Exterior of Maquette
Annie Meisel Photography
As the world begins to open up again, there is renewed interest in coworking spaces and retail. So why not combine both concepts? This is exactly what three interior designers did in the Larchmont Village neighborhood of Los Angeles to create Maquette. Located in a converted bungalow at 507 North Larchmont Boulevard, it is exactly what the community needs right now.
Opened in November 2021 by Caitlin Scanlon, Julie Goldman, and Abby Wolf-Weiss, Maquette provides a space for the three women to be productive, meet with interior design clients, hold events as well as connect with many of the locals who live and spend time in Larchmont Village and Hancock Park.
A House To Call An Office
The concept for Maquette was originally conceived by Wolf-Weiss. After working from home during the pandemic, she developed a serious case of cabin fever. “I think we all had been yearning for a different way to work and do the business of design. It’s been my experience that creativity flourishes with collaboration. We all run boutique firms and in my home office there have been so many times I found myself wishing I could turn my chair around to talk to a peer designer,” she tells me.
The front of the house and retail space
Annie Meisel Photography
While many designers like to keep their vendors and sources a secret, Wolf-Weiss, Scanlon, and Goldman don’t feel that way. “I’ve always felt my design currency was my vision which is unique to each project and harder to share. I didn’t necessarily want a partner but I wanted camaraderie,” says Wolf-Weiss.
During summer 2021, she was walking in the neighborhood and saw a For Rent sign. Within 24 hours, all three women committed to taking the space. The name came later. “A Maquette is a scale model—it’s a way to experiment with, and perfect an idea on a relatively low stakes level. I really like the idea that a series of small choices makes a huge impact in the end, the Maquette becomes the full scale home. Since we specialize in one-of-a-kind and vintage and antique pieces, with a focus on smalls—it seemed like the perfect name,” says Scanlon.
The Building
Originally built as a home, converting the 1600 square foot space was interesting. However, it really ended up lending itself to the current purpose. Goldman tells …….
