Earlier this year, the Ruby Street, a contemporary event space in Los Angeles, reopened its doors after an extensive redesign. We were instantly taken by the refreshing color palette, beautiful oak floors, and impressive stained glass windows—which make sense considering the building used to be a progressive church (it was also a suffragette house and a civil rights meeting place). During the pandemic, the Ruby Street is readjusting its business until it is safe to host weddings, show film screenings, and offer coworking space. They’ve created a section on their site where you can shop pieces from brands that partnered with them for their 2020 redesign. You can even go on a virtual tour of the space for future event planning.
The Ruby Street team, which includes owners Lourdes Hernandez and Zach Leigh (musicians, creatives, and married partners), along with interior designer Francesca ‘Kiki’ de la Fuente and creative partners Working Holiday Studio, collaborated with some of their favorite designers and brand partners to renovate and reopen the space. We can’t wait until they do, but in the meantime, here are the design ideas we’re feeling especially inspired by.
Seek out symmetry
While it’s easy to think about a symmetrical room feeling too orderly and stiff, the Ruby Street shows us how it can just as easily be carefree and fun. The Reception and Worship Halls show off perfectly balanced furnishings, planters, foliage, and chairs—all of which have an element of texture and/or color to keep things fresh. If you love order, why not indulge in some symmetry? Just include some pops of color or unexpected structural details so you don’t feel too restricted by the placement.
Integrate repeating shapes
We’ve sung the praises of curving, round furnishings many times, and this space is a great reminder. From the mirrors and coffee table to the ottomans and hanging pendants, the circles and soft round edges come up again and again. If you’re not as fond of the circle, play off this idea by outfitting your space with a series of the same shape. No matter the color or scale or pattern, the consistent squares or diamonds—or whatever you choose—will tie your pieces together.
Take the woodwork to the walls (and ceiling!)
If your mind goes to rustic cabin or dated den when you think of floor-to-ceiling woodwork, think again. The light oak planks of the new flooring really refresh the space. Plus, the key placement of wood along certain walls and ceilings adds a subtle visual interest. We love how the Ruby Street team placed the planks in alternating directions for a simple but stunning patterned look.
When in doubt, add more mirrors
One thing’s for sure: This place is not lacking in mirrors. Little round ones from EQ3, tiled beauties surrounded by plants…there’s a point of reflection in every room and nook. Adding a variety of mirrors in your own home is an easy way to maximize space and light. Plus, they’re easy to find from a range of retailers—so you can choose to save or splurge.
The front door is making us want to do a blue and coral color scheme in our own home.
Over the years, the Ruby Street has hosted countless events, performances, dinner parties, and photo shoots, as well as more 200 weddings. They’ll no doubt be just as desirable for events with the updated design.
Mix modern and historical elements
The building’s original windows and Craftsman façade were carefully preserved along with the church’s open-plan layout. However, the team added skylights and revamped the lush backyard area (among many other updates), giving the space a much more modern feeling. It’s encouraging to note that a range of updates can easily give your home a more contemporary look even when you want to still maintain some historical elements. Whether it’s a fresh coat of paint or a spurge-worthy skylight, you can add the new and keep the old.
Originally Appeared on Architectural Digest