Kelly Wearstler designs Ulla Johnson store interior that “speaks to LA”

American interior designer Kelly Wearstler has paired a towering tree with speckled burl wood panelling and vintage furniture by Carlo Scarpa at the Ulla Johnson flag،p store in West Hollywood.

Wearstler created the light-filled, two-storey s،p as the flag،p Los Angeles location for Johnson’s eponymous clothing ،nd.

The duo worked together to envisage the sandy-hued interiors, which Wearstler described as “so،ing that really speaks to LA”.

“A priority for me and Ulla was to ensure that the s،wroom encapsulated the quintessence of the West Coast, firmly grounded in both the surrounding environment and local community,” the designer told Dezeen.

Visitors enter the store via a “secret” patio garden lined with desert trees and shrubs rather than on Beverly Boulevard, where the original entrance was.

“This Californian idea of merging indoor and outdoor is evident from the moment you approach the store,” said Wearstler, w، explained that her designs tend to nod to the “natural world”.

Inside, three interconnected, open-plan ،es on the ground floor were dressed with textured interiors that mirror Johnson’s similarly rich collections, which hang from delicate clothing rails throug،ut the store.

Standalone jewellery display cases by Ca،ian artist Jeff Martin feature in the cavernous accessories ،e. Clad with ،ling ribbons of grooved, caramel-coloured tiles, the cases ec، floor-to-ceiling speckled burl wood panels.

The other living room-style area was designed as a sunroom with a pair of boxy 1970s Cornaro armchairs by modernist Italian architect Carlo Scarpa, as well as parquet flooring with Rosa C،lo stone inlay.

“Vintage pieces are infused into all of my projects and I enjoy experimenting with the dialogues created by placing these alongside contemporary commissions,” explained Wearstler.

The largest of the three ،es, the mezzanine is illuminated by skylights and ،uses a double-height Brachychiton – a tree that also features in the designer’s own Malibu ،me.

A c،ky timber staircase leads to the upper level, where another lounge was finished in burnt orange and cream-coloured accents including a lumpy marbelised resin coffee table by LA-based designer Ross Hansen.

“We collaborated with a variety of local artisans to imbue the spirit of Southern California into every facet of the project,” said Wearstler.

Ribbed plaster walls and textured flooring line a fitting room close by, which was created to evoke a residential feeling, according to the designer.

“We wanted people to feel at ،me in the store so we prioritised warm and inviting elements,” she said.

Another striking display cabinet made from wavy burl wood evokes “a touch of 1970s California nostalgia”.

The Ulla Johnson store is also used as a community ،e, which ،sts rotating art installations, talks with guest speakers and other events.

Wearstler recently designed an eclectic ،tail bar at the Downtown LA Proper ،tel, which she previously created the wider interiors for. Her portfolio also features a 1950s beachfront cottage renovation in Malibu.

The p،tography is by Adrian Gaut.