What if we changed our way of life to reside in the city? What if we used public transportation instead of cars and gave priority to foot traffic on a daily basis? What if we lived in homes that are also functional as workspaces? The Santiago Street Lofts answer all these questions. Located in downtown Santa Ana, within walking distance from the Artists Village, local galleries, pubs, cafes and restaurants, the Santiago Street Lofts are Orange County’s first transit-oriented urban development. Designed by William Hezmalhalch Architects (WHA), they were built for creative people and entrepreneurs who like the idea of working and living in the same space, surrounded by a vibrant community and environment.
Until last year, Claudia Desbiens, founder of Modern Mecca, a staging and interior design firm, was one of the residents of the Santiago Street Lofts with her husband. Divided into three levels and spread across 1,885 square feet, every unit comprises one bedroom and two and a half bathrooms. On the ground level, which faces a retail area, Desbiens placed her industrial-style office space featuring concrete floors, steel detailing and a roll-up door through which clients often arrived. The open floor plan, sleek lines and clean design were created to be both functional and inspirational. Colorful pieces of furniture and abstract paintings add pops of dynamism throughout the whole floor, attracting the eyes of passersby. The first and second levels host the private areas. Reflecting the same sense of understated sophistication as the rest of the space, they were decorated by Desbiens with a softer palette, encouraging relaxation. The main living space features Brazilian cherry hardwood floors, a kitchen with stainless steel appliances, a dining room with a beautiful George Nelson Bubble Lamps hanging above the table from dramatic 20-foot-high ceilings, and a cozy corner with a daybed next to the windows. Natural light fills the loft up to the mezzanine, which hosts the bedroom.
Offering the best of urban life, the Santiago Street Lofts is one of the many projects that both celebrates and contributes to Santa Ana’s renaissance.
Published in Design OC – Spring/Summer 2018 from the publishers of Orange Coast magazine
Facebook Comments