Kalon Studios Opens A Showroom In Los Angeles.

Michaele Simmering and Johannes Pauwen have embraced a work-from-home model since establishing Kalon Studios in 2007. They bucked the trend and finally set their sights on establishing a showroom and workspace outside of their Los Angeles home in 2020 when the broader paradigm shifted. We’ve always been so isolated from the outside world. We haven’t even had a physical location yet, “Pauwen explains.”

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Despite persistent demand from designers and customers to see Kalon’s minimalist and domestically manufactured hardwood products in person, the husband-wife team had relied on select stockists and independent showrooms to fulfil that demand. Pauwen and Simmering can now engage with clients while supporting other local designers and programming events as the space evolves.

Kalon Studios’ showroom is by appointment only and is located in a newly constructed live/work complex in Los Angeles’ Atwater Village neighbourhood. Natural light floods the two-story property, making it ideal for showcasing Kalon Studios’ furniture and home goods collections. In addition, the setting provides an appropriate residential environment in which they can share their own sustainably-minded, meticulously crafted work alongside that of what Simmering refers to as “the creative collective” of fellow Los Angeles artists and designers—but not without some necessary interventions.

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On a kitchen wall, shelves displaying Kalon chairs and side tables have been installed in place of the old appliances and cabinetry. With its expansive fishbowl-style windows facing the street, the adjacent dining room has been styled to accommodate bedroom furnishings. The walls of the double-height living room, which is currently furnished with Rugosa upholstered furniture and recent stone pieces, have been refinished with Portola Paints’ Roman Clay. The downstairs powder room is clad in deep green, shimmering zellige tile from Los Angeles-based Zia Tile. At the same time, the upstairs offices and workspaces feature custom furnishings and wood storage that Kalon designed and had built by builder Erik Blinderman.

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Through their respective creations, Pauwen and Simmering get to enjoy the company of various Los Angeles colleagues and friends on both levels. Laure Joliet’s photography, ceramic artist Victoria Morris, Bari Ziperstein, Adam Silverman’s work, sculptor Ryosuke Yazaki’s work, metalworker and designer Ramsey Conder’s work, and lighting maker Brendan Ravenhill’s work all complement the Kalon pieces. In addition, Terremoto Landscape’s David Godshall provided consultation on the drought-tolerant, sculptural landscape interventions, including a Texas mesquite tree and other subtle changes to the parkway. (The street ends in a cul-de-sac adjacent to a busy thoroughfare.) The inviting rooftop deck offers an outdoor gathering space with views of Griffith Park.

Simmering explains how the showroom’s square footage and layout constraints have advantages. She enjoys the challenge of being “compelled to edit.” “I’m glad we can’t show everything,” she added, noting that the Kalon Studios collections on display on the site will rotate regularly. This shared, lived-in, and well-considered residential environment is consistent with the brand. “Our work is directly related to how people live. It is not a large, flashy conversation piece, “Simmering explains.”

Written By Tannu Sharma | Subscribe To Our Telegram Channel To Get Latest Updates And Don’t Forget To Follow Our Social Media Handles Facebook | Instagram | LinkedIn | Twitter. To Get the Latest Updates From Arco Unico