ERICCO STUDIO
. . . ARTFUL LIFEstyle — My Hermosa Beach Project
Blue Planet — Kenneth Hope

Creating ambiance through artistic interior – exterior space and custom wall-finish treatments, is a defining hallmark of my career. Visual enhancement is one goal, but the true uniqueness comes in creating an extension of a client’s distinct and exclusive lifestyle.
… art for LIFEstyles is not only my work, but my passion.
The intersection of art, fashion, music and social interaction is trending like never before. Our circle of social gatherings is becoming smaller, and we stay in our homes – or the homes of those close to us more often. This offers a unique opportunity for us to step up our game in finding new ways to entertain our friends and family, and to reflect and share our LIFEstyles on a more personal and broader level.
That’s what I set out to accomplish in this Southern California, tri-level – 3,500 sq.ft. ($6M) Hermosa Beach home on the Strand.
The Calmness of the ocean, Serenity of the blue sky, the Sense of stability evoked by stone and marble, were all elements that, combined with the Client’s entrepreneurial spirit and passion for the arts, allowed me to successfully create a one-of-a-kind space that is a reflection of the heart of his unique LIFEstyle.
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Ericco
ZO ART CONVERGENCE
SPONSORS, CONTRIBUTORS, and ARTISTS
in all Creative Disciplines.
THE STRAND — HERMOSA BEACH, CA
In addition to one of the most spectacular views in southern California, the house is now becoming an artwork in and of itself. The interior walls have become a flowing canvas, blending sea, clouds, sand, marble and textures that could possibly fool a few geologists 🙂
Ericco had to point out that one of the walls he had painted in the 1st floor bath was not stone.
Being the ZO investigators that we are, we then had to feel everything, and even then it was difficult to tell what was art and what was natural stone!
We’re going to start this tour on the main floor central core spiral staircase, and get Ericco to give us some insight to the process. One word comes to mind, as the tour progresses and that’s . . . “Lit!”
Thanks also to Juli, currently working with Ericco Studio, for being our model.
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ZO: So, it looks like the whole house has literally become your canvas. How in the world do you plan for that? Did the concept come all at once or do you start and see what develops?
ERICCO: First we decide on a Color Scheme . . .
each wall and room application, it’s color and the consideration of what is surrounding it, what furniture is surrounding it, and how it looks and coordinates with the whole environment.
ZO: The transformations that we see in these rooms are all as dramatic as night and day . . . Which room or wall did you start on and how do you make that choice, toss a coin 🙂 ?
ERICCO: My client’s take these decisions very seriously, as do I. The results of my art finishes, are not generally paint . . but materials, that unlike a painted wall that needs a fresh coat of paint every two years — in 10 years my finishes will look the same — or better. Clients are generally making choices that they plan on being as permanent as their LIFEstyles — so it’s well planned.
ZO: Tell us about the living room and central stair transformation.
ERICCO: The client and I decided to have the wall finish extend up the entire stairway and wrap around the upstairs as well, giving it overall a more expansive feel and immersive tranquility.
ZO: This open floor plan has become more than a great room. The transition from the beach to the living room, through the kitchen, and then into another front room entertainment – kind of begs the question, when is the party?
ERICCO: lol . . . I’m working and looking forward to that too!! Actually, that’s something I did in the homeowner’s previous home — its 10 years later, and it’s still being talked about. LOL
ZO: Yeah, we were there — like we said, hope our invitation to this one is coming soon! 🙂
The old sliding doors. Wow, such drama now!
ZO: We really love the way the blue and white theme transcends through the entire house. It’s kind of like a continuation of the clouds. This photo of the moon from the balcony is breathtaking. Give us some of your thoughts on the cloud themes that seem to be such a part of your work.

Upstairs Cloud Room
ERICCO: This is basically a weekend getaway for my clent . . . shades of blue have a calming effect. It also brings the extraordinary view in and extends and connects the interiors to the exterior panorama.
Upstairs Powder Room (left)
ZO: We’ve seen variations of these interior murals in a few homes you’ve done. The whimsy of this certainly adds a timeless feel to the bath. Renaissance architecture and styles were filled with this. What a thought provoking space. Where does this inspiration come from?
ERICCO: I think this is an unexpected surprise, and a source of uniqueness for visitors. Again, I like the guest to be entertained by the unexpected, and somehow inspired while in the home — but on a personal note. This was a personal request by the homeowner. I did this same design (this time in blue) as a reminder of when the client made enough money to purchase his first mansion. I did this very same design in it, and he fell in love with it. Its a beautiful reminder.
First Level Entertainment Room
ZO: Actually, this is my favorite room. What fun! I LOVE the depth . . . it takes me into the wall, kind of like a time portal – LOL
ERICCO: I especially enjoyed creating this wall finish in the entertainment room. The dimensional motif is hand-drawn and the painted design is intentionally meant to entertain visually, even when the TV is off and everyone is just chilling!
First Level Bathroom
ZO: You’ve done several large scale homes like this and projects in Puerto Rico since our last interview. We’re also very excited about the private gallery in NoHo we’re all working on to house some of your art collection and custom projects. With all that’s affected the whole world this year, where do you see art going?
ERICCO: Art has always been a “personal thing” for me. Given our social environment and new realities, our creative NoHo space will cater to smaller groups and extend a more one-on-one experience — a more intimate, personal approach to an art encounter.
Don’t worry about a thing, ’cause every little thing gonna be all right. — Bob Marley
Ericco Studio has been a partner and advisor to ZO since its inception. We always enjoy the adventure of exploring the many creative spaces he creates magic for! We’re looking forward to updating this page as the work is completed.
Thanks Ericco for treating us to a breathtakingly beautiful afternoon at the beach and for the pictures. What a lovely day its been — ZO
ERICCO STUDIO: Developer — Art Spaces: CAb (Crenshaw Artists Building)
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