by design*byproxy -

Persephenie

Earlier this year we stayed at Caitlin’s Agave House in Ojai. While there, I had a chance to use Persephenie’s Nanu Lei Fizzy Mineral Bath Powder and was intrigued not only by the gorgeous scent, but also by its Old World black & white packaging. Her Body Care products use wild-crafted, organic and certified organic essential oils and absolutes, distilled directly from flowers and plants such as neroli blossom, jasmine, camellia, linden blossom and more.

I got a chance to meet with Persephenie at her studio here in Los Angeles where she handcrafts her scents and found out about the other things that keep her busy including her fabulous line of jewelry.

D*BP: Tell us about what you do?

P: I’m a perfumer specializing in botanticals and custom perfume. I’m also an Aromatherapist. I formulate body care, make jewelry, and during those rare free periods, I love to paint. I think of myself as a closet painter who earns a living in the world of aromatics.

I’m also mama to a beautiful nine year old and house full of animals.

D*BP: Where is your studio and how long have you had it?

P: My studio is on Edinburgh Avenue, a side street off West Third, one block West of The Grove.
I’ve been in my space for seven years this summer. My original intention for the studio was to make art and teach art to children. With love and enthusiasm for botanicals and scent, it quickly evolved into an aromatics studio..

I teach botanical perfumery privately and to groups. This year I took a step back from open classes to focus on my body care, perfumes, and jewelry.

D*BP: I really LOVE your jewelry. What kind of materials do you use?

Thank you! Recycled 14 and 18 kt gold, sterling, leather, fossilized tusk, feathers, macrame’, semi-precious and precious gems, rose beads that I hand roll, and anything that is beautiful to incorporate.

D*BP: What inspires you?

P: Almost everything, especially my son.

D*BP: What’s your philosophy?

P: Taking care of myself by loving the people and creatures close to my heart, working hard, surrounding myself with beauty, and having fun.

Thanks Persephenie!

by design*byproxy -

William Emmerson











This week, my guest on Design*ByProxy is designer William Emmerson. Not only is he known for his modern and vintage furniture store Emmerson Troop here in Los Angeles, but also as a successful interior and furniture designer. His current furniture line is available exclusively through Ralph Pucci International and he is in production on a soon-to-be limited release furniture collection using raw slabs of glass and white quartz marble.

D*BP: Tell us about what you do and how long you have been doing it?

W. E : I have a furniture store and I design furniture.
Back in 1997, Eric Troop and I were driving along Melrose, saw a store for lease, called the number and the guy gave us 3 months free rent. We started selling vintage metal furniture that we found in air forces bases and abandoned hospitals and stripped them. I got the idea from stuff I’d seen in NYC. We had a roll top metal desk and Ralph Lauren came in one day and bought it for $8,000. We were over the moon.
I’ve been designing from the age of 12. I helped my dad build a garden shed. It was then I realized I could really build stuff.

D*BP: Where do you live and what do you love most about your home?

W. E : I live in Hancock Park. What I like about my home is the amazing sunlight and views of the whole city. It’s very inspirational.

D*BP: Describe your style? How would you define your aesthetic?

W. E : It’s forever changing and evolving.
Fluid, sensuous, simple. Less is more type thing. The hardest thing to do is create something very simple, but also the hardest thing to attain. When I design I break it down until it becomes fluid and effortless. It’s a long process and something I do all the time when designing.

D*BP: Art and Design-Who are your favorites?

W. E : My art favorites range from Warhol, Richard Avedon, Modigliani, Bacon, Rothko just to name a few. My taste in design is really eclectic. I’m always looking for early millennium pieces and rare vintage IKEA.

D*BP: Ha! OK. Pretty cheeky Will.

D*BP: The furniture you design is quite unique. What inspires you to create?

W. E : Nature is the original designer. I draw inspiration from the things I’m surrounded by, but also from the past and technology.
What I’m working on right now is inspired by fluid melting ice, floating bergs and shattering glaciers in response to the ecological crisis. It’s all about nature.

