OUR STORY

Beautiful, impressive, timeless and innovative. Words that describe the place that inspired our namesake as well as our design philosophy.

The Chauvet Caves in Southern France date back over 30,000 years and contain the oldest known cave paintings, all done by the same hand for a specific though mysterious purpose. Could this be considered our earliest example of decorating our interiors to enrich our lives? We seem to think so.

As trained design professionals, we are influenced and inspired by those designers and artists who shaped our world. As conscious individuals, we rigorously respect nature’s creations and traditions when choosing materials. As innovators, we search for better solutions to our clients’ concerns. Our strong background in art, architecture and antiques show themselves in our bespoke furniture creations and custom interior architecture.

As a dynamic full-service interior design firm, our personalized service is open to clients all over the world, but focuses on local materials, helping us work in the most sustainable way possible. Although not a retail store, we offer furnishings locally handcrafted in addition to a huge selection of world-class manufacturers. Our comprehensive knowledge of resources is an asset that our clients appreciate, be in residential or commercial interior design.

OUR TEAM

Vivian

A seasoned designer trained in Interior Architecture, Vivian Garcia began her design career in Paris before turning her attention exclusively to interiors. The daughter of a respected architect who worked alongside giants such as Howard Hirsch, Michael Bedner and Welton Beckett of famed Capitol Records and Music Center buildings, Vivian continued her father’s legacy by creating Chauvet in 2014. From a young age, Vivian drew inspiration from her father and his books on Modernism, Classical architecture and fine art. However, Europe was her most influential classroom. While there, she refined her design skills, returning to California with a unique experience that led to a successful career in interior design — one that specializes in innovative architectural surfaces in traditional to modern interiors. Vivian received her Bachelor of Arts from the American University of Paris, and graduated from the Arc-ID program at UCLA Extension. She is a member of the American Society of Interior Designers and Secretary of the Redondo Beach Historical Society.

Hilary

Hilary Kao is the Project Manager for staging and design projects. As the liaison between the design, homeowner and contractor, she follows merchandise purchases to delivery and installations to completion. A graduate of UC Riverside, Hilary is completing the Architecture & Interior Design program at UCLA. Hilary has an excellent behind the scenes working knowledge of the complexity behind staging installations and managing team members. Her natural eye for organization and her fluency in Mandarin is a hallmark of her client relations.

Isa

Isabella Ibarra is an administrative assistant at Chauvet. She provides administrative support, organizes all documentation and manages our design library. Experienced in vendor relations, Isa serves as the primary contact with vendors. She also provides technical and logistical support for meetings and conferences.

Photography

Sincere thanks to: Hilary Kao, Ellen Smiler, Juwan Li.