Art Marries Design

The union is a natural fit, as both Jeff and Hope have had an artistic sensibility since childhood. Hope, whose parents were both artists, started drawing and painting at age 7. She continued studying and creating visual arts throughout high school and while attending The Juilliard School. In New York City, she worked as a licensed hairstylist and makeup artist, making her mark on actors in Broadway musicals, movies and television.

Hope relocated to Los Angeles and worked in television with Bravo, ABC, Style Network, HBO, VH1 and USA Network. She opened a hair and makeup salon, and her clients have included dozens of A-list celebrities.

While she enjoyed this career, her true passion remained painting and creating fine art. Behind the scenes, she spent most of her free time building her art portfolio. Hope attended Kline Academy of Fine Art in L.A. and fell in love with large-scale, contemporary, abstract creations—mixing colors and textures to create an experience full of emotion for the viewer.

Locally, she invites new clients to her studio—typically after they’ve seen the art she showcases on her website and social media channels. Then she visits their home to see where they want to place their purchase. “Whether clients are commissioning a piece or selecting my work off the floor, this process helps a great deal when establishing a personal relationship with them,” Hope explains.

While she specializes in bold, explosive vibrant colors and a depth of textural backgrounds, she also creates art with a more subdued, monochromatic color scheme that’s less intense and more fitting to many interiors. “What I do is very subjective,” Hope says. “It all comes down to my clients’ ideas and tastes and needs. This is where my commissions come into play. Clients love my ability to create and execute a custom design that’s perfect for their space.”

Hope feels strongly that collecting art is an investment in one’s health and happiness. “Acquiring a piece of my artwork is adding another dimension to the living experience in your own home,” she says. “It helps people express parts of themselves in a unique way. Art brings us to the present moment, allowing us to connect with ourselves.”

Jeff had a similar introduction to art at a young age, surrounded by a family of talented designers, artists and architects as he grew up in the South Bay. His interest in floor plans, buildings and structures led him to pursue an education in landscape architecture at UCLA.

He and his team offer complete architectural hardscape makeovers and also simpler softscape, plant and irrigation installations. They can also transform a rooftop deck or balcony. Clients of JDS Outdoor Designs are given the opportunity to visualize the upgrades to their exterior areas before the work begins, thanks to photorealistic 3D renderings and CAD drawings.

“There are no surprises,” Jeff says. “Whether the project is small or large, we listen closely to our customers’ functional needs, give them a clear view of what they’ll be getting, and then we implement their aesthetic style into the overall project.”

Jeff’s goal with each project is to create a gathering spot so spectacular, the home’s residents would rather be outside. “We live in paradise with perfect weather year-round,” he shares, “so why not maximize your outdoor living space—making it spectacular so your friends and family always want to come back!”

And that’s where Hope and Jeff’s union comes into play. While they became partners in their personal lives years ago, their professional partnership is more recent and combines JDS’ custom backyards and Hope’s custom indoor-outdoor artwork.

“We’re collaborating to bring these elements together after multiple requests by my clients,” Jeff says. “We have a very unique blend of talents, and it’s a unique way to showcase large-scale abstract art in the modern, architectural backyards that we design and build from the ground up. It’s not something you see every day, and my clients have said they just can’t find this combo out there.”