Woodland Casual Patio and Rattan

Place

Woodland Casual Patio and Rattan

Few Ventura Boulevard Mid-Century Modern designs are as captivating as that of Woodland Casual Patio and Rattan, which is somehow space-age and organic at once.

Place Details

Address

19855 Ventura Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 91364
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Architect

Decade

Property Type

Community

Ventura Boulevard has an impressive abundance of eye-catching Mid-Century Modern designs, but few are as captivating as that of Woodland Casual Patio and Rattan in Woodland Hills. Completed in 1967, the building was originally occupied by another furniture store, the Cottage Shop. Woodland Casual took over the building in 1969 and operated at the location until very recently.

The two-story building is dominated by its elevated display windows, providing a prominent view of the goods within to motorists passing by on the bustling boulevard. The hexagonal windows are remarkable, somehow space-age and organic at once, looking like cells of an enormous honeycomb hovering over the busy commercial strip. Each one sits at a slightly different angle, curving subtly around the corner and allowing long, lingering looks at the "California casual" furniture that once resided inside.

The building's side façade on Oakdale Avenue has its own charm, with a sawtooth roof and strong vertical elements proclaiming its Googie influence. Even the rear of the building is interesting, curving gently like the front façade to attract the interest of drivers on the Ventura Freeway. The design of Woodland Casual Patio and Rattan is a whimsical and expressive application of the Mid-Century Modern style to a commercial building.