Thanks Will. Looking forward to seeing your new collection.

by design*byproxy -

Donnie Molls














This week I have artist Donnie Molls in the house. He’s my friend and the father of my son’s best friend, Lukas (AKA Lukee).
Donnie has lived at the same place for years. Weird thing, is that I didn’t REALLY know where that was for a long time. I just knew it was up at Sid Krofft ‘s property (u no, co-creator of H.R. Pufnstuf, Sigmund and the Sea Monsters, Banana Splits….). Until one day, a few years ago, I ran into him and his wife , Teri walking in the NEIGHBORHOOD. We were both pregnant and delivered our boys just days apart. ANYWAY>>>>
Since Donny has a show that just started at the Pacific Design Center during West Week, I thought it would be a great time to feature his Work and Fab Home that he basically built with his own 2 hands on Design*ByProxy.

D*BP: Tell us about what you do?

DM: i mix photo’s and painting(oils).taking the oldest form of photography by you-sing silver gelitino bromide and strip it down to a minimal form.
transferring it to canvas then painting (mixed media)

D*BP: Where do you live and what do you love most about your home?

DM: i live in the hollywood hills i love the quietness and the simplicity of it up here also being secluded but the city is so close.i love plants and they seem to thrive up here.
i have been up her for 17 years now. me and three other artist were brought up here after the earth quack and were asked to rebuild the main house on the property .so when i was finished there was a guest house on the other property that was in distress so i moved in tore it down to the frame and rebuilt it to what it is now.(first i lived in the tree house on the property)i did all the work myself(have been building since i was 16)it is more about the inside outside living of california..

D*BP: What designers or artists do you admire most? What inspires you?

DM: i am inspired by many architects and artist some are neutra, john lautner ,craig ellwood,mies vanderow.
artist are robert rauchenberg ,gerhard richter, ed ruscha ,luc tuymans are some. i have may inspirations the outside and all the movement around us taking a moment and capturing it then put it in a timeless place.i hope that my work will be looked at in 50 years and still have a unique style to get people to think.

D*BP: The airstream in the driveway looks like a piece of art and I know the boys love to go and hangout in it. How long have you had it and where do you take it?

DM: i bought the airstream about 10 years ago for $1500 it was trashed i redid it all back to original and got all the original appliances working .
i have taken it all the way on route 66 to photograph for the show abandon dreams i take it out to the desert in the winter and we go and take it up to our property in the summer in the sequoia national forest.we love it and it is a functioning piece of art.

D*BP: I mentioned your show going on right now at the PDC, part of the DESIGN LOVES ART program. Please tell us about it.

DM: the show i have up right now is called BEYOND it is about us traveling into alter spaces and times there are video pieces inside the trees that i got off the property they fell down during the last storm . i wanted the people going into the tree be during one time of year and all the alter seen be in the winter were it is difficult and almost impossible to get to.we had to take snowmobiles to get back there and shot it all in a blizzard.
so i have been working on this show since 2003.

Sounds cool. Can’t wait to see it all up.
Thanks Donnie!

Come check out Donnie’s show BEYOND @Carl Berg Projects located in the Blue Whale at the Pacific Design Center, 8687 Melrose Avenue, B266, West Hollywood, CA 90069
Gallery Hours: TUE-FRI, 1PM TO 5PM

by design*byproxy -

Mark Williams












This week my guest on Design*ByProxy is Mark Williams. I’m pretty psyched to be able to share pics of his office at the I.M. Pei designed former CAA building in Beverly Hills. Published interior shots of the building are on the DL, so I feel fortune that I could come in, take photos and share with you all. Kinda feel like a guerrilla blogger.

D*BP: Mark, can you tell us about you do and some of the bands you are working with?

