You know when you walk into a store and it’s just totally right and you immediately start dreaming about where each piece will go in your home? That’s what happens when you step into Garde, the newly-opened home furnishings and personal accessories store on Beverly Blvd, owned by Scotti Sitz.

Sitz is both impeccably stylish and incredibly sweet. She’s had an impressive career–working first for Calvin Klein and later as the director of retail development for Giorgio Armani. The classic, minimal style of those major brands finds its way into Garde’s retail space, which use to be an old electronics repair shop–untouched for over 30 years. “It was a boring space with no character,” Sitz tells Take Sunset. “I thought, how do I create an inviting environment out of nothing?” She completely overhauled the space. “You name it, we gutted it,” she says. “There was an old drop ceiling with 1950′s tiles, the skylight was boarded up, linoleum on the floors, bad windows, partitions.”

The end result is light, open, modern and minimal without being austere. “The space was long and narrow, so I needed to divide it without walls or partitions,” Sitz explains. “We painted the big grey stripe through the middle, added shelving and display surfaces so you have a subtle feeling of different spaces, but still open and gallery-like.” When asked about her design influences, Sitz says she has many–gathering her likes and dislikes over the years in order to fine tune her own style. But for this project, one particular inspiration stands out. “In the past couple of years, my go-to design influence has been the Belgian architect Vincent Van Duysen,” Sitz states. “Mr. Van Duysen represents the minimalist, which is in my nature, but without being severe. He puts the warmth and tactile elements back in spaces and manages to keep all the rooms flowing in a natural direction.”

As for picking Garde’s location on Beverly Boulevard, Sitz explains that she use to live right around the corner and has watched the neighborhood change into the perfect location for her retail store. “It’s become the neighborhood of higher-end vintage furniture and design, without being over the top,” she says. ”It is kind of the anti La Cienega and PDC [Pacific Design Center] area. It’s less commercial, which I like.” And so far, so good. Sitz says she loves her shop’s new neighborhood. “I love contributing to the cool vibe that’s now known as ‘the Beverly Corridor’.”

Contributing to that vibe is Garde’s unique mix of housewares and accessories, including silk textiles by artist Stevie Howell, jewelry by designer Satomi Kawakita, brass ornaments by Anna Karlin, pottery by Sara Paloma, and ceramic and hemp wall hangings by Michele Quan, which I immediately fell in love with. Sitz says the most important aspect in choosing the collections she carries–aside from being beautiful or interesting–is her personal connection with the designers. “I love the stories behind each artists’ journey and the process to create their designs,” she says. “And I curating collections from artists in the U.S. and abroad. The world has truly gotten that small, thankfully.”

Garde
7418 Beverly Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90036
323.424.4667

As part of Pacific Standard Time, the Los Angeles Conservancy and its Modern Committee are hosting a one-time-only tour exploring the art and architecture of Millard Sheets in Claremont and Pomona, followed by a panel discussion with Sheets’ daughter and artists who worked with him. Sheets was an influential artist, designer, and educator who made an indelible mark on the postwar Southern California landscape with mid-century designs that integrate art and architecture. He’s perhaps best known for the iconic, mosaic-covered branches of Home Savings (later Washington Mutual; now Chase) throughout Southern California. In recent years, his work has grown increasingly vulnerable to demolition and excessive alteration.

Tourgoers will enjoy a curated look at important examples of his work in Claremont and Pomona, as well as the contributions of his many peers and protégés. Tour sites include the Former Millard Sheets Studio (1956-9); Garrison Theater, Scripps College (1963); Pomona First Federal, now American Museum of Ceramic Art (1956); Pomona First Federal, now US Bank (1969); Pomona Mall (1962); and (from the Mall) Home Savings Tower, now Chase Bank (1963).

Guests will also have access to two other Pacific Standard Time events: Common Ground: Ceramics in Southern California 1945-1975 at AMOCA, which includes hundreds of pieces by artists who had direct connections to Sheets; and Clay’s Tectonic Shift: John Mason, Ken Price and Peter Voulkos, 1956-1968 at the Ruth Chandler Williamson Gallery at Scripps College, which explores the role of ceramics in mid-century art in Los Angeles. Following the tour there will be a panel discussion at Claremont United Church of Christ, also designed by Sheets.

Tickets for Millard Sheets: A Legacy of Art and Architecture are $30 for the general public, $25 for Los Angeles Conservancy members, $15 for students, and $10 for children 12 and under. Ticketholders receive free admission to the panel discussion, and tickets for just the panel are $10. For more information and to purchase tickets, go here.

