we kept the area open and airy yet the eye had somewhere to go…
client: friend
where: downtown loft
objective: i do work for friends all the time, it is usually pro bono, however this does not mean there are a different set of criteria. we discuss the budget, what is the goal of the work/piece will be and most importantly how the design relates to the space. end result a variegated table utilizing repurposed 2x4’s and a end detail to jazz up the design…
client: Hotel Amarano
where: burbank, california
Task: to reimagine the patio areas for the downstairs rooms in such a way as to invite the guests out of their rooms and/or to stay in the hotel and enjoy the outdoor space.
solution: taking into account the limited space and lighting a simple yet elegant use of a sitting area and large panels are used in combination to create some privacy and a feeling of calm.