One of the signature facets of the design duo Shannon Wollack and Brittany Zwickl’s firm Studio Life/Style is a laid-back, California casual feeling that is light and airy. Their aesthetic focuses on using neutral palettes and natural materials, focusing on how textural patterns play within the space. With their studio located in the heart of the West Hollywood Design District, the talented design team at Studio Life/Style excels at creating contemporary luxury, perfectly balanced with welcoming comfort and functionality. We spent some time discussing this refined design approach, getting some of their style tips, and finding out the decor brands they love. Enjoy!
Thank you Shannon and Brittany for sharing your studio with us. Tell us about Studio Life/Style. What is your unique approach to design?
At Studio Life/Style we incorporate current trends while considering classic design. We are mindful of how our design space will evolve with time and grow with a family. We like to keep things fresh and airy and are considerate towards our senses, specifically how light and textures play into space.
What a great approach. Take us through your creative process. How do you approach a space?
We meet with our clients, see the home, and understand the scope of work. Then we typically pull together inspiration images, based off of those things for the “mood” of the space. Once we are on the same page with the client we can then start to pull together actual items, specifications, finishes, etc. We try to think about how the space will be used, who will use it the most, what kind of mood we want the person to feel while in the space while being realistic about the actual uses.
That is a really great way of anticipating the client’s future enjoyment and comfort within the space. When it comes to creating a home, what are some of your go to styling tips and combinations?
We love to mix new contemporary pieces from established and up-and-coming designers/artists, with older found objects, which could be classic “designer” items or antique pieces from unknown sources, that have survived the years. We also love to use lots of various textures together to make the space feel interesting, without being overwhelming. As for styling shelves and tabletops, we like to bring a myriad of items old, new, big, small, colorful, plain, and then start making vignettes one “moment” at a time.
The idea of making “vignettes” for one moment at a time is a really great strategy. What are some of your favorite under the radar decor shops and what are some of your favorite materials to use?
Faithful Roots and Nickey Kehoe. Some of our favorite materials include boucle fabrics, linen fabrics, shearlings, white oak, plaster fixtures, limewash paint.
Those are some really great brands and natural textures! What are the colors, textures, and materials that you see taking over the home next year?
Muted tones and tonal mixtures, fabrics with differing and heavier textures like boucle and wovens, and more earthy natural materials such as linens, aged woods, veined stones, woven jute, or rope.
Natural tones and textures keep coming up throughout our conversations as well. How does your approach to projects differ between commercial and residential spaces?
Commercial spaces are a place where we can take more design liberties in terms of being more out there or fun. We take special care to consider the uses of each space and item for commercial projects as those will be used by a wider range of people in contrast to a residence owned by one family, who might use something in similar ways. With residential projects, we embody the client and feel out what they would want through our taste, whereas with a commercial project, we can lead the design more through our own design aesthetics from the viewpoint of the brand.
That is a really great approach, because while commercial spaces are often an extension of a residential space, but with different use cases, they are not always treated that way and its great to see that you apply some of the same rules, but expand upon the uses. When it comes to creating living spaces that are timeless, what are your “Golden Rules”?
Using an appropriate scale, mixing different eras and styles of items, and using high-quality materials that wear and patina gracefully.
Perfect. Finally, what other designers, artisans, creatives, and architects are you inspired by at the moment?
Jake Alexander Arnold, Amber Interiors, Virgil Abloh, Axel Vervoordt, Nicole Hollis, Galerie Provenance, Mckenzie Dove, Benjamin Ewing, Vincent Vanduysen, Athena Calderone, Disc Interiors, X & L Amsterdam, and John Pawson.
Such amazing talent! Thank you again Shannon and Brittany for sharing your studio and design philosophy with us.
To learn more about Studio Life/Style, please visit their website.