Millard Sheets: A Legacy of Art and Architecture
Sunday, March 18, 2012
Tour 11:30am – 4pm; Panel Discussion 5pm

(Photo Credit:artinfo.com, Scripps College, Annie Laskey/L.A. Conservancy)

Saturday, October 1

Food Truck Festival at Santa Anita Park
70 gourmet food trucks, like the popular Grilled Cheese Truck, Lobsta Truck, Ludo Truck, and Lardon Truck will spread out over the entire Santa Anita infield for this mammoth food truck gathering. There will also be carnival games, live music and pony rides for the kids. The event starts today at 11am and runs until 5pm, so hurry up! Tickets are $5. Santa Anita Park, 285 West Huntington Dr, Arcadia, CA 91007 [Caroline On Crack]

Brewery ArtWalk Fall 2011
The Brewery ArtWalk is a twice annual open studio weekend at the world’s largest art complex. With over 100 participating resident artists, you’ll have the chance to see new works, speak with the artists and purchase artwork directly at studio prices. Admission and parking is free. Come early to avoid lines. Saturday and Sunday, from 11am to 6pm. The Brewery, 2100 N. Main Street, Los Angeles, CA 90031

Sunday, October 2

Mohawk General Store’s Black Crane Trunk Show
Mohawk is hosting a trunk show for the women’s wear line, Black Crane. Pre-order SS 12’ items and purchase (newly re-stocked) Fall/Winter 11’ items at 15% off. Sunday, 1pm – 3pm. Mohawk General Store, 4011 West Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90029 [Racked LA]

Pacific Standard Time
There are 33 exhibitions open right now and admission is free on Sunday, so there’s no excuse not to check it out!

(Photo Source: getmeoutofla, whosurmuse)

Pacific Standard Time, the collaboration of more than sixty cultural institutions across Southern California coming together to tell the story of the birth of the LA art scene from 1945 to 1980, opens this weekend. And as part of this massive event, California Design, 1930–1965: “Living in a Modern Way” opens at LACMA.

The exhibition is the first major study of California mid-century modern design. With more than 350 objects–furniture, ceramics, metalwork, fashion and textiles, industrial and graphic design, and even surfboards and a Studebaker Avanti–the exhibition examines California’s role in shaping the material culture of the entire country. For the ambitious installation, LACMA sought out the talents of architects Craig Hodgetts and Ming Fung of Hodgetts + Fung. There’s an interview with them about the show on LACMA’s blog.

Most impressive? An exact recreation of the Eames House living room inside an Eames House-inspired frame! Curbed interviewed California Design’s co-curator Bobbye Tigerman about relocating the room, which had been perfectly preserved since 1988. Both links are definitely worth checking out before you see the show.

California Design, 1930–1965: “Living in a Modern Way”
October 1, 2011–March 25, 2012
LACMA’s Resnick Pavilion
5905 Wilshire Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90036

(Photo Source: giantrobot, Elizabeth Daniels for Curbed)

LA fashion gets a bad rap. It’s pointed to for flip flops at business meetings and dudes in bedazzled Ed Hardy. But dig a little deeper and you’ll find that the anti-fashion stereotype is only partly true. There’s certainly a fair share of Christian Audigier and teacup Pomeranians rolling around in designer purses, but there’s also incredible fashion and gorgeous architecture around every corner. It is the intersection of fashion and architecture that West Hollywood’s Structures & Style: Fashion Blueprints is exploring and celebrating this Saturday, August 27th.

Beginning at 11am, there will be a guided walking and shuttle tour. Participants will explore the latest architecture, design, and fashion concepts at some of the top boutiques in West Hollywood, including 3.1 Phillip Lim, H.L.N.R., Alberta Ferretti, Roseark and Church Boutique. The event will close with a reception catered by Craig’s at the new West Hollywood Library. You’ll drink and dine while viewing the murals created by Shepard Fairey, Retna and Kenny Scharf. Most importantly, all proceeds go to the WEHO Community Housing Corporation, which raises money to build affordable housing for low-income families.

Tickets for the Structures & Style: Fashion Blueprints are $185, but for Take Sunset readers, there’s a special insider rate of $110! Go here to purchase your discount tickets directly through PayPal. And for more information, a detailed schedule and map, go here.

