Film Veterans Undergo Big City Move – Resource Furniture
While many established couples prefer the calm of the suburbs, Annette Van Duren and Alan Sacks make the unconventional move into a 830-square-foot loft in a multicultural epicenter of Los Angeles.
One Couple's Unexpected Move from Suburb to City
By Jenny Xie –
Annette Van Duren and her husband Alan Sacks were not looking to move. Both seasoned members of the entertainment industry—Van Duren is an agent, and Sacks is a writer, producer, and band manager—they were content to stay in their suburban home in Studio City. They likely would have, too, if not for the offer they couldn’t refuse: unsolicited, all cash, no contingencies. With their daughter graduating from college, the couple decided to downsize, settling in a 830-square-foot loft in the hip neighborhood of Koreatown, Los Angeles. Though this was a drastic change, they were no stranger to compact living, having designed a 400-square-foot pied-à-terre in New York City (where their daughter now resides) with the help of Resource Furniture’s space-saving pieces.
True to his profession, Sacks characterizes their old neighborhood with the factoid that it contains the house featured in The Brady Bunch, and their new pad by likening the city view to the opening scene in Blade Runner. “It’s a complete, 180-degree opposite,” he says. “It’s urban, it’s on the street. The area itself is having a whole renaissance.” The apartment building, which formerly housed offices for the Getty, has been renovated in a midcentury modern aesthetic and enjoys a central location with the subway right across the street. The shared rooftop deck boasts a lawn, pool, gym, hot tub, barbecues, and lounge areas—all with panoramic views of the city. For free-spirited creatives like Van Duren and Sacks, it has been a welcome change of pace.
"Whatever we want to do, it's all in 830 square feet."
“We just didn’t want to deal with a house anymore,” says Van Duren, citing upkeep, utility bills, and repairs. Their move into a smaller, urban space has also triggered more profound changes in lifestyle. “Living in a house and working at home can be fairly isolating,” she shares. In their new apartment, however, the pair has enlisted Resource Furniture to allow spaces to evolve throughout the day, whether it be the transition from sleep to work, or from entertaining to relaxing. Both the Swing and Penelope wall beds easily transform from day to night, and the integrated Home Office folds up to hide desk clutter. “We have two office spaces, we have bedroom and guest spaces, we have a dining room space for entertaining,” explains Sacks. “Whatever we want to do, it’s all in 830 square feet.”
The Swing provides additional storage space under the sofa. In the down position, it fits neatly over the Como Basso, a tempered glass coffee table on casters.
In the narrow entryway, the Giralot storage unit swivels open and closed on a wall-mounted column. The Giralot doubles as Alan’s shoe rack and a full-length mirror.
Minimizing Clutter, Maximizing What Really Matters
“Friends have come over and absolutely love the place,” says Van Duren, “and have been kind of shocked at how versatile it is. Whichever furniture piece can be turned into so many different things.” When not entertaining, she and Sacks have been rejuvenated by the ample opportunities to interact with their neighbors, a majority of whom are Korean. “We love the culture. It’s great to go up on the roof and be among other people.”
From the unexpected move to scaling back their possessions and getting reacquainted with an urban lifestyle, the couple have had no regrets, which is due in no small part to the savvy designs of Resource Furniture. “The fact that we have an unobstructed view of downtown and the mountains in LA really gives [the apartment] a sense of openness,” says Sacks. “With the combination of the furniture and the smoothness of it, the contemplativeness of the space is great.”
