WL Design 25 Winners 2024: A Diamond in the Rough

Typically, the customer-facing part of a retail operation is much more spectacular than the employees-only office area—but that’s not so for Leah Alexandra Jewelry (LAJ), a warehouse space converted into a dreamy, hardworking headquarters by designer Marcela Trejo.

Trejo incorporated every member of the LAJ team’s needs into the office. There are spacious marble islands for collaborative meetings and private desk spaces for individual work, but perhaps the most fabulous of Trejo’s feats are the storage solutions: floor-to-ceiling cabinets, deep drawers and concealed shelving are carefully placed throughout the studio. Still, a consistent colour palette of creamy whites, peachy stones and warm wood veneers keeps the space light, bright and clean.

Organic shapes (plastered, curvilinear walls make for a smooth transition between different zones) and rich textures (soft beige rugs and funky ceramic vases) make this once-industrial space feel cozy and serene. It’s truly multifaceted—a jewellery studio that’s as resilient as it is radiant.

Project: Leah Alexandra Jewelry headquarters
Designer: Marcela Trejo
Collaborators: Studio Mnml (project assistance), Pacific Solutions Contracting (builder), Simon Henry (stone)
Location: Vancouver