The Ports 1961 Los Angeles boutique on Melrose Place, which debuted in 2008, was designed to reflect Creative Director Tia Cibani’s ethos. We developed an intimate and sophisticated showroom that evolved with each season, unfolding as a layered backdrop for visitors to encounter and experience the brand. Outside, the ivy-covered, honed travertine facade featured a recessed, frameless optical glass storefront, underlined by a low walnut platform. Inside, the travertine cladding wrapped into the store interior along the front entry piers. Within the loft-like interior, the meandering progression of three open rooms creates an alluring flow of space to interact with the brand’s pieces. Plush, hand-loomed Tibetan carpets in silk and wool created an organic contrast with the raw simplicity of concrete. In the central lounge area, customers were invited to relax and unwind as in an upscale living room featured a warm materials palette of walnut, plaster walls, golden fabric curtains, and nickel solid silver.

Photography by Paul Warchol.

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