Los Angeles Design Weekend felt less like a traditional design fair and more like a living, breathing map of creativity. Over four days, the city opened itself up,  from Boyle Heights to Atwater, with studios, workshops, and pop-up galleries inviting people to experience design in a truly human way.

What struck me most wasn’t just the scale, but the spirit. LA’s design scene has this effortless blend of grit and optimism, a willingness to experiment without worrying too much about perfection. You could wander from a minimalist furniture studio to a mural-lined street corner to a backyard installation built entirely from recycled materials. Every stop told a story about process, passion, and place.

The HOME STORE installation by Jon and Maša Kleinhample captured this perfectly. It wasn’t a store at all, but an immersive reflection on how we live, each object, texture, and space carefully considered. Another highlight, Frozen Han, explored Korean craft through a contemporary lens, bridging cultural heritage with modern design sensibilities.

What made the weekend truly memorable, though, was the sense of openness. Designers shared not just their finished work but their methods, mistakes, and motivations. There were workshops in eco-printing and welding, conversations about sustainability and accessibility, and a real sense of collaboration over competition.

As someone who runs a design agency in Sydney, it was energising to see how a city can turn design into dialogue. LA reminded me that great design isn’t confined to galleries or studios,  it lives in the streets, in shared spaces, and in the communities that give it meaning.

At Fresco Creative, we’re inspired by that same idea, design that connects, communicates, and creates impact. Explore our work