Hermosa Design is exporting its ‘beachy-meets-Scandinavian’ vibe

The nexus between hot Hermosa Beach and cool Scandinavia may not be immediately apparent to most, but for architect and interior designer Farnaz Reneker the link is a natural one.

“Our lifestyles are similar, the homes are similar, everything is very small,” she says. “Scandinavian product design puts quality and functionalism first. And because we’re also limited with space here, everything needs to be functional.”

Equipped with this “less is more” outdoor lifestyle aesthetic, Reneker and her builder husband Steve, a cyclist and surfer, opened their first retail shop, Hermosa Design. It is a cheerful, fresh spot in a mainly blank-faced industrial/warehouse neighborhood clearly in transition. They’ve temporarily expanded north: Until Oct. 31, much of Hermosa Design’s inventory will also be on display at a pop-up store in Santa Monica.

A stone’s throw from the Strand, in the bright converted warehouse that serves as retail shop, art gallery, workshop and community gathering spot, Reneker displays her carefully curated array of clean-lined, mostly sustainable goods from mainly northern European countries, with a dash of Japanese, Canadian, Italian and American items that share the beach-minimalist/functional aesthetic.

The selection is largely inspired by the couple’s visits to their Scandinavian families. She has relatives in Sweden; his family background is Finnish. “My contribution is more the interior design, the housewares, the lighting, the furniture,” Reneker explains. “His spin is more the lifestyle aspect, which is going to the beach on your bike, going surfing, bonfires on the beach.”

And so, a strapping Dutch bike sits next to slender hanging shelves filled with Scandinavian bar- and glass-ware. A paddle board leans against a wall hung with local artist Jill Paider’s surfer art photography. There are clever folding chairs with seat backs shaped like coat hangers so they can hang in the closet, gleaming indoor and outdoor teak furnishings, modernist and industrial lighting, brilliant wool blankets. Reneker is particularly partial to hanging storage solutions, for personal reasons. “I need things to be off the floor,” she says simply, “because our house is 1,000 square feet, and we’re a family of four with a dog.”

As devoted as they are to their retail and sizable e-commerce efforts, as well as to Farnaz’s Studio Argente architecture and design office located upstairs, the couple from the start wanted more from their 1,400-square-foot space. Such as a gathering place that can hold 250 to 300 people, Reneker explains: “We just decided it was important to us to create that community space.”

The Renekers regularly exhibit the work of local artists, and host monthly professional happy hours. Their themed events have celebrated local nonprofits and their volunteers, and spotlighted local business and government green initiatives. They hosted an after-screening party for the new Hermosa Cinema Society, and — with evident pride — a giant slideshow for their 7-year-old son’s macrophotography class. “The kids got to see their images blown up on a huge warehouse wall,” she says. “That’s stuff we enjoy doing.”

Hermosa Design, 618 Cypress Ave., Hermosa Beach; (310) 374-4300, open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and Saturdays by appointment only. The pop-up store is at 1728 Ocean Park Blvd. in Santa Monica. www.hermosa-design.com