Another modern nest: A + R opens on La Brea

A + R, the Venice store widely regarded as one of Los Angeles’ top destinations for modern home design, is expanding with a La Brea Avenue store that officially opens Saturday.

The new A + R will be twice the size of the Venice shop, with enough space to showcase upholstered furniture, large bookshelves and storage units as well as quirky accessories and gifts. Among them: the Chick-A-Dee, an adorable Dutch smoke detector ($75) that chirps its alarm at 85 decibels. The Pik vase ($98) is a lacquered birch vessel that looks like a trio of sharpened pencils. It’s by the company Y’A Pas Le Feu Au Lac, whose name is based on a French expression meaning “no need to rush.”

A + R owners Andy Griffith and Rose Apodaca are known for scouting international trade shows for new merchandise, and they have plans to introduce new lines from Japan, France and the Netherlands.

“We make an effort to bring in affordable, stylish, hard to find design,” Apodaca said, citing dining chairs ($250 and up) by the Danish firm Hay and pendant lights ($250) from Normann Copenhagen. (Both are in our related photo gallery.)

The larger store will allow A + R to host design-related events and showcase larger pieces. The store is one of the few retailers in North America to sell the Universal Shelving System by acclaimed industrial designer Dieter Rams.

A + R also represents Bend, the Los Angeles furniture firm previously featured on L.A. at Home and a winner in our special time capsule project.

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