Before we took on this total renovation, the original space was an Italian restaurant that had been there for years and was in need of a major refresh. The only real "pro" of the space was that it was already set up as a functional restaurant, so we kept the floor plan and focused on giving each area a distinct look and purpose. We completely renovated the bar with new arches, ambient lighting, and shelving, Zoffany metallic wallpaper, and a rich green marble top with patinaed brass front. We had traditional bentwood stools customized with seat cushions done in Schumacher fabric printed on commercial grounds. Throughout the three dining rooms and connecting hallway we mixed a variety of traditional wallpapers from Sanderson Group, Thibaut, with rich velvet fabrics, roman clay and limewash from Portola, paints from Farrow and Ball and modern/quirky lighting, including vintage Murano sconces in the bathroom. The entryway features a custom zellige host stand and a hand-painted wood feature wall with a block-print pattern. Artwork is all original avia Artspace Gallery in Los Angeles.

Chelsea is meant to be a very careful balance of old and new, artisanal next to sleek, Europe meets America. Our goal was to incorporate a "New London" feel in a luxurious setting that still manages to be laid back enough for a casual Santa Monica crowd.