We recently completed a design project in the Eagle Rock neighborhood of LA where our client and friend, Andrea Chlebak, wanted to create a small music studio adjacent to her home. Full of texture, warmth and traditional craft, this pint-sized project is a delight! We asked Andrea to share a bit more about herself and the space:
Can you tell us about yourself?
Yes! I live in Eagle Rock in North East Los Angeles. I'm originally from Vancouver, Canada, but moved to California in 2018 for a career opportunity. My main gig is Film Colorist - I work mostly in feature films, tv series and short films/commercials and I've done that for over 15 years.
On the side of that role I also am a musical artist/singer songwriter currently working on a new rock project (Arcane Grace) and I am also growing an arts and music collective focused in music education.
Tell us about your project
It was basically a studio/detached space off my backyard and attached to my garage - it was in very clean and basic condition with white walls, hardwood floors and a small bathroom. As an artist in film, visual and musical arts, I had a tough time deciding what craft of mine would make best use of this space, so I was cycling different things in and out.
In film, I often work offsite in a post production facility, so allocating it as a work from home, color grading space didn't seem to fit - also I found that this little studio was too wonderfully daylit to close off the windows for the dark theatre vibe that is required for color grading.
Talking with Mary Jane and Chessa about this space, I expressed that I really wanted to dedicate more time to my music and right away they helped me to see the potential in the space. I always dreamed of having my own private space dedicated to music - somewhere I could work alone or with one or two other people to do songwriting, music production and even host rehearsals or private lessons.
When that idea really gelled for me, I started to look for references that really spoke to me in terms of inspirational and minimalist spaces. - since instruments and music gear can be a bit overwhelming and eclectic in terms of storage and organization. I love Scandinavian interior design and wanted to work with warm tones and mixed textures. I also really wanted to bring out some femininity in the space to balance all the music gear that would inevitable fill parts of the space.
Why did you think of Twenty One Tonnes for this project?
I love Mary Jane and Chessa's eye for design and their materials are so warm, rich and really feminine in my opinion. I knew they would be able to look at this small space and create a beautiful vibe with few items.
What is your favorite piece sourced for the space?
That's tough! I love everything! I do really love the column basket because it actually stores music and microphone stands and keeps things feeling clean and tidy. I also really love the pendant shades - with the Tala bulbs they bring such a nice feel to the space and a nice textural contrast to the crisp birch walls.
Did the project remain within your budget?
It did, TOT worked with me to find storage and small furniture solutions that were affordable. We talked a lot about certain pieces that I would like to prioritze from the TOT collection and also they found a few gently used furniture pieces that helped get the look very affordably.
How do you think it turned out?
I love this space - I love how it transforms during the day with daylight and then at night the pendants really keep the space inviting and inspriational.
Below you'll find some of the hand crafted Twenty One Tonnes lighting and basketry pieces we used in Andrea's project to bring warmth and character to the space:
We offer a variety of design services including space planning, custom product design, vintage furniture sourcing, and styling advice to bring a project to life.
Whether you need an hour-long styling consult or you're starting from scratch, we would love to help you create a thoughtful space that brings you joy.
