INSIDE SPENCER'S NEW LOCATION IN WEST HOLLYWOOD

Design has always been at the heart of the Spencer’s experience. With the debut of our new West Hollywood space next door at 8811 Dorrington Ave, founder Ryan McCarthy continues to evolve that vision—introducing a dedicated home for facials thoughtfully shaped by mood, materiality, and a grounded sense of calm. Created in collaboration with interior designer Jessica Blumberg of Dale Blumberg Interiors, 8811 Dorrington embodies a shared belief that design is not just aesthetic, but essential to the guest experience.

Photos by Sean Davidson.

The Creative Partnership

This marks your second Spencer’s project together, following the launch of the new second floor at Spencer’s in SoHo, New York City. How did your creative dynamic evolve this time around?

Ryan: Working again with partners you trust is a joy. There are familiarities and idiosyncrasies that are built from spending time with one another and understanding a joined language that best serves tackling a new job. We were able to save time on getting to know our styles and spend that time on the task at hand: design! 

Jess: Having already built a strong creative foundation on the SoHo project, this time around felt even more fluid and intuitive. There’s a level of trust and shared language that allowed us to move quickly and confidently, pushing ideas further without overthinking them. It felt like a natural continuation—more refined, more instinctive, and the same push for creativity.

Having already built a shared design language, what felt different about approaching the West Hollywood expansion?

Ryan: It felt easy, aligned, and fun. There’s an element of playfulness that develops when you work with someone continuously. For us, the second West Hollywood project allowed us to move quickly into exploring what we enjoy most: color, texture, sourcing and the building of a playbook of ideas to deploy further down the road.

Jess: The West Hollywood expansion felt different off the bat simply because of being located in sunny Los Angeles, which innately brings a whole different design language with it.  While Soho was rooted in a sophisticated, layered, eclectic townhouse sensibility, here we were working within a Provençal framework—lighter, more

sun-washed, and inherently tied to its environment. It challenged us to translate the Spencer’s identity through a different lens, which made the process feel fresh and exciting.

What continues to align you creatively when shaping a Spencer’s space?

Ryan: We want to push one another and we want to be able to live in the spaces we create. I think that’s an important distinguishing factor - it’s easy to work with people who don’t see themselves in the space for more than the duration of the project build. Jess and I share a passion for needing and wanting to sit deeper into the space over time. 

Jess: We’re both deeply focused on how a space feels rather than any one individual element. There’s a shared belief that the magic happens in the layering—the combination of materials, furnishings, and small details that create a cohesive atmosphere. We’re also very decisive and trust each other’s instincts, which allows us to maintain momentum while still being thoughtful in our choices.

Influence & Inspiration

The original West Hollywood location was inspired by Provence and the South of France. How did you continue and evolve that vision in this new location?

Ryan: It’s the cousin of the original - a slightly lighter, more modernized version. They do live together, and so the subtle shift as you walk from one to the other is meant to feel like a familiar discovery rather than a hard reset. 

Jess: We leaned into the warmth and ease of the Provençal influence from the villa next door, but with the expansion being in a more modern space, we wanted to slightly redirect the style to bring in some of those 90's - 2000's ‘comfort’ elements that you see on the 2^nd floor in the Soho expansion project. It became less about literal references and more about capturing a mood—sun-washed tones, natural materials, and a relaxed elegance that still feels considered and curated.

What elements of the Provençal inspiration felt essential to preserve?

Ryan: I always feel strongly that continuity is born in wood choices and trims, then coloring between those lines is clear. My beloved doors are a small way to bind the two spaces, as well as the summerish and carefree rug choice. Together, they feel light and transportive. 

Jess: The sense of warmth and effortlessness was key. We wanted to maintain that feeling of understated beauty—natural textures, soft patinas, and materials that feel as though they’ve aged gracefully over time. There’s a quiet romanticism to Provençal interiors that felt important to carry through.

How did you ensure the new space feels connected to the original location while still offering something distinct?

Ryan: I find it interesting in the process of design that you always seem to be moving - you never want to be exactly where you were before, but you absolutely want to repeat elements you had fun with or that worked very well. In that sense, I never struggle for our spaces to feel connected, I want to learn from each and take the best bits to continue building what I feel will evolve to be better and better. 

Jess: It was about maintaining a consistent thread in tone and materiality while allowing the space to evolve. Certain elements—like the warmth of the palette and the emphasis on natural textures—create continuity, but the way they’re expressed here feels slightly less farmhouse and touch more townhouse. It feels familiar, but not repetitive.

Design Intent

When envisioning this new West Hollywood location, what emotional or sensory experience did you want guests to have?

Ryan: Warm, quiet, calm, safe, elevated. Since we are located in a neighbourhood, there was also an emphasis on how to create a space that feels comfortable and familiar in the way you might be invited by the neighbor to share an afternoon glass of iced tea. It’s welcoming, and that is who we are as a brand. 

