The New York-based lighting and furniture studio recently opened a sublime showroom on the West Coast.
Gabriel Hendifar and Jeremy Anderson, the duo behind Apparatus, met seven years ago in Los Angeles – the place where Gabriel was born and grew up in. There, they worked on conceptualising their brand and studio, while creating their first pieces.
Months later, when they decided to launch their lighting and furniture studio, they chose to locate it in New York City. Since then, they’ve also opened a location in Milan.
But November 2018 marked a milestone, especially for Gabriel, with the inauguration of a showroom in Los Angeles – the brand’s third – which opened in the heart of the Hollywood design district. It took 14 months to renovate the 5,000 sq ft warehouse space, which was once home to a prominent TV production studio and is located next to renowned brands such as JF Chen, Blackman Cruz, Ralph Pucci and Regen Projects.
The steel and glass entrance invites visitors to discover a space adorned with arches and filled with natural light, thanks to a row of clerestories. The Apparatus collections of furniture, lighting and objects, as well as a selection of pieces from JF Chen and works by Los Angeles-based artists Robert Moreland and Amir Nikravan, are showcased in a way that makes the space feel more like an art gallery.
“Both the architecture and the palette of desaturated sunset tones are informed by the paintings of Giorgio de Chirico, proposing a refined vision of Los Angeles living,” the team says. Hand-trowelled plaster walls, fabrics, textures, stone and veneer architectural elements – and about 3 tonnes of discreetly placed gravel – are some of the ingredients that contribute to the elegant atmosphere.
Every piece by Apparatus combines sensual materials like marble, suede, horsehair, lacquer and porcelain with patinated brass, focusing on craftsmanship and honouring the modernist principal of the total work of art.
Gabriel says the West Coast outpost gives him the chance “to take on the challenge of interpreting the brand’s signature polished aesthetic through a Southern California lens”. While returning to his roots, he and his partner found how to shape the perfect aesthetic for Los Angeles, which has become, over the past few years, a true global design and art destination.
The stark industrial look of the space, which used to be a studio, is softened with the use of architectural arches and earthy colours.
Warm grey tones and subdued ambient lighting inject a sense of cosiness in the showroom.
The bold lines of the interior design contrast beautifully with the curved silhouettes of the lighting creations.
Artworks and furniture with curved patterns and shapes complement the form of the modern chandeliers.
TEXT KARINE MONIE PHOTOS
WICHMANN + BENDTSEN STYLING HELLE WALSTED
