Kristofer Keith – Hollywood's Desinger De Luxe

While accommodating Hollywood's
illustrious crowd amid innovative and
visually impactful interior designs,
integrating distinct design themes into
the specific characteristics of each
space -- from French country side to
lower Manhattan to an exotic Eastern
oasis to a quaint Italian osteria or an
Art Deco sanctuary -- he gets you
right in the thick of it; the creator
extraordinaire whips up a perfect
backdrop to present fare and drinks
in the proper light through wholly
original design aesthetics, and with
this, influences and redefines the
menus of L.A.'s noblest chefs
through his creative genius,
uncommon approach to design,
and ultimate focus on styles and
conceptualization -- Kristofer Keith
is probably the most powerful,
unparalleled interior designer
Hollywood's, revitalising the 
nightlife and dining scene like
none other!

Let's first shine a light on the
master's origins: While attending shop
classes at school, Keith crafted his
own furniture and art at home. Maybe
it's his mom -- who was a jewelry
designer -- from whom he inherited
the artistic gene. After studying fine
arts at UNC-Charlotte and designing
hair salons, clothing stores and his
first nightclub in 1998, he decided
in 2001 that his talents are better
preserved in Los Angeles, California. 

It has been 11 years by now since he
traded Carolina for California and
founded the ubiquitous hospitality
design firm Spacecraft that has 
conjured up a great number of trend-
setting, cult-favorite and one-of-a-kind
eateries, bars, nightclubs and retail
institutions ever since -- proving that
an elaborately conceptualized ambience
with a good flow makes out of "A place
in Echo Park. The place in Echo Park".

Debuting with Ca Buca and Goa in 2007
many other visually enticing haunts
followed: Delux, Kitchen 24, Te'Kila,
the Bowery and Stout Burgers and Beer
became aesthetic masterpieces and
landmarks nestled in the heart of
Hollywood. The list of projects where he
had his skilled fingers in the pie is
endless as is the diversity of institutions 
he resurrected.

Keith's Spacecraft Group consists of
seven powerful individuals who tackle
five to 10 projects at once. Kris' genius
embraces aside from the personal
creation of all furniture and interior
design, the service being a consultant
and general contractor for all architectural
and construction matters. He additionally
facilitates all of the city's inspections.

While working for Citysearch I was
privileged to meet the creator in person.
A special tour with him started at his
private retreat  -- the Spacecraft Studios
-- the birthplace of all his interior design
and architectural brainchilden. With its
open space bar, a cozy lounge and long
stretches of shelves brimming over with
design books and catalogs it is a truly
fruitful sanctuary for inspiration. A
massive chandelier consisting of a host
of diverse kinds of glass light fixtures
bundled together creates one big light
arrangement and a decisive artisitc
statement.

The tour kicks off with a toast, a snack
and an introductory speech about Keith
himself, his current projects and a brief
insight on the locations we were going
to visit that night.

After popping in at Kitchen 24 for a
savory snack and crispy saldas, our
next stop was Delux -- a swanky Art
Deco palace-alike bar that's going to
set the booze-loving crowd back to
the 20s. Then we stopped by at Osaka
that was yet under construction but was
supposed to blend traditional Japanese
cuisine with Peruvian influences by the
time its doors open. The personal tour
ended at Goa -- an exotic Indian-inspired
nightclub where sultry belly-dancers spice
up the vibe in a setting that is watched
by a massive handcrafted Shiva deity and
decorated with Persian rugs, radiating
candlelight and miles of golden chains
descending from above.