Beyond the White Box: 4 Design Firms Give Us a Fresh Take on the LA Home

Bored with the one-note spec homes that dot the West Coast? These designs from four standout firms offer a new aesthetic.

For decades new builds in Los Angeles have resembled overlarge white cubes. Now, following a period when homeowners spent more time than ever within these glossy, austere showplaces, their tastes—and needs—are changing. We asked four renowned firms to solve the square-shaped design’s problems by drafting a version of the California abode that responds to these evolving desires.

Inside Out

Chet Callahan, Chet Architecture

A SoCal native, Callahan is an architect and an interior designer, so his concept combines both disciplines. “We see the future of design moving from discrete pieces of art displayed against and within the white box to works of craft integrated into the very building itself,” he says. In his concept, the artist’s hand is evident, from painter Adrian Kay Wong’s mural to installed ceramic lighting from artisan Ben Medansky. Instead of the larger-than-life building being the focal point, here the exterior and interior architectures work in tandem.