The mastermind contemplates his masterpiece
What kind of crowd are you trying to cultivate at Green Door?
I have a lot of friends who are in the fashion industry and movie industry; that are artists, that are musicians; a lot of power players. You know, I’m 36 years old and I just don’t like going to clubs anymore. I never went to clubs to begin with. So when I was thinking about the design of the place…I really just wanted to create a place for people to go out and have fun, but with no dance floor, disco lights or clubby atmosphere.
Did you ever think you would get involved in nightlife?
No.
What inspired the concept for this venue?
It comes from a porn movie. It was made the year I was born. It’s not about that it’s a porno movie. I don’t know if you’ve ever seen the movie, but there’s not very much porn in it until the very end. In the beginning there’s this house in the hills that has a green door and it’s the talk of the town. There’s this whole mystique, like what goes on behind it…and then eventually it’s revealed. Of course that’s not what my place is about. It was more about the premise of the movie, that there was this place with a green door and everyone wanted to know what went on behind it.
What inspired the design?
I wanted to design it so that people had plenty of room to move around, yet create intimacy—that’s what I think most clubs lack in Los Angeles. Other than the lobby at the Chateau, but that’s in a hotel and it’s always weird because you have hotel guests and the hotel has its policies.
How’d you find all that vintage furniture?
Swap meets, yard sales, antique stores. Everything’s been recovered. I’d much rather see a chair that’s completely trashed but still works and then strip it apart and recover it in something that I like than go and buy something’s that readymade
The aesthetic is very Parisian.
I lived in Paris for three years off and on, traveled around a lot. The portrait wall: That aspect of it was the lobby at the Ritz in Paris.
What brought you to Paris?
I used to be a model, if you can believe that. But that’s a whole ‘nother story.
The club also has the feel of a literary salon. Are you also trying to attract a literary crowd?
Absolutely. A lot of my friends are writers. Most of friends are in the arts. Actually, all my friends are in the arts. During the day, too, I have friends who come here to write.
What’s your ultimate goal for Green Door?
People go out because they want to connect; they want to meet people. I designed it to be romantic so if someone’s going on a date or they’re going out because they want to meet somebody, there’s a high level of intimacy anywhere in the room. You can either be in the mix and be in the bulk of what’s going on or you can be in the corner and have your own private conversation. So it’s the best of both worlds.
Do you ever hang out?
Yeah, sure. But mainly when I’m walking around the room I’m looking for two things: I’m looking at lighting and I’m looking for trash.
I'm sure everyone wants to know: What’s the door policy?
The door policy is that you have to have a reservation. We have a telephone number people can call: 323-463-0008.
There are two types: a dinner reservation and a table reservation. Does the latter come with alcohol?
If it’s four people: a bottle. That’s enough for four people. More than enough.
What if you don’t have a reservation: can you come in?
If we have room for you, yeah of course. But we’re already booked for most of next week because we only have 21 tables.
What’s your capacity?
Legal capacity is 428.
If you don’t have a dinner reservation, can you still order food?
Of course. You can pretty much eat anywhere. I like walking around and seeing people sitting in a chair with a plate in their lap and eating a crepe or something. That’s the way they used to do it in the days of the salons, like Libertine days.
Alexandra Le Tellier is Bars & Clubs editor for Metromix Los Angeles.
Add a comment