L.A. Lofts

by Barbara Thornburg, Dominique Vorillon (Photographer), Michelle Ogundehin (Foreword by)

In New York, London, and even Rio de Janeiro, lofts are synonymous with minimalism. But in Los Angeles, the world's dream factory, lofts are as colorful and creative as the city itself. L.A. Lofts showcases 20 original and enigmatic interiors housed in both converted warehouse spaces and newly constructed sites in upscale neighborhoods. The common denominator? Each is a reflection of the owner's idiosyncratic personal style. A 30-foot upholstered bar stands in for a kitchen counter, while a former bank safe becomes a cozy bedroom. Some residents challenge the very definition of a loft space, styling their dwellings after a Shaker farmhouse or a dojo, the traditional Japanese warrior's residence, all the while reveling in the open space and flexibility a loft offers. Each chapter also features a unique project for the home, such as refurbishing vintage picture frames or creating a luxurious silk tent-like bed. L.A. Lofts is an irresistible object itself, featuring a die-cut cover that teasingly hints at the images of vibrant interiors revealed underneath. Bursting with dazzling photographs and endless color, L.A. Lofts is a surprising and inspiring look into the new breed of loft.

192 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2006

About the author

Barbara Thornburg is currently the Senior Editor of Home Design for the Los Angeles Times Sunday Magazine "West." She has written and produced articles covering trends in home design, architecture, gardens and entertaining since taking the position in August 1989. From September 1994 to May 1995, she was Acting Style Editor, coordinating and producing stories on fashion and beauty, as well as home and garden design. From 1983 to 1988, Thornburg worked as West Coast City Editor for Metropolitan Home magazine where she produced stories on interior design and home entertaining. She has also written articles for Angeles and California magazines. In addition, she has styled and produced stories for the following publications: Working Woman, Cosmopolitan, Regional West, Flowers, Family Circle, Working Mother's and The Herald Examiner.



She has written, lectured and participated on panels and juries on interior design for the last two decades. In 1995 she appeared on three programs for the new cable network HG-TV, "Rooms for Improvement." Program topics included: furniture as fashion; personal style in interiors; and trends in interior design. In the same year, she was the talent interviewing homeowners for another HG-TV program, "Celebrity Gardens." In addition, she has appeared as a guest on the "The Christopher Lowell Show" as well as Kitty Bartholomew's "Your Home." She has lectured on design to various groups, among them I.S.I.D., A.S.I.D., The L.A. Furniture Mart, The Harvard Alumni Group, The Los Feliz Library and the L.A. Antique Show. In spring of 1995, she participated in a panel at West Week at the Pacific Design Center, "All About Style," with designer John Saladino and editors from Metropolitan Home, Town and Country, and Traditional Interiors. More recently she sat on the 2007 panel of editors at Kneedler-Fauchere during West Week 2007 to discuss "How to Get Published." In April she hosted a morning program at the Pacific Design Center speaking about " The Multiple Personalities of the L.A. Loft" based on her best selling 2006 book: "L.A. Loft."



Prior to her writing career, Thornburg worked as an interior designer in New York City and Los Angeles. As a community activist in the early 70's, she served as President of the Los Angeles Conservancy, an umbrella-organization for Los Angeles' preservation community. She has also served as President of The Carroll Avenue Restoration Foundation and project coordinator for the MacArthur Park Art Program. In 1978 she conceived and produced the 1978 winner of the National Trust for Historical Preservation annual film competition for best preservation-in-action film, "A Moving Experience."


Thornburg grew up in California, Colorado and New York, graduating form UCLA with a B.A. cum laude in Spanish and also attended the New York School of Interior Design. She lives in a restored 1887 Eastlake Victorian house on historic Carroll Avenue with her husband Andrew and has a property in the Valle de Guadalupe in Mexico.

Reviews

[Elizabeth]

My colleague's book! She really knows her subject.