Meet Garret & Garage, LA’s Hottest Design Firm

“The melding of polar opposites, this back and forth -tug of war – if you will, is our inherent crux””

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he duo team of Beatrice Novoa, Cuban by birth but raised in Madrid, brings to Garret & Garage a global aesthetic and multi-faceted background. With an MFA in Visual Design, she worked first in fashion, under such luminaries as Thierry Mugler in Paris, Geoffrey Beene and Calvin Klein in New York. She then went on to create her own line of furniture in historic ateliers in Florence, and ultimately established a celebrated furniture gallery in Miami. Her partner, Kimberly Higgins, was reared in the Sandhills of the Midwest. She has a substantial background in the field of design and has built a discerning clientele working with both the entertainment industry and notable design companies in Los Angeles, collaborating in development and re-branding. Screen work includes The Royal Tenenbaums, The Aviator, Ocean’s Eleven, and the Barbara Walter’s Academy Award Specials. Design houses include Emmerson Troop, Rituals, Bardeaux Mobilier, RH and more. Kim has collaborated on projects involving foreign dignitaries, Ralph Lauren, Jean Mathison (William Haines Archives), and The Sarasota School of Architecture.

The Shefa Loft project was a full-scale renovation in the Eastern Columbia Building, located below Johnny Depp’s penthouse in the Historical Theater District of DTLA. Garret & Garage designed a grand, cinematic space inspired by the building’s Art Deco style. The space was designed to be versatile, able to transition from a contemplative study to an intimate pied-à-terre to an impressive entertainment area. They were thrilled to work with Lori Shefa, whose discerning eye and openness to their vision made the project an innovative endeavor.

Garret & Garage are known for exploring unique materials and innovating architectural enhancements. Some of the bespoke features included a sliding solid brass door bearing the client’s family crest, structural columns wrapped in blue blackened steel and brass, a built-in bookshelf with a custom-made library ladder of walnut, a walnut desk with a stamped leather surface, and a lamp entitled “The Fuller Brush Man”. The design referenced a variety of aesthetics, combining elements of British mens club, mid-century, and turn-of-the-century Americana.

Further refining the space with subtle details, they trimmed walls with triple moldings and adorned the large windows with a unique tie-dyed textile from Belgium. Garret & Garage are known for their intricate use of color, using a rich, smoky blues palette reminiscent of the thirties from Farrow & Ball. They also have a skill for curating and expanding a client’s art collection, deepening the personality of the space. Vintage artifacts are juxtaposed with contemporary works by Cuban artist Luis Rodriguez and British artist Harlan Miller. This blend of styles creates a ready-to-use mise-en-scene for any conceivable narrative.

Garret & Garage
Principals, Beatrice Novoa and Kimberly Higgins of Garret & Garage. Photo Credit: KENNETH LOCKER
John Milios
Photography
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