Los Angeles native Tracy Beckmann began her career early with an interior design internship at the age of 15 in Palos Verdes. She's since worked with design superstars like Kelly Wearstler, who teamed up with the ambitious designer during the Avalon Beverly Hills Hotel project. Now with her own firm, Beckmann is the eye behind The Tar Pit -- Mark Peel's widely acclaimed new restaurant and lounge -- and the new Hotel at the Los Angeles Athletic Club downtown. We pitched Ms. Beckmann a few questions, and she arranged her answers into the stylish interview below.


LA.COM INTERVIEW
Tracy Beckmann, Designer - The Tar Pit


LA.com: What are some of the inspirations behind The Tar Pit? How would you describe the final product?
Tracy Beckmann: My long time friend and colleague, Fernando Bracer, acted as a design and architecture consultant. Together, we researched design from 1920's-1940's French Art Moderne. We watched a number of classic Hollywood films to get a cinematic feel for the period, and the fantastical set designs in the films of Busby Berkeley were inspirational. The end result is a timeless and sophisticated interpretation of a supper club from Hollywood's glamorous past.

The movie with the most impact was My Man Godfrey (1936). Not only from a design sense, but more importantly for the general feeling we wanted to create. We wanted people to want to dress up again, to be adults in an adult setting. The movie perfectly carries a sense of elegance that is rarely experienced today.

The overall color scheme highlights the elegance and glamour. Rich espressos and champagne tones are accented by shades of amber and eggplant, and by various metals such as antique gold and black chrome. Each color is used in proportion within the space to reinforce the sense of individuality between the various dining areas. Nothing stands out on its own; everything is connected and complementary so as to create a harmonious experience.


LA.com: How would you describe your style? Are there any particular designers that have influenced you?
TB: My approach is modern but deeply rooted in design tradition. Kelly Wearstler was my first role model in my design career. Her fearless approach to color and pattern was very new to me and is something that has stayed with me. I also enjoy the work of David Collins. His commercial interiors are very elegant, timeless and utterly sophisticated. I feel most inspired at the moment by the work of Jean Michel Frank. His use of woods, metals and fabrics was an ideal resource when it came to The
THE TAR PIT :: Tracy Beckmann Design - Specializing in Commercial and Hospitality Interior Design
The Tar Pit (Photo courtesy of Tracy Beckmann Design)
Tar Pit.


LA.com: The projects you work on range from restaurants to hotels to pet boutiques. Is there a common element to your work?

TB: I believe in a simple color palette and clean lines. I try not to follow any of the latest trends. It is important to create "destinations" within the space for guests to experience. To have variety within a space is key, so that it can be experienced in different ways at different times. A space like The Tar Pit is not very large and relatively simple in plan, but it provides a wide range of seating options, creating varying points of view that can make each time you visit a unique dining experience.


LA.com: What are the challenges unique to commercial design?
TB: The success of a commercial project in my opinion begins with the programming of the space. Traffic patterns in a house are important, yes, but much more important when laying out the perfect dinning experience. It is integral to create points of interest along the path diners will travel, while also allowing for the wait staff to navigate among them. Visual cues to direct the movement of the eye, such as strong patterns or sculptural elements, are good ways to achieve this.


LA.com: How do you handle the special requirements and objectives of designing a restaurant?
TB: The technical requirements of restaurant design are much more involved and complicated than a typical commercial space. Restaurants, like hotels, take a lot of abuse through use, which makes the durability of materials more crucial than in other types of commercial work. There is also the challenge of coordinating the work by everyone involved with the project-clients, contractors consultants-all of whom have an opinion on what will make the space a success. It can be daunting but well worth the challenge.


LA.com: Do you have a favorite restaurant when you're just going out for a local meal?

TB: This may sound a little biased, but Campanile has been always been a favorite of mine. Mark Peel is an extraordinary chef and was a pleasure to work with on The Tar Pit.


LA.com: What other Los Angeles restaurants do you appreciate for excellent design?
TB: I live in a loft in downtown Los Angeles so I have been spending a lot of time dining at Bottega Louie and Wurstkuche. They are two spaces at the opposite end of the spectrum of design. Bottega Louie aims for a semi-formal dining experience by creating a single large, grand space, minimally outfitted with highly detailed and expensive fixtures. Wurstkuche is the exact opposite, creating a much more informal experience by breaking up the space into smaller individual areas, and through the use of very simple and humble materials.