With his days spent in the world of food, Max Block, owner of a creative culinary agency, wanted to update his backyard to be a special space for gathering and sharing meals and memories. So, he reached out to his friend John Sharp , a spacial conceptualizer and environmental designer.
“I always have an initial walk-through with the client where we speak about the use of the space, what is working and what is not, and have them suggest anything they would really love to see in their space,” says John. “Max and I have known one another for a while, so I was familiar with his taste and he trusted my vision.”
BEFORE : The backyard had a lot of room for improvement.
BEFORE : John wanted to transform the space into something lush and interesting.
The homeowners' quaint West Hollywood backyard was prime for a new vision. "In smaller spaces, people can tend to shy away from larger plants and furniture, but layering and adding larger pieces creates dimension and has an expansive effect," says John, who incorporated a rare, funky ’70s bar from Wertz Brothers within modern outdoor furniture and custom pillows to tie the different style eras together.
“For inspiration, I dive into my collection of vintage design books and magazines and end up in internet wormholes of images that hold time in a way that feels boldly momentarily explored and yet somehow forgotten in the safety trend of the overly manicured aesthetic,” says John.
AFTER : John designed the backyard as a retreat with comfortable furniture and plenty of entertainment capabilities. Plus, it’s the perfect escape for all this time spent at home.
AFTER : “Studio John Sharp normally does larger-scale projects, but it is fun to carve out a few days for a quick transformation,” says John.
“I have a curated group of friends that are pickers across states from California to Utah, Arizona, Nevada, and Texas, that also cherish the timelessness of vintage pieces,” says John, who really pined after that showpiece of a bar. “Specifically for this house, the bar is from Wertz Brothers on Santa Monica and the couch set is from Venice Vintage Paradise on Abbot Kinney. Los Angeles has vendors and retailers that have become historians in their own right, upholding and sharing the nostalgia that inspires my designs.”
Sourcing the plants is a big part of the job.
Here, the plants are getting ready for placement.
"My favorite part about the space is how easy it is for Max to entertain back there now," says John. "What was once a bit of a barren, tiny space now feels lush and interesting, with several places to gather and connect."
John and Max enjoy the new space.
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