Los Angeles interior designer

Classic glamour and organic imperfection: unpacking Kristi Nelson’s distinctive style

When do you know the work is finished? When do you step away? That was a problem Kristi always struggled with as a visual artist and one many creatives will find relatable. Something finally clicked during her recently completed project: a chic, feminine flat in Los Angeles that was, “all about the furniture.” When reflecting on what would become her favorite residential project, she recalled trying to put her client’s art collection on the walls. It was beautiful but it “never felt right.” That’s when she realized, that was because it was unnecessary. “There are sometimes when undone is done.”

Amanda Gunawan on progressive architecture and designing products with sentimental value

Gunawan defines herself as a progressive architect. When people hear the term progressive architect they get intimidated. In her experience, people assume it means something technical and lofty, but she stands by the term. It means always improving, turning failures into opportunities. In practice that means building upon what already exists. This is the philosophy behind the name of her architecture design and build firm, The Only Way is Up.