DEX Studio Designs Wine & Spirits Haven “Stanley’s Wet Goods”

Los Angeles architectural firm DEX Studio is pleased to announce a recent partnership with Stanley’s Wet Goods, a wine, beer and spirits retail environment in Culver City, California, where customers linger to interact with the space vis-à-vis a tasting bar. Stanley’s Wet Goods was meticulously designed by DEX with owner Glen Bell at the helm, further demonstrating his distinctive approach to architectural design.

Founded on the belief that the magic of Mother Nature enhances the most important moments of life with friends and family, Stanley's Wet Goods was specifically designed to serve as a communal space for like-minded drinkers with a suitable background of the varied products, each with their own personality.

“My number one priority was to find someone who understands both good design and good architecture,” says Stanley’s Wet Goods Founder John Stanley. “Glen and his team did an outstanding job of translating my vision for the business into a design that has resonated exceedingly well with our guests from a purely aesthetic perspective, while at the same time providing a space that is efficient and functional. Basic design elements that served as inspiration were quickly translated into centerpieces for the space, and away we went!"

The thrust of the design came with the need for artfully storing and displaying the varying bottles. The retail space uses the high ceiling concept to emphasize the divided shelving used for storage and display, while playful lighting fixtures hang from the ceiling to bring the focus to the milled retail islands. A low graphic wood ceiling wraps from the exterior to provide an intimate atmosphere for the tasting area. Timber wood planks, stone and steel were also used to contrast the rich graphic nature of the retail products and bring more elemental aspects that ground the experience where customers will want to gather.

“It was a pleasure working with a client who had a clear sense for his concept and the trust in us to meet his challenges,” shares Glen Bell. "With Stanley’s, we sought to create a space that felt familiar, yet unexpected. The idea was to strike a balance between serving the John’s practical needs and stimulating the customer’s senses. The design became a focus on materials and craftsmanship that, like many of the products he sells, become better with age."

A Southern California native, Glen approaches each of his projects with an integrated vision, balancing manmade precision with the tactility of natural materials, color and light. As the owner and principal, Glen works individually with each client to create spaces that integrate modern innovation with the comfort of refined craft.

ABOUT DEX Studio:

Based in Venice, DEX Studio is a multidisciplinary design studio founded in 1999 by Glen Bell that designs projects ranging from private homes, multi-unit residential properties and offices to restaurants, bars and retail spaces. Over the past fifteen years, DEX has completed projects throughout Southern California that animate and examine the relationship between the built form and surrounding community. Evidenced in the careful attention to craftsmanship and the Studio’s progressive vision, DEX creates environments that translate warmth and humanity along a contemporary continuum. http://studiodex.com/