Getting to Know Sean Leffers Interiors San Diego & san Francisco

208 April 2022 hospitalitydesign.com

Earliest design memories

When I was 8 years old, my major obsession was reading every shelter magazine I could get my hands on. I have always been interested in how people represent their personality in creating their spaces.

On launching his own firm

After college, I worked for the publishing company Taschen in LA and then started flipping houses, which got me into interiors. I got tired of designing spaces for anonymous purchasers as opposed to making spaces that reflected specific individuals.

Best piece of advice

Don't worry about knowing it all, just keep your mind open, stay helpful, and be grateful that you've chosen one of the most soul-nourishing career paths that anyone could follow.

Standout project

A house designed by architect Tom Wiscombe. The concept for our design is that the occupant of the house is living on Mars after Earth is no longer inhabitable. The space is designed to evoke the natural beauty of Earth, which he has such nostalgia for.

On staying inspired

Just before the pandemic I went to Hiroshi Sugimoto's Enoura Observatory in Odawara, Japan. Every detail is elegant, including the white concrete floors

with small black pebbles placed in the concrete one by one. Sugimoto created it with a salt and pepper texture that is at once organic and casual while also being super chic.

Looking ahead

We recently designed Soul mate restaurant in LA. This work is grounded in co-creating a better future for us all, which is essential to our practice. We're also opening a new studio space and antiques shop in West Hollywood. We feel so lucky we get to work with people we love on projects that inspire us.