Designed for the modern adventurer, Desolation Hotel embraces a casual alpine sensibility, incorporating savvy details for discerning guests.
Celebrating Desolation Hotel's brand mission of nurturing the inexhaustible source and spirit of adventure, Irene, as part of STUDIOETTE, worked closely with the brand vision to create a warm, intuitive, and thoughtful interior that caters to both Tahoe novices and seasoned guests alike.
Taking cues from such seemingly disparate influences as Tahoe’s architectural heritage and the Wabi Sabi philosophy from Japanese culture, Irene experimented with warm wood tones, rich organic textures, and asymmetric forms to mimic the natural and rough beauty found at Desolation Wilderness, while also embracing the refined comforts of urban living.
Good to Eat, a beloved neighborhood spot and destination for Bay Area foodies, blends a fresh, modern atmosphere with the rich textures of traditional Taiwanese dumplings and bao paired with local craft beer—a gathering place, where comfort and innovation meet.
A soothing neutral palette of warm whites, white oak details, and clean lines welcome guests into a light and airy space, while the signature terrazzo and yellow mosaic tile create a sense of movement and flow.
LYRIC Creative Suites are setting the new standard for the short term rental hospitality category. Designed to have the freedom of apartment living partnered with the expert curation and narrative-driven design of a boutique hotel, these suites are an elevated option for creative business travelers on the road. For its Flagship location, LYRIC found its home at 70 Pine, an Art Deco Landmark Building in Lower Manhattan.
Selected as Design Lead, Irene directed the renovation efforts that transformed 132 suites across four floors into LYRIC Creative Suites. This project also included a lobby space with custom furniture and millwork, an artfully curated record and book library, and commissioned projection art in collaboration with Common Space, a New York City based design and creative studio.
Inspired by the electric energy of New York City and the building’s industrious past, the design concept is defined by bold geometries, sculptural furniture, and intentional interaction with light & shadow.
Note-In 2020, Mint House took over operations for LYRIC at 70 Pine.
Project C-Suite was a cross-functional and holistic vision that defined the future spatial response of a Lyric guest’s unique, creative, and flexible needs.
The goal of this internal project was to create an engaging, intuitive and grounding suite environment that is empowering in its design, experience, and adaptability.
Images shown are of a Small (425 SQFT), Medium (675 SQFT), and Large (1400 SQFT) prototype.
Once upon a pandemic, a group of French Laundry chefs pivoted their truffle distribution business, Truffle Shuffle, to offer exclusive at-home cooking classes with Michelin Star chefs. After filming these cooking classes in makeshift spaces, Truffle Shuffle wanted to elevate their user experience to match the level of cuisine being executed with these interactive experiences.
Inspired by showcase residential kitchens and Airstream remodels, Irene, as part of STUDIOETTE, helped Truffle Shuffle find a cohesive balance between functionality and sophistication with a finish refresh and contemporary interior styling.
In March of 2020, California went into lockdown in order to contain the spread of COVID-19. Like many folks, Irene shifted all activities to the home environment and quickly realized that it was not set up for success. While the humble home had expanded to accommodate its increased workload, there was still much room for improvement and redesign. Irene began to consider how design interventions could support the idea of a holistic home ecosystem.
Thus, hid-den was born. Inspired by the constraints of city living during the Pandemic, hid-den explores the concept of the mini-den: a private space for focus and creativity.
The Periodic Table, a sake bar and taproom located in Emeryville’s Public Market. This intimate 400 square foot space is warm, welcoming, and is the perfect environment to learn about sake production in a tap room format.
Winner of Hospitality Design Magazine’s Nightlife Awards “Bar or Lounge in Retail or Commercial Space” Category.
Selected to serve as Interiors and Creative Lead on brand identity and experience design for Agave Uptown, a 4,000 square foot Oaxacan restaurant located in the Kapor Center for Social Impact in Oakland, California.
Winner of CA Home + Design: 2017 Best Restaurant Design Award.
Interior Development and Concept Lead for a proposed design prototype for Peet’s Coffee. Led an extensive discovery phase and concept development phase that successfully restructured guest journey touch points as part of their “store of the future”.
In addition to conducting design research, layout studies, and production of brand guidelines for roll out, Irene produced custom casework details, collaboratively worked on palette generation, and routinely led presentations in front of company management and C-suite.
Focusing on good tech with a customer first mentality, the modern brokerage, New Front, disrupts outdated processes and technologies in the insurance industry. With a new office in the heart of San Francisco, this forward-thinking company needed to update their reception and lounge spaces to reflect their sense of hospitality and innovation.
With a modern and balanced palette, Irene co-led the design team in creating a refined yet approachable space inspired by the New Front brand and warm company culture. Effortless design and styling, featuring clean lines and timeless fixtures, captures a sense of New Front’s contemporary elegance and client care.
Chef Paul Canales wanted to build a new kind of dining experience inspired by the dark mystery and playful spirit of Spanish folklore. He assembled a team of designers, artists, and fabricators to bring his vision to life. Carbonized wood, textured charcoal walls, and patinated metals mixed with warm and vibrant hues infused undeniable character and sense of place.
Focusing on custom light and furniture design, Irene provided architectural and interiors support during the development and design for Duende Restaurant & Bodega. The result is a moody but activated space where one can enjoy the perfect Basque inspired dish.
Campbell Location
Concept Lead and Project Architect for Mendocino Farms in Campbell - the first Bay Area location for the popular LA based fast-casual restaurant.
The design of this location plays on a “Napa farmhouse” theme – a modern, fresh take on the farmhouse style. The color palette consists of soft gray, white and wood tones with pops of bright blue.
San Mateo Location
Concept Lead and Project Architect for Mendocino Farms in San Mateo - the third Bay Area location for the popular LA based fast-casual restaurant.
The design of this location is inspired by the classic French bistro. In addition to Mendocino Farm’s signature blue hue and farm house elements, the use of Carrara marble, brass, and painted wood paneling elevate the dining experience but still stays true to the brand.
