Author(s): Barbara Thomberg

Architecture/Interiors

The burgeoning loft phenomenon in Los Angeles puts a unique twist on traditional, spare urban loft design. "Los Angeles Times" magazine senior editor, Barbara Thornburg tells the stories of 20 inventive loft spaces and their unexpected owners. Locations range from the traditional converted warehouse space to the luxurious new construction found in upscale neighborhoods outside the city center. One loft resembles a Shaker farmhouse except for its concrete floors and the fluted columns supporting its ceiling. In another, a classic black and white modernist motif is complemented with a collection of African masks. Still another serves as home, test lab, and showroom to a pair of furniture designers - complete with a 30-foot purple vinyl bar. Over 200 gorgeous photos by Dominique Vorillon capture the soaring spaces and delightful details of this new breed of loft. As colourful and creative as the city itself, "L.A. Lofts" is an appealing and inspirational portrait of this growing movement.