THE INSPIRATION EDIT: WHAT CAUGHT MY DESIGNER EYE AT WESTEDGE IN SANTA MONICA

There’s nothing like a road trip up the California coast to kick off a design-filled event! My designer bestie, Treci Smith, and I packed up the car, loaded in two freshly finished Rachel Moriarty art pieces for The Connoisseurs Club, an American Style Lounge, and headed north to Santa Monica for WestEdge. The weather may have been serving full monsoon energy, but it didn’t dim the creativity, connection, or color inspiration of the trip for a second.

Delivering Art to the Connoisseurs Lounge

I was deeply honored when Julee Ireland invited me to contribute to the Connoisseurs Club, which she beautifully designed and curated for her “Celebration of American Artists” exhibition. Julee had seen the art collaboration I created with Wexel Art at Fall High Point Market and asked me to bring that same creative spirit to WestEdge. She commissioned two original pieces for the space, and seeing them integrated into her vision was such a meaningful moment.

Seeing my work installed alongside artists like Lori Johnson was such a proud moment. The space felt curated, intimate, and full of soul—exactly the type of environment that allows art to breathe.

The pieces hung beautifully in the lounge, surrounded by soft green walls, sculptural lighting, and the hum of designers stopping by for demos and sips. The energy was warm, creative, and celebratory.

A Style-Soaked Stop at The Georgian Hotel

Before checking in for WestEdge’s opening night, Treci and I stopped at The Georgian Hotel, one of Santa Monica’s most iconic Art Deco landmarks.

This place is a whole mood.

Teal façade, golden signage, lush velvet seating, scalloped lampshades, original moldings, gallery-lined hallways, layered patterns, caramel wood tones, and just a whisper of old Hollywood glamour. Serena, the in-house restaurant, carried the same vibe—gold fringe, curved banquettes, and a curated vintage-meets-modern palette.

It’s the kind of space designers swoon over because every square inch is intentional. Bold blues, rich ochres, deep teals, polished brass, tactile upholstery, and stylized lighting. A crash course in the kind of layered maximalism I love.

Opening Night Party at WestEdge

A little torrential rain didn’t slow anyone down. Designers showed up ready — umbrellas flipping, boots splashing, and blowouts sacrificed to the parking lot gods. But once we stepped inside Barker Hangar, it was a totally different scene. The space was buzzing and despite the weather, the energy was absolutely electric.

We mingled, spotted friends, toasted in the Connoisseurs Club, and got a first peek at some of the installations and booths before the crowds arrived the next day.

Panels, Manufacturers, and Conversations That Matter

I took the main stage for a panel on Creative Burnout, a topic we’re all intimately familiar with. Designers face it constantly, and each of us has our own set of strategies to navigate it. Burnout doesn’t care whether you’re brand new to the industry or decades in — it finds us all. Our conversation covered everything from coaching and therapy to boundaries, pressure, creativity rituals, hope, and the radical act of actually resting. It was honest, grounding, and absolutely necessary.

Color, Craft, and a Whole Lot of Drama: My WestEdge 2025 Trend Edit

Shades of Vivid Green

Green kept popping up everywhere I turned — juniper, olive, emerald, pine, jade, even those punchy acidic tones that absolutely refuse to whisper. Modern Matter had the cutest booth, with emerald and citron arched cabinetry paired with their gorgeous hardware, and it stopped me in my tracks. As a designer who lives for a good color story, it felt like “wellness green” grew up, booked a luxury vacation, and returned with a whole new attitude.

Sculptural Woodwork + Organic Form

Sculptural wood was having a moment, and I was here for every curvy, carved second of it. I kept spotting those beautifully curved furniture, layered wave-like wall pieces, abstract carved furniture, and rippled panels and archways that felt almost hand-drawn. It’s a clear shift toward tactile, human-made forms, the kind of craftsmanship that proudly shows the maker’s hand and brings a soft, organic elegance into a space.

Elevated Boho + Retro Mash-Ups

Textures, woven patterns, and those deliciously saturated palettes were everywhere: woven chairs, soft sculptural seating, graphic textile panels, retro color blocking, and earthy 70s-inspired tones. Designers are clearly having fun blending nostalgia with modern silhouettes, creating spaces that feel both relaxed and refined, with just the right touch of throwback charm.

Playful Color Stories + Unexpected Pairings

Everywhere I looked, there were playful, unexpected color pairings begging to be photographed — teal with persimmon, plum with mustard, sweet pea green with black and white, coral with forest green, rust with mauve, and caramel wood with deep navy. These palettes were bold, joyful, and totally unapologetic, a reminder that color is very much alive and thriving in today’s design conversations.

Tiles That Tell Stories

Tile makers were in their storytelling era, bringing all the texture, glaze experimentation, and pattern play a designer could dream of. I saw dimensional tiles with depth and shadow, beautifully handmade patterns, breezeblocks, metallic accents, concrete geometrics, and mosaics that felt more like art installations than surfaces. This wasn’t just tile — it was sculpture, and it completely elevated the conversation around architectural detail.

Sculptural Lighting and Statement Fixtures

Lighting was having its superstar moment, proving once again that it’s truly the jewelry of the home. I spotted everything from deco-inspired sconces and floating organic pendants to brass branch forms, fiberglass petals, orb clusters, oversized ceramic bases, and tiered geometric sconces. Each piece brought its own mix of drama, whimsy, and sculptural beauty, the kind of lighting that feels ultra-collectible and instantly elevates a space.

Snyder Diamond x Monogram Cocktail Hour

We ended the day with a cocktail hour hosted by Snyder Diamond at the Monogram / Connoisseurs Club space, great conversation, great drinks, and a lovely unwind before heading back home.

That’s a Wrap WestEdge Santa Monica, You’ve Been a Whole Vibe!

A quick bite at the iconic Mel’s Diner and we were back on the road to San Diego, riding a wave of color, craft, and creative energy. My head was full, my camera roll was fuller, and my inspiration tank was officially topped off.

Until next time, Los Angeles — stay fabulous.