Expert Advice: Breaking the Rules with Commune Design - Remodelista
Founded just a decade ago–by siblings Pamela and Ramin Shamshiri and their friends Roman Alonso and Steven Johanknecht–Commune has managed to become the epitome of California cool and one of the most in-demand design firms around today. Its recently published first book, Commune: Designed in California, is a compendium of the highlights, including each of their own houses. That was the chicest thing to us, and completely California modern. Photograph by William Abranowicz. The living room in Commune partner Steven Johanknecht’s home. PS: One of our ex-designers refers to the four of us as “refugees of aristocracy.” This always made me laugh, but there’s a lot of truth to it. We all came from somewhat aristocratic backgrounds and experienced the loss that comes with revolution. A room featuring shades of Commune’s signature greens. The exact location (city, street, neighborhood), the cultural history of the place, the moment in time, the history of our client or brand, the history of the building–it’s all gathered from books, the Internet, and quite often interviews. Photograph by Richard Powers. You feature hues that have an Old World feel but are modern at the same time.PS: There is such a fear of color right now. A Stan Bitters’ fireplace was created purposefully narrow, so that the soot would coat the tiles and accentuate them. My brother and I used to do production design and we were always blown away by the quality of the artisans and craftspeople available. The kitchen in Ramin Shamshiri’s Spanish Colonial house in Los Feliz. You can’t combine any two movements, they have to complement each other and relate in ethos. Photograph by Corey Walter. Photograph by Spencer Lowell. The Ace Hotel in Downtown LA–one of several Ace Hotels designed by Commune–is filled with surprise elements by artists. How do you incorporate this layer into a project?PS: Layers take careful planning, and the use of geometric patterns is key for us. Photograph by Amy Neunsinger. At the Japanese House on Carnation Street, the mandate was rustic, modern, and no paint (the walls are made of clay). It’s the biggest compliment to me when people think a new kitchen was always there, or that the house has been untouched since 1918–but somehow it’s got all the conveniences of modern-day kitchens and bathrooms, and has a connection to the outdoors. It comes from arriving at a look together. Commune: Designed in California is published by Abrams and available on Amazon for $42.88. Ten years ago, when we were pitching the idea of this multidisciplinary design studio that’s open and willing to design anything and everything and wanting to promote artisans and craftspeople, no one batted an eye here.