THE VISIONARY: YUWEN
"All meaning and everlasting change starts first in the imagination and then works itself out."
-Albert Einstein
It is a fine balance between daydreaming about the past and imagining the future that creates a joyful present. Yuwen, founder and designer of The Commonhouses, finds inspiration in unexpected places.
As a child on a small tropical island, she grew to love water and appreciate every sunset. Yuwen carried those passions with her upon moving to the states to pursue architecture. A fan of street eats, fine whiskey, unconventional art and local yore, Yuwen worked to design cool, comfortable spaces. A frequent traveller, she brings different cultures together, creating experiences that break boundaries of style. Her most recent travel adventure: a sketching trip to Berlin.
THE STYLIST: AGNES
"The love of beauty is taste. The creation of beauty is art."
Ralph Waldo Emerson
Born in Poland, raised in San Francisco, and calling Los Angeles home, Agnes is a designer, blogger and photographer. A lover of vibrant color and exuberant pattern, Agnes seeks out bright places and bold people. Instrumental in making The Commonhouse world turn, Agnes believes that design is personality in tangible form.
As the Creative Director and Brand Strategist for The Commonhouses, Agnes works to grow the Common Community via lifestyle photoshoots, social media initiatives, and creative partnerships. Her favorite recent travels include wandering the souks of Morocco, soaring in a hot air balloon over Kapadokya, and discovering the new murals in the Arts District. She is always on the lookout for cool graffiti, good instagrams, and a new workout.
THE EXPLORER: UTKAN
"To travel is to live"
-Hans Christian Anderson
Utkan is the man behind the camera. He captures LA’s unique moments on his Go Pro, while bikeriding after winning a game of volleyball.
Born and raised in Turkey, Utkan moved moved to the states in 2006 as an international student. Having lived both in New York and Wisconsin, he happily gravitated to sunny California. Utkan is currently the co-organizer of Santa Monica Beach Volleyball Group, regularly attends The PassageRide, the Midnight BikersGroup of Los Angeles and catches every possible international film festival in town. Find him watching a sunrise on the Farallon Islands or nibbling a donut after peddling through Los Angeles’ hidden tunnels.
THE HOSTESS: ALEX
"The heart of hospitality is when people leave your home they should feel better about themselves, not better about you"
- Shauna Niequist the Power of the Living Room
The hostess believes in the lost art of hospitality, hoping to enhance the happiness of all who visit. Inspired to help all experience the best during their stay, Alex is The Commonhouses LifeStyle Curator. With sand between her toes from the Californian Coast to the beaches of East Africa, and everywhere in between, Alexandra is a seasoned traveller and fanatic life enthusiast! An Interior Designer in the Hospitality Industry, with a passion for revealing the honest soul and best quality of any space, has led her down a path where her skills and life experiences have translated to become a Personal LifeStyle Curator.
Alexandra is offering absolutely custom curated itineraries to the Soul-Searchers, the Memory-Seekers, the Life-Grabbers-by-the-Horns type of Traveller during their stay at any of the Custom designed Modern homes in the Common House collection.
Photography by Donna Lam, Ariel Lam and Utkan Kocaturk.
Photo Styling by Jessica Bailey.
Creative Direction and Website Design by Agnes Pierscieniak.
Logo by Liz Chung
