Designer Cherishes & Draws Inspiration from L.A.’s Historic Buildings

(Photos by Bethany Nauert and Gregory Han for Apartment Therapy)

(Another in an occasional series of conversations with L.As leading architects and designers)

A vintage design by Jennifer Laskey

A vintage design by Jennifer Laskey

As a career college professor as well as a design historian and expert, I have had the pleasure of teaching thousands of students from all kinds of backgrounds. I’ve become fast friends with many of my former students and I love to hear about the career moves they make and what they do with their lives.

But there are some students who stand out not only because of their successes but also because they are kindred spirits. Jennifer Robyn Laskey is one such former student of mine.

Jenn has had an exceptional career in events planning and design through her company RedLight Special Events and is now focusing more of her attention on interior and event design through her venture Salvage Beauty Design Co.

The historic Casa Laguna complex in Los Feliz, where Jennifer Laskey lives

The historic Casa Laguna complex in Los Feliz, where Jennifer Laskey lives

Browsing her accomplishments on her RedLight web page (and I urge you to do just that) is overwhelming. But, as is noted on her website, “Jenn and RedLight are widely regarded as one of the most tastefully influential and poignantly powerful full-service event planning, production and promotional entities in Los Angeles.”

She works with over 200 venues, and just some of her most noteworthy event planning and creative marketing clients include: Fox, Warner Brothers, NBC-Universal, Paramount, Rihanna, Quincy Jones, Chiat-Day, American Idol and Disney.

As much as I admire her beautiful designs for events, it is more her role as an interior designer that I find my kindred spirit.

Jennifer and her boyfriend Hunter Hall on veranda of the Casa Laguna apartment

Jennifer and her boyfriend Hunter Hall on veranda of the Casa Laguna apartment

Like me, she loves beautiful, historic Los Angeles homes and apartments. In fact, since 2001 she has lived only in apartment buildings constructed in the 1920s and 1930s, including Spanish Colonial Revival and Art Deco buildings in Miracle Mile; the Mission Revival Los Altos apartments, an historic landmark that catered to such stars as Clara Bow, Bette Davis, Mae West and Douglas Fairbanks; and currently the historic landmark Casa Laguna in Los Feliz.

As she says, “I am a big fan of the Los Angeles Conservancy, The Art Deco Society, and anyone with appreciation and love for a vintage home over a new, soulless condo or McMansion. I also try to use these influences and inspirations when creating events and weddings.”

Also like me, she gets “crushes” on homes and buildings she discovers as she travels through Los Angeles. And, finally, like me, she has favorite architects, including Arthur and Nina Zwebell, who designed Casa Laguna, her current residence.

casa laguna 4What I especially admire about her – and what makes me particularly proud as her design history professor – is what she does to the interiors of her homes. Her vintage style is perfectly executed with her eye for color, use of space and accent pieces that tie together the historic references of the building. In other words, she is inspired by and respectful of the historic architecture.

Take a look at the delicious work she did to her Casa Laguna and Los Altos apartments, as featured in Apartment Therapy.

Jennifer Laskey has lived only in apartment complexes built in the 20s and 30s since 2001, including the historic Los Altos apartments

Jennifer Laskey has lived only in apartment complexes built in the 20s and 30s since 2001, including the historic Los Altos apartments

I believe there is room for all kinds of architecture and interior design in a wonderfully eclectic city like L.A. But with the sad loss of so many beautiful, elegant and historic homes in this “City of the Future,” it’s of great comfort to me that we have designers like Jennifer Robyn Laskey.