MW: I am Senior Director of A+R for Columbia Records. I look for talent and then help them make records.
Right now I am working with a young singer T. Mills who also raps. He is part of what I call the “shuffle” generation. Kids that because of the internet have grown up exposed to many types of music. In his case the punk pop of Green Day and Blink 182 and hip hop of Wu-Tang, Eminem, and Jay Z. it has the attitude and melodies of Punk but Beats and flow of HipHop. I am also working with Steven Tyler, Raphael Saadiq, The Shins, Wyclef Jean, The Offspring, Jacob Dylan, Brandi Carlile and one of the Glee Cast Chord Overstreet I am quite diverse in what I work with ..

D*BP: Where did you get the pieces in your office?

MW: The desk , settee, chairs and table are all original Florence Knoll that I got from Linda at Skank World and had refinished . Linda has been doing mid century modern in LA since it was actually mid century ! . Her vendors do an incredible job of refinishing and upholstering pieces to there original condition. The Eames unit is a Modernica replica and the chair is an unknown Danish design I got from my wife’s old apartment and had redone. Sisal rug from Melrose Rug .The modern credenzas are contemporary Knoll that were here when I moved in and kept.

D*BP: What is your favorite piece of art you have up and why?

MW: My favorite piece of art in my office is the painting of Hank Williams by Jon Langford given to me by a friend several years ago. Jon is a musician and also paints classic portraits of country artists . It is my favorite because I have a brother named Hank and when I was little my mother told me my brother had the same name as a famous country singer. I asked her to by me one of his records .I love the purity of his music. He did so much with 3 chords and a voice. He makes you feel his pain or his joy when he sings . He died when he was only 29 years old having written and recorded hundreds of songs. Hank and seeing the Beatles on Ed Sullivan was what got me interested in music.

D*BP: What do you listen to your music on? Do you use the Phase Linear?..if so, could you tell us about it. It’s really cool looking.

MW: My stereo came from a close friend who passed away recently. He had it in his home studio .His sister was getting rid of some things and I was moving onto a new office. I thought it would be a good home for his equipment and he would like that it is being used to listen to mixes and songs by new artists and some great classic ones as well. The amplifier is from the mid 70’s made by Phase Linear. It has great power and I like the clean simple look. The Speaker cabinets are custom made by Manley with Tannoy speakers .They look elegant and have a real full crisp sound .I use a REL sub woofer and a Sony Receiver . I use this system to listen to mixes and recordings that I am making real sound judgments on .For most demos and day to day listening I have a desk top system of AudioEngine speakers that plug into my laptop. These are the best desk top speakers I have heard as they have good bass response where most desktops are a little thin sounding. I use the desk top system as a reference as most kids today listen to their music on less sophisticated systems than this so I feel if sounds good on these then it should be ok on most laptop systems .

Mark, thank you for sharing your office with us. I know you are on you’re way to Austin for SXSW> Have a great trip!

by design*byproxy -

Raif Adelberg








Artist/Designer Raif Adelberg is in the house this week. Or maybe I should say we’re in Raif’s house. I discovered his art from Obsolete and used it in one of my posts a while back. Then over the holidays I saw some of his more recent pieces at American Rag. When he sent me an image of “FUCK I LOVE YOU” in an email last week, I had to find out more about him. I’m pretty happy to share with you what he had to say:

D*BP: Tell us about what you do?
RA: take a thought / different ideas and visions and create them into tangible objects we can see feel taste smell or hear

D*BP: Where do you live and what do you love most about your home?
RA: Bowen Island British Columbia Canada > My Family

D*BP: What is your favorite piece of furniture, art or possession?
RA: i have nice things that i appreciate but i am not attached to them or consider them a possession but they are more of an accessory

D*BP: What designers or artists do you admire most? What inspires you?
RA: i admire all artist and designers i think it takes a lot for people to put them selves out there to be judged
i find inspiration from all sorts of sources

D*BP: What’s the perfect day when you are “chilling”? (yeah, I really spelled it like that)
RA: just that “CHILL’N”

