Pierce & Ward LA Studio Redefines Work-From-Home in Commercial Building

This article explores how design duo Pierce & Ward, led by Louisa Pierce and Emily Ward, relocated their rapidly expanding studio to a spacious building in Los Angeles’ Elysian Valley (Frogtown). Instead of paying high rents, the team purchased the space and created a layered, lived-in residence that also serves as a design studio.

The interiors blend vintage finds, art, and studio collections to create a homey energy. This approach blurs the line between workplace and residence, offering both comfort and creativity.

Relocating to Elysian Valley: A Studio That Feels Like a Residence

Pierce & Ward transformed an open-plan space into a curated environment that feels like both a showroom and a home. The new premises required minimal renovation and were styled to invite collaboration and creative thinking.

Purchasing the building signals a long-term commitment to Los Angeles’s design scene. The studio also serves as guest quarters for team members visiting from New York.

Entryway and Living Room: A Dramatic Greeting

The entry foyer sets the tone with tactile textures and a curated mix of vintage pieces. Highlights include a lacquered vintage dresser, a cheetah-console pair, cheetah-print walls, and a pine-cone sliced urn.

Vintage mirrors and objects from the studio’s warehouse reinforce a layered, lived-in look. Wallpaper selections such as Antoinette Poisson Oeillets and House of Hackney Wild Card in butterscotch add pattern and color.

An antique tapestry and Mies van der Rohe–attributed MR10/MR20 Bauhaus cantilever chairs anchor the space. These pieces stand as conversation starters for visitors and clients.

The living room continues the bold motif with leopard-print wallpaper and furniture from Pierce & Ward’s collection. Their West Elm collaboration, vintage Vitti armchairs, and a ceramic sculpture by Gay Ribisi add sculptural warmth.

• Leopard-print wallpaper in the living room
• Pieces from the Pierce & Ward studio collection
• Design-forward collaborations with West Elm
• Vintage chairs reupholstered in Zak + Fox fabrics (in the work areas)

A Functional Heart: Kitchenette and Expansive Workroom

A compact kitchenette keeps its IKEA cabinetry but gains a skylight, new paint, open shelving, artwork, and a collection of Staffordshire dog figurines. The expansive workroom features lavender-painted floors, a Stark leopard-and-rose rug, and an Isamu Noguchi Akari lantern.

Vintage chairs have been reupholstered to fit the studio’s color story, unifying the space. A green glass wardrobe anchors the back wall, flanked by two Alexandra Valenti paintings originally bought for a client.

This corner blends personal taste and professional rigor. The room is a place to ideate and present, with boards and swatches kept in organized serenity.

• Lavender floors in the workroom
• Stark leopard-and-rose rug by Stark
• Isamu Noguchi Akari lantern
• Vaulted wall of a green glass wardrobe + Alexandra Valenti paintings

Private Office and Guest Quarters: Blurring Work and Home

The private office serves as a calm staging area for boards and swatches. This setup allows creative decisions to be made with quiet focus.

A bedroom features a Pierce & Ward for West Elm bed and the studio’s Crossroads quilt. Parasol Toile drapes can close off the space, highlighting its dual purpose as both a studio and a retreat.

The studio also functions as guest quarters for New York employees. This setup supports Pierce & Ward’s focus on hospitality and collaboration.

The arrangement brings a welcoming, homey energy to the environment. Clients are invited to experience the studio’s culture firsthand.

By combining practicality with personal touches, the team shows how modern design can support creativity while providing comfort and rest.

 
Here is the source article for this story: Pierce & Ward’s Dramatic LA Studio (Nestled in a Commercial Building!) Redefines Work From Home