Structures & Style: Fashion Blueprints
The New West Hollywood Library
625 N. San Vicente Blvd.
West Hollywood, CA 90069
August 27, 2011 from 11am – 3pm

SUPER iam8bit opened last Thursday at the recently renovated iam8bit headquarters in Echo Park. Over 100 artists have reimagined their 80′s gaming fantasies through paintings, sculpture and other interactive media.

The inaugural iam8bit show in 2005, was one of the most popular group art exhibition in Los Angeles. It won accolades from dozens of publications, like LA Weekly’s “Best Art Show” and received media attention from CNN, MSNBC, Playboy, G4 and MTV. The book “iam8bit: Art Inspired by Classic Video Games of the ’80s” highlighted key pieces from the original show and became one of the best-selling video game-themed books of all time.

This year’s show is bigger and bolder than before, and is housed in a 4,500 square foot event space–nearly 5 times the size of the original show. It also includes a new book documenting this year’s event, “SUPER iam8bit: More Art Inspired By Classic Video Games of the ’80s”. Other highlights include: a special tribute to Galaga’s 30th anniversary featuring the world’s largest “arcade cabinet”; the transformation of the entire gallery into an 80′s gaming wonderland by designer decal collective BLIK; an interactive, “retro-fied” Kinect hack from Double Fine super-artist Drew Skillman; and much, much more!

The show runs until September 10, 2011, so check it out. For updates, follow them on twitter @iam8bitshow.

SUPER iam8bit
2147 W Sunset Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90026
Gallery Hours:? Thursday 1-8pm, Friday 1-9pm, ?Saturday 12-9pm, ?Sunday 12-6pm

(Image Source: kotaku)

Handbag designer Clare Vivier and jewelry designer Kathryn Bentley teamed up to launch a storefront and shared design studio in Silver Lake this spring, aptly named Vivier and Bentley. This place is seriously dangerous shopping territory for me. It’s as if someone has been watching my dreams and created a shop based from my fashion fantasies.

Before I checked out Vivier and Bentley in person, I scoped out Bentley’s jewelry and Vivier’s handbags online, but seeing their work in person was truly exceptional.

The storefront is actually tiny, but only a small part of the overall square footage is used for customers. The rest functions as a studio/workshop space. You can peek around the corner and see gorgeous, brightly colored leather stacked high, ready to be transformed into chic handbags.

Bentley’s jewelry is divided into two lines–the refined but still slightly tough Kathryn Bentley line, which uses precious stones and even diamonds, and the more accessible and organic Dream Collective. Prices range from around $50 to $2,500 for more serious pieces.

Both of Bentley’s lines pair gorgeously together and also work really well with Vivier’s understated leather bags and wallets, which range from $79 to $460, which if you know handbags, really isn’t that bad. (This is also the line I used on Rob.)

Of course, I had to get a bag. It was hard to pick between all the gorgeous options, but I ended up with the CV Messenger in black. A practical choice since I needed an everday black bag, but this puppy is pretty fantastic, too. It’s made of super soft nubuck leather, extremely lightweight, with beautiful gold hardware. It even comes with a little wallet too.

Vivier and Bentley also carries a small selection of local brands, including ceramics and wall hangings from Heather Levine, pottery from Victoria Morris, and handmade leather shoes from Eastside designer Beatrice Valenzuela. I’m hoping this selection will continue to grow, or at least rotates, because I’d love to see what else Vivier and Bentley are into.

Items from Vivier and Bentley’s individual lines are carried at area stores, like Mohawk General Store (Vivier’s bags are also at Steve Allen and Theory) but Vivier and Bentley’s Micheltorena boutique will feature limited edition pieces from both designers. Yet another reason to make frequent trips to the shop! Be sure to stop by, but don’t say I didn’t warn you–or your pocketbook.

Vivier and Bentley
1404 Micheltorena Street
Los Angeles, CA 90026
(323) 665-2476
Monday – Saturday, 11 am – 6 pm

(Image Source: Clare Vivier, jeana_sohn, L.A. In Bloom, Heather Levine)

Rodarte: States of Matter presents works in fashion and costume design by Kate and Laura Mulleavy of Rodarte, including original ballet costumes for Black Swan. This is Rodarte’s first west coast exhibition. It is open now through June 5th at the Museum of Contemporary Art.

