ENVIRONMENTAL DESIGNER
Venice, Los Angeles
WE’LL ALWAYS REMEMBER the launch of a new hotel concept in Koreatown, now known as the Line Hotel, as a major turning point in Poketo’s history. It was the year we signed on to what would become a colossal project in both scope and execution—a new hotel built upon the bones of midcentury architecture originally designed by Daniel, Mann, Johnson & Mendenhall. We were asked to help tear down LA’s past to build its future. Of course we wanted to be part of this ambitious project! We’d be given a stake in the Koreatown hotel with our own outpost in the hotel’s lobby—a smaller, distilled version of the Poketo retail and design experience for guests and locals alike. It was under these circumstances we met Sean of Knibb Design, the creative team brought in to reimagine the hotel experience of Los Angeles.
If you ask us what our impression of Sean was during our first meeting at his design studio in Venice, we might be inclined to pull out the “mad scientist” card. Some brains work with ideas from a singular and stationary focal point. Not Sean’s. He seems perpetually brimming with crazy ideas, which he attacks from every angle, and is gifted at convincing collaborators to support them. From all initial observations, most of his ideas should not work, but somehow they not only succeed but also impart his designs with a layer of originality. He’s never one to shy away from experimentation, gifted with an ability to envision and harmonize contrasting colors, styles, and textures as energetic focal points within any space.
Several years ago, we were mulling over the idea of opening another Poketo location in Venice. Sean is a Venice local. His roots run deeply beneath this storied beach neighborhood of Los Angeles. Once he got wind we were scouting out locations, he genially offered to show us around his neighborhood, all from the most stylish comforts of his 1964 Galaxie. The vintage convertible, perfectly symbolic of his carefree and cool beach community, gave us a moving front-row seat to everything that unfolds in what has remained one of the most interesting and dynamic parts of Los Angeles. Sean seems most comfortable representing Venice’s fading, rougher roots rather than the boutique culture dominating today.
If Sean is the quintessential Dogtown local, then his Venice home represents the archetypal architecture of the neighborhood. Sean renovated the once much-smaller home with the addition of a second floor, giving his family of two boys and a lovely wife, Stella, more room to grow. Their kitchen, living room, and dining room now coalesce into an open-floor plan crowned by a dramatic pitched ceiling, leading toward glowing views of a private front garden and backyard. Large sliding doors open onto a deck and garden of native and drought-tolerant flora. It’s no surprise that the family spends as much time outside as they do inside, thanks to Venice’s mild weather.
One thing you can’t help but notice is a chair placed diagonally in their living room fireplace, an act that again seems to communicate Sean’s “fuck it” experimental attitude. The house is otherwise a peaceful statement of domesticity, occasionally interjected by bursts of the artistic; paintings and photography juxtaposed against neutral white walls and rock-covered surfaces give their gallery a perceptible pop. Sean shares an affinity for one piece in particular, a painting by acclaimed artist Henry Taylor. “I bought this piece from the back of Henry Taylor’s car trunk.”
Our friendship with Sean may have begun working together for the Line Hotel, but even before then, we admired his work in interiors and landscape design. Beyond the hotel, his portfolio is well represented by residential and commercial projects for Roy Choi and many celebrity clients. He’s considered a star but doesn’t wear this reputation in any noticeable fashion, and he seems uninterested in any notion of celebrity. When we asked Sean to be part of this book, his first question was, “Who will be in it?” At first, we thought his question was intended to scout out whether he’d be joining other esteemed and recognizable names. But it was only when we told him the impetus for the book was to fill its pages with friends and collaborators—the community of creatives we consider symbolic of everything we believe Poketo represents—did Sean offer a simple affirmation that represents how he operates.
“I’m in.”
Along with designing environments, Sean also architects landscapes. We remember him describing to us that when you plant things, over time they move to different spots, literally. Plants and flowers grow and bloom, we get that, but we love that they are like people, moving, growing, and chasing the sun. Sean and Stella’s love for plants extends into another business that they own together, Flowerboy Project: part café, retail shop, and florist. They have a couple of locations in LA offering joy and sunshine for all who enter. We asked Sean to share some of his favorite plants and flowers with us. We imagined Sean, Stella, and their boys, Louis and Hendrix, enjoying and playing in the garden together.
Illustration by Annie Seo
