Local interior designer lives, works and plays in Larchmont
A PORTRAIT OF interior designer Sarah Shetter.
“If you can build a small community within the large city of Los Angeles, that’s wonderful,” says local interior designer Sarah Shetter. And that’s just what she’s done.
Shetter lives in Hancock Park, has an office on Larchmont Boulevard, and frequents the Boulevard for meals with family and friends as well as vendors for her projects. She tries to keep it local. “It’s hard to spend less than 40 minutes on the Boulevard because of all the people you run into.”
Shetter started her design education at USC and then went to the Pratt Institute in New York for graduate school. While finishing her thesis, she worked at a New York design firm where she met Kate Brodsky, the late Suzanne Rheinstein’s daughter and former resident of Windsor Square. After finishing graduate school, Shetter headed back to Southern California and was introduced to Suzanne Rheinstein.
“Rheinstein was a champion for young designers. She was always so giving, kind and helpful,” says Shetter. Shetter was not only charmed by Rheinstein, but also by her neighborhood and wanted to live nearby someday.
Shetter started her Hancock Park journey living on the sixth floor of the El Royale Apartments on Rossmore Avenue. “It’s a magical place, beautiful building, great views of the city lights, and my husband, my children and I had lots of friends there. I loved it,” reminisces Shetter. But she thought she should be responsible and buy a home, in the neighborhood, of course.
So they moved into a 1924 Mediterranean on Lillian Way, within walking distance of her workplace at 606 N. Larchmont Blvd. Her office has grown to include a total of three designers and a full time architect, Kate Christensen, who is instrumental in many of their design projects and remodels.
“The whole design process is enjoyable,” says Shetter, who continues that she particularly likes “making homes for people to live in and function well in with kids, dogs, cats, etc.”
FLORAL WALLPAPER adds to the décor of a home on Van Ness Avenue.
LIVING ROOM in Van Ness Avenue home.
THE ORIGINAL WOODEN molding frames the entrance to the dining room at a home on Plymouth Boulevard.
DINING ROOM in a home on Van Ness Avenue.
Everyone at her office cares deeply about the projects they do and loves the old houses in this neighborhood, Shetter told us. “The homes speak to us. We don’t want to do them wrong.” She adds, “Given the choice, we would always only choose projects in the Hancock Park area.”
BEDROOM in a home on Van Ness Ave.
LIVING ROOM at a Las Palmas Avenue home.
Not only do many of her clients live in the area, but she also frequents many vendors nearby. One is L7, for light fixtures and furniture, and another is Plug Lighting. Both sell only to the trade and are located on Melrose Avenue at Larchmont Boulevard.
Shetter’s clients are loyal and some return for work on multiple homes across the country. They seek her out when moving from one part of the neighborhood to another.
Shetter can be reached at sarahshetterdesign.com.
Category: People