D*BP: What are you listening to?
RA: Classical Luigi Boccherini 1743 – 1805

D*BP: What is your philosophy?
RA: we can do ANYTHING we want _ so why not make smart choices not reactive choices to appreciate what we have at this moment and not chase what we dont have. to realize the home we live in the car we drive the size of our bank accounts dont make us who we are your identity is not built on possessions but rather on the person the time we are given in life that is the most valuable and how we use that time productively dont waste it to be aware of the choices we make and how they affect the life we live weather good or bad be prepared for the repercussions that come with those choices to try and understand one another and not judge people. when we get frustrated and angry that we are allowing ourselves to give all our power to what ever it maybe that is causing us to react instead of accepting and acknowledging that there is something not right and fixing it . Dont live your life based on fear or ignorance learn to be patient .
Be you Be happy your significance and your purpose for you being here is just to BE YOU dont be something you think people want you to be or try and be someone your not because your afraid you dont fit in _ who gives a fuck just be real we have no one to impress _
the legacy we leave is our contribution to this life children _ friends _lovers _ inspiration these our some of our legacies _
Life is Beautiful _ we wake up each morning with a new sheet of paper and we can do anything we want with that piece of paper you can write on it you can fold it you can crumple it up in a ball or doodle all over it there is an unlimited amount of things you can do with that piece of paper dont be afraid to keep trying something new . if you close your eyes and you can see it you can create it _ you cant create something you cant see _ we are POWERFUL and you CAN DO ANYTHING you want.

Thank you Raif.

by design*byproxy -

Reggie Casagrande












Yes, that’s her real name and I want you to meet her. I met Reggie in the 90’s while I was designing clothing for Fresh Jive. Now that’s a long time ago! Anyways, she was kind enough to share with us her FAB home in Los Angeles where she lives with her husband Paul Mittleman who is the Creative Director at Stussy and their daughter Nova.

D*BP: Tell us about what you do and how long you’ve been doing it.

RC: I’ve been a lifestyle and fashion photographer for over 20 years. Three years ago I founded Lipsticktracez, a magazine and web forum focusing on women in contemporary art and design culture. We showcase beautiful fine art photography from all over the world and profile interesting women. I also shoot for commercial clients as well.

D*BP: How long have you lived in your home and what do you love most about it?

RC: We’ve lived in our house in LA for 10 years. I spend 9 months of the year outside, love it. The garden has definitely grown-up so to speak. It’s always a work in progress.

D*BP: I’d love to hear how you describe your style and what inspires you.

RC: My style is about simplicity. Fashion wise I like casual luxury and effortless chic. A bit rock n roll in terms of design, things need to be functional and elegant, a bit minimal and classic. My Prouve desk for example, it’s vintage and simple, but a little piece of history. Eames, Saarinen, Arne Jacobson, those are the designers I love for furniture and objects. I hate anything to look too busy.
I’m inspired by music, great style, films, art, nature and my family. I’m pretty outdoorsy so I spend a lot of time trail running in Runyon canyon with my dogs. Just seeing the trees, hawks and animals just makes me feel peaceful. It’s a nice break from being on the computer all the time.

D*BP: I think Nova’s room is quite cool. Is there anything in there that’s a DIY project? What does she love most about her room?

RC: Nova has such a fun room. She has her own art collection now. Damien Hirst, Kaws, Samantha Thomas. We did her bed as a built-in with storage underneath so she could store her games in the shelves. There isn’t much room, so we had to take advantage of all the space. Her closet was a hideous mirror when we moved in. We replaced it with wooden doors then painted it with chalkboard paint. It’s so fun to draw on. She can use it forever to write up her homework, notes, scribbles.

Thanks Reg!

