A two-storey building with glazed walls houses the new Los Angeles showroom for upscale modern furniture retailer Luminaire.
The showroom is located on Beverly Boulevard in West Hollywood. It marks the fourth location for Luminaire, which was founded in 1974 by Nasir and Nargis Kassamali. The company’s flagship showroom in Miami opened in 1984, and its Chicago location debuted in 1989. It has a second Miami location, called Luminaire Lab, that opened in 2002.
In 2017, the Kassamalis sold a majority stake in their business to Michigan-based office furniture specialists Haworth, but continue to oversee Luminaire and shepherd its growth.
“As we continue the legacy of bringing the best in global design to the US, we couldn’t think of a better destination to enter than Los Angeles,” said Nasir Kassamali in a statement. “The vitality and culture of LA reflect the ethos that Nargis and I founded the Luminaire brand with back in 1974.”
“As Los Angeles grows to become a global destination for art and design, we want Luminaire to be an important part of this narrative,” he added.
Spanning 15,500 square feet (1,440 square metres), the showroom occupies part of a two-storey structure built in the 1960s. Glass walls offer clear views into the retail space, where white walls and concrete flooring offer a simple backdrop for furniture, lighting, floor coverings and other lifestyle products.
The space has an open and airy atmosphere. A portion of the upper floor plate is carved away, enabling sight lines between the two levels. Situated in the centre of the store is a black staircase that acts a sculptural element.
The Kassamalis played a key role in designing the showroom, working alongside the local studio MAKE Architecture. The team aimed to create a space that reflects the brand’s Miami roots. In turn, a tall patchwork of metalwork was incorporated into one of the facades – a nod to metal accents found at the Miami store.
Inside, shoppers find a range of pieces by designers around the world. Established pieces from Italian brands such as Cassina and Moroso are on view, as is the new Sollos collection by Brazilian designer Jader Almeida. The showroom offers lighting fixtures by German designer Ingo Maurer and Italian designer Davide Groppi, among others.
Other brands include JoV (floor coverings), Kinnasand (carpets and window coverings) and Agape (bathrooms). The showroom also offers a curated collection of vases, bowls and other objects by noted designers.
The LA showroom offers a line of kitchens developed by Luminaire in partnership with Italian brand Minimal. The streamlined kitchen components are meant to focus “on the harmony between form and function”. Luminaire Los Angeles has three full kitchens on display that demonstrate the various options for customization.
