Look for home interior inspiration at La Cienega Design Quarter’s Legends event

You’ve seen the signs dotting Los Angeles streets advertising the annual La Cienega Design Quarter’s Legends event, but unless you’re in the design world, you’ve likely written it off.

After all, the city’s vibrant design district — an essential resource to interior designers since the 1950s — might feel intimidating to those of us whose idea of decorating involves flat-packs and Craigslist.

But if you’ve ever fallen into a Pinterest rabbit hole, or HGTV binge, let us encourage you to take the next step into some heavy-duty real-world inspiration — and Legends, running from Tuesday through Thursday, is the perfect time to do it.

Park your car in the West Hollywood library lot on San Vicente, then take to the streets, mainly on La Cienega and Melrose, to take it all in. Many of the shops and showrooms are happy to open their doors to the general public, including Downtown, Dragonette, Harbinger, Jean de Merry, Lee Stanton Antiques, Mecox Gardens, Nathan Turner, Natural Curiosities and Woven Accents. You’ll also recognize area retailers like Design Within Reach, Restoration Hardware and Serena & Lily getting in on the fun.

During the event, more than 65 storefronts treat their windows like ephemeral art exhibits — each calls upon an interior designer to transform it to a high-concept, highly Instagrammable moment, as they say in the design world.

“You will see social and political statements, history lessons and simply beautiful, creative interpretations of design that are a feast for the eyes and mind,” says Lee Stanton, the president of the LCDQ board, whose self-named antiques shop will feature window displays by Nate Berkus and Robert Stilin. “Even if you do not have an eye for design you will leave with one.”

It’s all free, as you would expect window shopping to be. Though if you want to take it to the next level, a $75 pass gives access to keynotes, like one from Elle Decor Editor in Chief Michael Boodro, book signings (including one with TV’s Million Dollar Decorators’ Martyn Lawrence Bullard), and the like. A portion of the proceeds goes to Habitat for Humanity of Greater Los Angeles.

Still trepidatious about wandering out of your comfort zone?

Take heart, you’re not alone. “If I’m honest, I am totally intimidated by the word ‘showroom,’” says Amber Lewis, the interior designer, blogger and Calabasas shop owner who’s been tapped as one of Legends’ social media-savvy ambassadors. “It makes me think I won’t be able to afford anything … or that I would be greeted by snobby salespeople à la ‘Pretty Woman’!” she tells us. “But after much experience in said showrooms — there is nothing to be scared of.”

Lcdqla.com has a full map and list of participating shops.

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