Jess: We wanted the space to feel transportive—calming, warm, and quietly luxurious. A place where you can feel inspired and interested while being able to fully exhale.  There’s a softness to the experience, from the light filtering through the flowing linen curtains to the tactile quality of the materials, that invites guests to slow down and settle in.

In what ways does this expansion extend or evolve Spencer’s existing design language?

Ryan: Iteratively, this location feels as though we took another stop on our tour through Europe, with American influence. I’d like to push further into the abundance of what we believe a masterful combination of classic and contemporary styles or comforts can look like. 

Jess: This project feels like another sibling has been added to the Spencer’s family. I think it’s a layered homage to the three existing Spencer’s spaces, bringing together elements of each while still establishing its own identity.

Materiality & Atmosphere

What materials, finishes, or architectural gestures became foundational to this space?

Ryan: The foundation always begins with wood, trims, and the small architectural details that quietly hold the room together. Once those bones feel right, everything else can begin to layer around them. In this space we leaned into warm woods, soft linens, and pieces with history. I like when materials feel as though they have lived a life already, they bring a sense of calm and familiarity that helps our guests settle into the space naturally.

Jess: Like next door, we focused heavily on natural, tactile materials—jute, hide, warm woods, soft linens, and aged finishes. There’s a simplicity to the palette, but it’s layered in a way that creates depth. Architecturally, we again leaned into the concept of a long corridor that gently pulls you through the space…this time, a 19th century open scroll-arm saber-legged armchair seemingly floating in front of the linen curtains invites you down the ethereal linen lined hallway, which displays a curated collection of vintage artwork, into the jewel box of a lounge.  It is meant to feel transportive. 

How did you approach light and texture when shaping the atmosphere?

Ryan: I’m a freak for lighting. It dictates the mood of the entire experience. In a spa, harsh light has no place. We wanted everything to feel softened and diffused - linens, woods, rugs, and upholstery help to temper the space into feel warm and slightly imperfect. 

Jess: Light played a huge role in shaping the atmosphere. We leaned into a softer, diffused quality that enhances the warmth of the materials and creates a sense of calm throughout the day. There is a lot of sun exposure because of the prime south facing corner location, so we wanted soft and light linen everywhere. Texture was equally important—everything was chosen to feel inviting and tactile, adding to that overall sense of comfort.

Were there specific details or custom elements that feel especially meaningful in this location?

Ryan: I tend to fall in love with the smaller gestures -  a door profile, a trim detail, or a piece of furniture that quietly anchors the room. Those are the things that make a space feel personal rather than prescribed. There are always a few objects that feel like discoveries along the way, and those pieces often end up becoming the ones people notice most. They give the space character and help it feel like somewhere you’ve stumbled upon rather than somewhere that was overly designed.

Jess: As always, we wanted the space to feel super curated and intentional. We have a lot of fun sourcing interesting pieces to create an elevated and eclectic collection for the space.  Whether it’s the custom ottoman upholstered in a rare champagne colored cowhide, the vintage Japanese silk Haori jacket from the 1940’s hanging on the wall in the lounge, the French nude charcoal sketch on paper from1893 framed outside of Treatment Room 5, or the Vintage Christian Liaigre horsehair upholstered bench in Reception, we want it all to feel meaningful.

The Process

Did your sourcing approach evolve in this second collaboration?

Ryan: It definitely became more focused. On the first project you’re discovering the edges of what something can be. By the second, you’re refining it. We’ve begun to develop a clearer understanding of what belongs in a Spencer’s environment and what doesn’t. That allows the sourcing process to feel less about collecting things and more about shaping a cohesive atmosphere.

Jess: It became much more intuitive. We had a clear understanding of what defines a Spencer’s space, and how we both like to work so the process shifted toward refining and editing rather than starting from scratch. There was still a sense of discovery, but it felt more focused and intentional.

How do you know when a Spencer’s space feels complete?

Ryan: It’s when the space begins to feel natural rather than constructed. Early on everything still feels like a project — materials arriving, pieces being moved around, decisions being made. Then there’s a point where you walk through and it simply feels comfortable. When the room feels like somewhere you could spend an afternoon without thinking about the design at all, that’s usually the signal we’re finished.

Jess: It’s when everything feels effortless—when nothing stands out too loudly and the space feels balanced as a whole. There’s a point where it stops feeling designed and starts feeling like your cool friend’s living room you want to keep visiting, and that’s when you know it’s done.

Looking Ahead

What does this new West Hollywood location reveal about the direction of Spencer’s design evolution?

Ryan: Hopefully, if we are doing our job right, that we can build spaces people feel comfortable and cared for in. As far as the design itself - I’d like to think we’ve written page one of a long book that is our story at Spencer’s.

Jess: It shows a growing confidence in the Spencer’s design language—one that isn’t fixed, but constantly evolving. While there’s a consistent feeling that ties each space together, we’re intentionally allowing each new location to take on its own personality. There is more to come and more in the works, and Ryan and I want people to feel considered, inspired, and maybe a little surprised every time they walk into the next Spencer’s location. We’re very excited for what’s coming next!

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