Paying homage to Korea's rich history, interior designer Grace Lee-Lim creates a flexible and soothing space for the GYOPO collective in LA.

When the opportunity arose to design the new GYOPO office, it was an obvious choice for interior designer Grace Lee-Lim. GYOPO is a collective of diasporic Korean creatives based in Los Angeles, California, dedicated to generating and sharing various programs to support their community. As a Korean-American herself, Lee-Lim felt a deep connection to the project, which presented a significant challenge: a rundown, dilapidated office floor in Koreatown.
Before
Before
The existing space featured a stained navy blue carpet with matching doors and trim ? a color that?s meant to evoke calmness but instead did the opposite. Given that the office is currently leased, Lee-Lim aimed to implement budget-conscious, impactful changes without making any structural alterations. To get the full details of this office transformation, we chat with Lee-Lim on how she was able to find renter-friendly solutions for this small space, her approach to honoring Korea?s rich heritage, and what she?s most excited about in the coming months.

You often hear about renter hacks that elevate residential areas, but rarely for commercial locations. In designing this space, what renter-friendly solutions or decisions did you implement"
We thought it’d be best to work within the framework presented, so the first major task was to pull out the blue c...