After living and working in Venice Beach for a few years, interior designer Denise Bosley’s heart led her back to the eastside, where she founded her eponymous firm. This is Bosley’s third year participating in Pasadena Showcase House—an event she credits with helping her launch her business during its first year, back in 2016. For this year’s showcase, Bosley chose the Breakfast/Morning Room because of its natural light. “Though it was designated the laundry room, I wanted it to be more of a destination room, where you can actually spend time,” says Bosley. “I added a work desk and a coffee bar so one can do their laundry, drink coffee, and get some work done while they sit at the desk in front of the beautiful windows.” Here, the designer shares her favorite antique shops and where to get the city’s best coconut cake.
I’ve been living in Sierra Madre for almost nine years with my husband. We love that we can walk into the cute town square, or we can walk up the hill and go hiking. My first office was on Green Street in the Playhouse District.
There are so many great places to eat, like Saso and Settebello. You can also do a little wine tasting at Monopole Wine, which is always fun after a hard day at work.
I find a lot of inspiration in design and architecture books, so whenever I start a project, I’ll go to Vroman’s and spend a couple hours digging for the perfect book or magazine that helps spark a design concept.
I recently discovered Bougie Bazaar on Walnut. They have a great variety of vintage lamps, vases, books, and art. I work on a lot of Spanish colonial projects, so my go-to place for sourcing antique lighting and furniture is Revival Antiques. I love working with Cha-Rie at Pasadena Craftsman Tile. She fabricates all of her tile out of her studio in her backyard. She is great to collaborate with on those special craftsman projects because she is so knowledgeable, and I become inspired as soon as I walk into her studio.
Gale’s has always remained tried and true for great Italian food. My favorite dish is the portobello ravioli and I will sometimes splurge on their famous coconut cake. Parkway Grill is my favorite for those nights where I want sit in a classy bar and sip on a strong martini. The bartenders have been working there for years and they really know how to mix up a good drink. The basil martini is a must!
My favorite way to de-stress is to take a workout class at SPENGA. They have a genius concept which includes 20 minutes of spin then 20 minutes of strength training, and we finish it off with 20 minutes of yoga. You really get a well-rounded workout that flies by, and they have a great mantra which focuses on treating yourself better in your everyday life.
