Today we’d like to introduce you to John Patterson and Jeff Valdez.
The creative team of Inspired Living Interiors (ILI) has long been a staple of the Los Angeles design scene. They were widely recognized for their “retro” furniture showroom Sunset ORANGE, located in Silverlake’s Sunset Junction from 2000-2007. Growing tired of the rigors of maintaining a retail presence and fortuitously (in retrospect) losing their lease, they were nudged into returning to Interior Design as their primary focus. They had recently met actress Katherine Heigl when she came into the showroom with her Boston designer in tow. A few weeks later, she came in alone and sat with them to order a number of custom pieces for her new home in Los Feliz. That began a working relationship that would evolve to helping her design and furnish her new retreat that was under construction outside of Park City, Utah.
John and Jeff are the creative duos behind Inspired Living Interiors. John brings 40 years of design experience beginning in the 1970’s, as an apprentice and later in partnership with Muriel Glass Interiors of Hancock Park. An unquenchable entrepreneurial spirit leads to a segue into International Marketing and PR as Vice-President of the Italian Jewelry Guild, affording opportunities to travel the world and further informing his design savvy and inspirations. Coming back to his first love of interior design, he opened Sunset ORANGE, which set the course for Inspired Living Interiors. Jeff arrived in Los Angeles in 1997 from Santa Fe, New Mexico, his experience as a photographer brings a unique eye for composition and detail to each project.
Thinking outside the box, he brings a distinctive vision to each new project.
The Design Team of ILI attributes the success of the company to their ability in achieving complete customer satisfaction based on excellent communication and organizational skills. While good design is always of paramount importance, the management of the actual installation is where many projects and clients experience their greatest challenges and ILI focuses its greatest attention. Ultimately, the key to their success is founded on the building of lasting, quality relationships.
Their design philosophy is rooted in the understanding that their clients inherently know the environment in which they wish to reside, but often have difficulty articulating. Using their knowledge, experience, and skills to assist in clarifying and realizing that vision is their goal.
While totally accomplished in the creation of new interiors, Inspired Living Interiors is also particularly adept at the reconfiguration of existing spaces to maximize flow and function. They encourage the employment of environmentally sensitive construction techniques and the use of sustainable or recyclable materials wherever possible. They pride themselves in offering outstanding value, excellent service and achieving strong, long-term relationships with their clients.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc. – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
While opening the atelier in SilverLake provided a method through which to return to Interior Design, running a retail store was never an ideal fit. The financial struggles of the last “great recession” were quite impactful (negatively) to the retail furniture industry as a whole.
The learning curve involved with restorations in Historic West Adams was a significant challenge that could only be learned through hands-on experience.
Right now, we’re facing our most exciting challenge as we evolve a collaborative design solution for a special client into a marketable product that we are preparing to make available to the public marketplace. Building a business plan from scratch, while exciting, also has plenty of consternating moments in the process. Networks of friends and business associates have paved the way for introductions to some of the best collaborations we have experienced in our professional careers, so we will remain forever grateful to those who have supported our efforts along the way!
So, as you know, we’re impressed with Inspired Living Interior Design, LLC – tell our readers more, for example, what you’re most proud of as a company and what sets you apart from others.
The closure of our SilverLake store occurred shortly following the purchase of our home in Historic West Adams and brought an unanticipated evolution to our business. After surviving an 18-month “restoration-vation” of a century-old home, we had become enamored with the neighborhood’s incredible mix of Victorian, Craftsman, and “Revival” architecture. We became active in the neighborhood preservation activities which evolved into a 5-year commitment as President of the West Adams Heritage Association, amongst other elements of community involvement.
In this capacity, our work on one restoration was followed by another and soon became the core of our business. One referral after another, we became known for re-creating period tile work for baths and kitchens, researching historic patterns and often reinterpreting them into modern translations. We feel a 21st-century homeowner should be able to enjoy modern amenities even when living in a 100-year-old house!
So, what’s next? Any big plans?
Launching GLASSplash™
We were very excited when a well-known Los Angeles artist selected Inspired Living Interiors to assist in the design and construction of a new creative studio space addition for a recently purchased home. He and his wife also desperately needed a new kitchen, so the challenge was before us.
We became better acquainted as we selected cabinets, countertops, and flooring, and as the project neared completion, it dawned on us that the backsplash area could provide another “canvas” for our artist-chef-client to exploit. We determined to use a sheet of tempered glass, cut to just the right size and had the contractor place the electrical outlets low on the wall so as to not interrupt the glass panel’s design.
We encouraged him to create something that would inspire him while preparing meals in his new kitchen, and we were delighted when he first shared with us his preliminary design concepts. We coordinated the other wall colors of the kitchen (especially the negative space behind his designs) and voila’, GLASSplash™ was born!
As we develop GLASSplash™ into an actual company, our design goal is to integrate original art into a new environment – the kitchen – the true heart of every home. While kitchen designers mostly focus on cabinets, countertops and the latest appliances, all too often what is neglected is an inclusion of artistic creativity. Our goal is to find just the right visual inspiration to accompany the culinary artistry in our client’s homes.
Through a variety of methods, GLASSplash™ incorporates original art into panels of tempered glass, to provide a stunningly UNIQUE addition to your kitchen, bath, and office.
Pricing:
- Initial In-home Consultation $333.00
Contact Info:
- Address: 2708 Kenwood Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90007 - Website: www.InspiredLivingInteriors.com
- Phone: 213-216-0887
- Email: [email protected]
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Inspired-Living-Interiors-215420375184123/
Image Credit:
Inspired Living Interior Design, LLC, Larry Underhill Photography
Getting in touch: VoyageLA is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
