Beyond the Cottage: Bond Group Office Makeover
The cottage blog has been a bit quieter in recent weeks, as I’ve been focusing on work offline. We’ve been diving into several new projects and I’m eager to post the details of those soon. Today I’m introducing one that’s particularly precious to me— an office space for a production company here in Los Angeles.
I don’t usually handle many larger interiors from scratch. I tend to prefer troubleshooting small or tricky spaces, as well as working with existing layouts to make them more efficient, eco-friendly, and/or versatile. But I said yes to this gig without hesitation. Here’s why.
In January, I got a call from a friend, who offered up a delightful challenge: Could I take her newly rented, modern office space in Beverly Hills and make it feel like our old tiny Cottage?
I had hoped and planned to start the new year by tackling a more diverse body of work, so her ask was perfectly timed. I accepted, and we got right to work.
Here’s why I’ve enjoyed this job thus far:
While the entire office is a fairly large area overall, most of the rooms themselves are compact. They feel like 8 unique yet overlapping small spaces.
One of the reasons I do what I do for a living is that I love mixing my personal and business worlds together— it makes my work extra gratifying. As such, I’m so happy to work with and for my friends.
The client and her partners needed me to design within their rental parameters, avoiding bigger changes such as built-ins, wallpaper, paint, overall structure, window treatments, etc. This is something I often prefer, because I feel like it makes the concepts and “takeaways” from each job more relatable for others— particularly renters and folks working within tighter budget constraints.
I’ve liked finding ways in which to weave the partners’ and staff’s personalities into their dedicated spaces, all while keeping the office visually unified through its glass walls.
Above: Lobby decor installation in progress. (Print by Arielle Vey. Handmade ceramics by MQuan. Handmade leather script straps via Etsy. Vintage bowl from Tumbleweed & Dandelion. Wooden tiled buffet from West Elm.)
But here was the trickiest part of all: How could I share this undertaking on my blog and Instagram without leaning into the professional successes of the client? She is a genuine friend of mine, but she also happens to be a well-known and highly-regarded actress. Her name is relevant in the scope of my work— her personality and the background of her production company played heavily into my design choices, and her comments and likeness are part of my before-and-after content— but her privacy is something I deeply honor and respect. I asked her outright about this at the onset, and she generously gave me her blessing to publish this project online.
As such, I look forward to sharing my lil’ makeover of Amy Adams’ Bond Group Entertainment offices with you very soon.
