Above and Beyond
Author:Lindsey ShookTag Front takes a spec home on Appian Way to soaring heights
“We could not have done this project without the support of the showrooms and vendors,” says Giraldo. “Each piece brought life to the house and created a harmonious balance of color, texture and dynamic design.”
Photographer: Paul Vu
Tag Front’s efforts to go above and beyond are even more evident in the lighting and furniture selections. Giraldo worked with renowned L.A. showrooms and brands including In-Ex, Hammer and Spear, Rewire and Siglo Moderno to cultivate the very highly curated aesthetic that separates this house from the rest.
Photographer: Paul Vu
“The most predictable choice is to install very white, glossy cabinets and cement surfaces in spec home kitchens, but we wanted to create a more inviting kitchen, which we achieved with the finishes and warm hues.”
Photographer: Paul Vu
The team sought to create a more unique kitchen design than other spec homes in the area and achieved this by incorporating a dark walnut kitchen by Elmar Italian Kitchens, from the Montanari Group.
Photographer: Paul Vu
The team innovatively installed a wall sculpture made of Dekton in the open living and dining areas. “I’m in love with Dekton by Cosentino. “It’s immune to scratching and has a high resistance to abrasion, so it will not degrade over time. Plus, the color selection is dynamic and beautiful!,” says Giraldo.
Photographer: Paul Vu
Surfaces play a big role in the impactful design throughout the house. César Giraldo of César Giraldo Design assisted Tag Front on interior and finish selections that enhance textures while maintaining the modern appeal.
Photographer: Paul Vu
Dimensional details continue when moving to the main floor where the Tag Front team installed a custom cobalt blue felt wall behind a breakfast table. “These are the type of elements that our firm has been using in our restaurant and retail interiors for the past 20 years but here they are redone to a more residential scale,” says Mandi.
Photographer: Paul Vu
“There is never a boring moment,” says Mandi. The visual splendor begins at the front door, where visitors experience a massive CNC milled wall that features an etched map of L.A. (an original Tag Front sculpture).
Photographer: Paul Vu
The Tag Front team worked with Willcore on the ground-up build by applying many of the same design concepts they use when designing for their commercial projects. Their approach was to create surprising design elements that unfold as a person walks through each room.
Photographer: Paul Vu
Tag Front principals and brothers Mandi and Mehdi Rafatys’ work at restaurants, including 71 Above in Downtown L.A., caught the attention of Georges. “We have worked on many other spec projects in Los Angeles,” says Mandi. “The difference in our approach on this house was to achieve an extremely high level of detail and development on a very tight and challenging lot.”
Photographer: Paul Vu
So when it came to developing a luxury hillside spec home just above Sunset Plaza, Peter Georges, founder of Willcore Corporation, enlisted Los Angeles architecture and design firm Tag Front. “I knew that Tag Front would leave no detail untouched and would deliver the highest level of quality possible,” says Georges.
Photographer: Paul Vu
To say the spec home marketing Los Angeles is healthy is an understatement. Throughout the city modern structures equipped with the latest smart technology abound. Though these luxury projects may be move-in-ready, unfortunately they often fall short on sophisticated style.
Photographer: Paul Vu