Kate and Laura are California natives–born and raised in Pasadena, they returned to after college at UC Berkeley to launch Rodarte in 2005. The sisters recently gave Nowness an itinerary of their off-the-beaten-path hangouts in LA…

The Magic Castle – 7001 Franklin Avenue, Hollywood, CA 90028
This is one of the coolest places in LA. It’s a historic magicians club. We love to see sleight-of-hand experts and listen to Erma the ghost play the piano.

Bob Baker Marionette Theater – 1345 West 1st Street, Los Angeles, CA 90026
Bob makes all of his amazing marionettes and his performances are brilliant. His Nutcracker Suite is sold out every year.

The Natural History Museum – 900 Exposition Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90007
The gem room is our favorite room in Los Angeles. It’s lit in pale yellow and houses an incredible collection of Gold Rush jewelry. The walls are lined with glass shelves tinted by the jewel tones that rest on top.

Olvera Street - 845 North Alameda Street, Los Angeles, CA 90012
Our favorite place to get candied limes stuffed with coconut, and Mexican hot chocolate. Plus, there are always confetti eggs decorated in glitter, or red, green and white crayon.

Rose Tree Cottage – 801 South Pasadena Avenue, Pasadena, CA 91105
The only place in LA to have tea. You must drive out to Pasadena in order to have Edmund and Mary’s famous scones and sticky toffee pudding!

Hollywood Forever Cemetery - 6000 Santa Monica Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90038
Movies like Badlands and Bride of Frankenstein are projected during the summer amongst the graves of Cecil B. DeMille, John Huston, Rudolf Valentino, and Johnny Ramone.

(For more of Rodarte’s LA picks, go to here. Photo credit: Alex Aristei.)

“It’s not just a matter of creating pretty things… we’re missionaries on a crusade against vulgarity,” says Massimo Vignelli of Vignelli Associates.

Massimo and his wife Lella were born in Italy and trained as architects before founding Vignelli Associates in New York City in 1971. They continue to work there today designing furniture, tableware, interiors, and developing corporate identities for clients like IBM, Knoll, Bloomingdale’s, and American Airlines.

Vignelli is known for designing the iconic original signage for the New York City Subway system, which he recently updated. Vignelli has had a fascinating, prolific career and he’s extremely quotable and entertaining too. (You may remember him from the movie Helvetica.)

Check out more of Vignelli’s designs and quotes, after the break.

“Good design lasts.”
Heller Compact Stacking Dinnerware, 1964 - Designed to be stackable in a compact way, Vignelli’s Dinnerware was originally manufactured in Italy and won their first Compasso d’Oro Award for Good Design in 1964. The dinnerware was a huge hit when it came to America, where it was produced by Heller and available in a rainbow of colors. You can still find vintage Heller Stacking Dinnerware on eBay. The timeless design is also still in production and can be purchased at Unica Home.

“Design should solve problems.”
Junod Dual Time Watch Switzerland, 2002 – A watch designed for people constantly traveling or living in different time zones, who need to glance down at two times at once.

“If you can’t find it, design it.”
Poltronova Saratoga Furniture, 1964 – The Vignellis designed this piece when they were looking for a sofa for their own home. The boxy, lacquer-frame sofa with leather cushions is still in their living room today.

(Image Source: Vignelli. Quotes: Elle Decor, May 2011)

2960 Glenmanor Place
Los Angeles, CA 90039
2 BR, 2.25 BA
$1,795,000

The Mizuno Studio/Residence, built in 1964 with later additions, is an extremely unique listing for Atwater Village. Not only is the price as high as you’ll see for a house in the area, it’s a mid-century modern home in a neighborhood of traditional and Spanish homes.

Owned by Japanese-born, Los Angeles-based ceramic artist Mineo Mizuno, the 3,886 square foot property combines art, architecture, and landscape into one live/work environment.

There is a sense of peace and tranquility throughout the home, along with tremendous indoor-outdoor flow and a celebration of Mizuno’s Japanese cultural heritage.

The state of the art kitchen opens to a dining area with floor to ceiling windows and views of the pool.

The residence includes central heat and air and a large artist’s studio, which would also be appropriate for a theatre.

The home is set on a 23,522 square foot, gated lot with a gorgeous pool and an attached garage with direct entrance.

The property is hidden in Atwater Village next to the greening Los Angeles river, and is just minutes to Los Feliz, Silver Lake, and Downtown. If you’d like to see this stunning Atwater Village home in person, email me or call me at 323-775-6305!

More info and photos of 2960 Glenmanor Pl.

Listing courtesy of Crosby Doe, Crosby Doe Associates, Inc.