The Insider: David Alhadeff
The Future Perfect
When David Alhadeff decided to expand his New York City design shop, The Future Perfect, to L.A., he took an unconventional approach. Rather than looking at retail spaces, Alhadeff set his sights on something more familial. Almost instantly he found a 1957 house by Korean-American architect David Hyun in the Hollywood Hills that he could transform into the ultimate lifestyle gallery. Visitors to the by-appointment venue can even take a dip in the pool. “Casa Perfect has opened its doors for collaboration in art, fashion and food–programming the space is a lot of fun,” Alhadeff says. Here, the design visionary dishes on what’s exciting him in L.A.
Design must-sees: Visit the Schindler House, which is a stone’s throw from Casa Perfect, the Eames House, Frank Lloyd Wright’s Millard House and Watts Towers. For galleries, visit David Kordansky Gallery and Hauser Wirth & Schimmel.
When in town… Take a hike in Mandeville Canyon, and have lunch at Manuela, and browse the wares at The Good Liver. Plus, I like Rose Avenue in Venice, and Gjusta is my go-to sunny spot.
Ones to watch: Eric Roinestad, Jonathan Cross, Adam Silverman, David Wiseman and Lisa Eisner are all incredibly talented. Some have relatively developed identities but all are fairly young in their practice and extremely devoted.
What’s next for the design scene? Things feel a bit chaotic at the moment but there will always be a place for work that’s made well. During my 15 years in this field, I’ve seen an increased appreciation for contemporary work at a mass and high-end level that will continue to persist. People are interested in what’s new and fresh. Design that’s in dialogue with classic works–that’s where the excitement is.