Photo: reggieworld.com
Art: reggiecasagrande.com
Blog: lipsticktracez.com

by design*byproxy -

Alicia Lawhon











I’d like to introduce you to Alicia Lawhon from RECLAIMED IN LA. She is a good friend of mine and one of my favorite local designers whose unique clothing I’ve been wearing for a quite a while now. Because I love her style, I’ve asked her if we could get a peek into her home and find out more about what she does and what influences her designs.

D*BP: Tell us about what you do and how long you’ve been doing it?

A.L.: I execute wardrobes in every way. I envision them, create them, and produce them. I work with commercial and personal wardrobe needs. I deal with desires. I produce desires. RECLAIMED IN LA is a collection of wardrobe stories solely utilizing existing and found materials. The concept was born out of a love for vintage, re-purpose and discover beauty in old items made new. I practiced this concept when I was a child in Mexico and then again 20 years ago for a collection for Ron Herman called ‘A.L’ and now.

D*BP: How long have you worked from your space..is it at home? What part of town is it in?

A.L.: 10 years. I have a home studio in Silver Lake on top of a hill.

D*BP: Describe your style?

A.L.: Earthy elegance well traveled with a sense of humour.

D*BP: What inspires you?

A.L.: Right now it rebellion, necessity, nature, integrity, tact, desire, music, food, Made in the USA, the past and talent: Zoe Crosher, Bari Ziperstein, Simon Story, Dee Dee Cheriel, Charles Krubian, Roger Herman, Nick Lowe, Sage Vaughn, Tracy Wilkinson, Jessica Kerwin-Jinkins, and David Huffman

D*BP: What do you love most about your space?

A.L.: It is an anti-depressant. I don’t get visual anxiety. Its a positive reflection. A meditation and mood altering.

Thanks Alicia!

Watch RECLAIMED IN LA for CHURCH boutique

by design*byproxy -

Caitlin Dinkins’ Agave House









I’d like to welcome my first guest on Design*ByProxy, Caitlin Dinkins. I’m a fan of her beautiful work and was intrigued to see the space from which she works and lives and find out more about what she does and what inspires her.

C: I have been working from my space in Ojai, CA for two years, having relocated from LA where I was the sole Illustrator and Creative Director for Stila Cosmetics. I have an MFA in Painting from Cranbrook Academy of Art, in Detroit Michigan, have been an Affiliate Artist at the Headlands Center for the Arts in the Bay area, and my work has been exhibited at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, England, and magazines such as Vogue, W and Harpers Bazaar. I have also designed Manequins for Stila at

Venus Fort in Tokyo Japan, and done interiors for the House of Stila, and the Stila counter at Fred Segal, Santa Monica.

Since then I have been the CEO and Creative Director for caitlindinkins.com, which provides, Illustration, Interior Design, and Branding. I have illustrated for Legally Blonde, Gymboree, designed textile prints for Foliage Print Group, and am currently illustrating for a product to be sold exclusively at Sephora coming soon! I also recently completed a residential decorating project for the VP of Design for Gymboree in San Francisco CA.
My space in Ojai which I have completely re-done in the past two years has been a real labor of love. I have replaced everything with Baltic birch, and light in the form of skylights, and tempered glass floor tiles which I placed directly into the birch floor upstairs to add light to the bedroom below. I have also created mirror wall sculptures in nearly every room to reflect the natural beauty outside. The idea is to be able to see nature reflected in every room in the house.
I have since relocated back to Los Angeles, but use this place as a weekend retreat, were I can work on my illustrations surrounded by sunlight, beautiful landscape, and the sounds of birds. I am providing it as a creative retreat to the public, as well as folks who just want to reconnect with the great outdoors with all the luxury of simple, fun and comfortable design. I am inspired by fashion, friends, people watching, art, literature, interiors, landscapes both natural and urban, and music. Inquiries can be directed to caitlin@caitlindinkins.com or check it out on airbnb.

Thanks Caitlin!
See Caitlin’s Agave House Facebook Page and find out how YOU can stay there and witness Ojai’s “Pink Moment” in person.