“I didn’t want a sterile office environment where everyone was isolated from each other,” says actress Jessica Alba of her Honest Company headquarters. So she enlisted the help of CB2’s visual merchandising team to turn a former toy showroom in Santa Monica, California, into a smart yet stylish work space.
The company’s core values are painted in various fonts onto a staircase’s risers to keep workers inspired throughout the day.
Comfortable, informal seating arrangements—not the orange poufs—allow for easy conversation, which in turn stimulates creativity and a free-flowing exchange of ideas.
“I wanted our employees to have flexibility in how they use the space,” Alba says. This kitchen, for example, is an ideal setting for whipping up a healthy snack or impromptu meetings over a brown-bag lunch.
Here, rows of communal tables are a stylish update on the company cafeteria.
Sara Harter, CB2’s Director of Visual Merchandising, installed these sustainable mango-wood shelves throughout the office to provide both storage and aesthetic value. “We love the stories they tell,” she says of the loosely arranged vignettes.
Green Is Good
Alba’s love of nature and sustainable decor is highlighted in the dining area’s vertical succulent garden, which was made with reclaimed wood from shipping pallets.
“My goal was to create a working environment that inspires our team,” says Alba. In her office, bright colors appear at every turn, and a wall of positive-thinking mantras contributes to the friendly atmosphere.
“Because this is my home away from home, I was very involved in the design process,” says Alba. To make this reception area feel personal and inviting, Harter incorporated a blend of new furniture—like the peacock-hued sofa—and the actress’s own pieces.
Instead of imposing artwork, the Honest Company team opted for residential-style gallery walls that highlight the brand’s biggest sources of inspiration—children. “They’re the reason we created Honest in the first place,” says Alba.
