An intimate look at historic mid-century and contemporary architecture. A peek at artists’ studios. Sumptuous dinners prepared by top chefs in some of L.A.’s top-designed homes. These are just some of the many experiences attendees can look forward to at the fifth annual installment of the Venice Design Series (VDS)—a benefit for Venice Community Housing—set for weekends from April 27 through May 18.
WHO: VENICE DESIGN SERIES
WHAT: PRIVATE HOME TOURS + DINNER PARTIES
WHEN: (weekends) APRIL 27 THROUGH MAY 18 VENICE, BRENTWOOD, TROUSDALE ESTATES, DTLA AND MAR VISTA
BENEFITING: VENICE COMMUNITY HOUSING
“The VDS was created five years ago by the team that organized the Venice Garden and Home Tour for 23 years,” says community leader Linda Lucks, who co-founded VDS with landscape designer Jay Griffith. “When that event was discontinued, the organizers expanded the premise of focusing solely on Venice neighborhoods to showcase the inspiration that the community provides to other Los Angeles neighborhoods.”
Guests can expect six curated events spanning four weekends—each presenting a blend of architecture, cuisine, design, art and performance—in Venice, Brentwood, Trousdale Estates, Downtown L.A. and Mar Vista.
Among the highlights is a Venice dinner party hosted in the contemporary, Marc Bricault-designed home of Cicek and Paul Bricault with chef Matthew Kenney of Plant Food + Wine Venice; a must-see tour of luxe mid-century modern homes in Trousdale Estates led by architectural historian and author Steven Price; and a look at Gregory Ain-designed homes in Mar Vista’s “Modernique” neighborhood (including lunch at a house newly renovated by architect Santiago Ortiz of Ortiz Mexia Projects).
Also on the lineup: a Brentwood dinner party in the contemporary home of fine art collector Carla Kirkeby, along with a peek at Downtown L.A. artists’ studios led by art collector/consultant and VDS co-chair Cecilia Dan.
Rounding out the series is an art and design tour of some of Venice’s most distinct and memorable architecture, art and landscape design, replete with a garden lunch in the newly built, art-filled home of landscape designer Stefan Hammerschmidt and entertainment executive Lawrence Szabo, as well as a tour of late artist Ed Moses’ compound with a barn designed by architect Steven Ehrlich.
Tour-goers also will visit a historic Venice home owned by movie producer Tony Bill (The Sting), which according to local lore, once served as a brothel.
Among the activities, Lucks is most anticipating? “Meeting Downtown L.A. artists where they work; seeing the home in Trousdale Estates where Elvis once lived; touring the compound where the late California artist Ed Moses lived and worked, now occupied by his artist son Andy Moses and daughter-in-law Kelly Berg,” she says. “Getting to know the people who attend is also a treat because they have an appreciation of the sites we see and the mission.” venicedesignseries.org
PHOTOGRAPH: COURTESY OF VENICE DESIGN SERIES AND TYLER DUFFY
