Shopping La Cienega: L.A.’s thriving design district via The L.A. Times
We’re loving the coverage in this recent L.A. Times article in the L.A. at Home section. It’s a testament to how far La Cienega has come in the past few years.
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Lee Stanton has seen many changes on La Cienega since he opened his European antique store on the street six years ago. At that point, the ficus-lined blocks between Melrose Avenue and Santa Monica Boulevard were home to entertainment industry restaurants such as Koi and just a few standout showrooms such as Dragonette, Downtown, Blackman Cruz, Pat McGann and Therien & Co. Mostly, however, the street was associated with cracked sidewalks, heavy traffic and few crosswalks.
In the last two years, however, two dozen or so design stores have opened there, the majority selling high-caliber furniture and accessories — antique, vintage and contemporary pieces and often designs by the store’s owners. Wander into Harbinger (pictured above), Kristen Buckingham (at right), Hollywood at Home and other new or newly expanded shops in the district, and you’ll find variations on a strikingly similar theme: a classic, well-heeled, traditional aesthetic with a dash of boho chic. Looking for a George Nelson Bubble lamp? You probably won’t find it here in the land of $150-a-yard ikat fabrics, vintage tufted chaises and various Pairs of Things. (One good measure of this strip is the fact that whether you’re looking at 19th-century neoclassic chandeliers or Bergeres chairs, items on La Cienega often adhere to that decorator’s holy grail, the matching set.)