Candace Shure is the creative force behind LA’s Shure Design Studio. The boutique interior design firm is known for its youthful sophistication, artful mix of new and vintage spaces, and gorgeous rooms that celebrate the personality of those who live there. 

Candace studied design at FIDM in downtown Los Angeles and began her career at the coveted Woodson & Rummerfield’s House of Design. With years of experience under her belt, she struck out on her own and her trajectory continues upward. Now, she’s got her sights set on a new retail experience, opening this fall.   

MY LIGHT-BULB MOMENT:
I’ve always dreamed of having a home boutique of my own. One where I could collect and share all the cool vintage pieces that I happen upon, but don’t quite have a home for yet or the incredible objects made by talented artists that I find when sourcing for projects. So, when I found out a couple of months ago that I was going to have to move out of our current studio space I decided to cast out a slightly different net and looked for spaces in my neighborhood that could house both our design studio and a retail showroom to do just that! We found the cutest space in Verdugo Plaza, and I’ve been having the most fun carefully selecting what will be featured in our curated gallery when we open in the fall (and my family is very happy that I’ll now have a designated space to house my ever-growing collection of furniture, art, and objects).

I CAN’T START MY DAY UNTIL:
I’ve had coffee in my favorite vintage mug. With two young kids and running my own business, I hit the ground running as soon as I wake up, so taking even just 5 minutes to myself in the morning is crucial to getting a grasp on the day ahead. (Even on the weekends, my family knows I can’t be expected to do much of anything until I’ve had some coffee and a quiet moment to focus.) 

SUCCESS IS:
Achieving that elusive work-life balance between doing what I love and still being able to spend time with the people I love. It means being challenged and creatively fulfilled with the projects I’m working on and still having plenty of opportunities to do the really important things like get dinners with friends or spend lazy Sundays with my husband and our children.  

YOU’LL NEVER SEE ME WITHOUT:
My orange and white patent leather vintage Marni tote bag. It holds all my essentials for work that I always have on me: tape measures (traditional + laser), a notebook of graph paper, my laptop and cellphone (+ their chargers!), and a couple of my favorite paint fan decks.

MY DREAM COLLABORATION:
A home furnishings product line with Target. Sharing my designs on that level and having them accessible to so many people would be the ultimate dream. I can already visualize the aesthetic and some of the pieces I would create!

THE ONLY PLACE BETTER THAN LOS ANGELES:
New York City. I lived there for a year and completely fell in love. It’s like there’s an electrical current pulsing through the city that you can feel as soon as you arrive. There’s always something exciting going on that’s just a few blocks (or a quick train ride) away and between the food, the art, the fashion, and the culture, there’s just nowhere else quite like it. 

WHEN I FEEL UNINSPIRED:
I’ll head to any of the incredible museums in LA or to my favorite vintage/antique stores and allow myself to linger as long as I want and study anything that catches my eye. (But if I’m really pressed for time and in a pinch, a fresh gel manicure on Melrose usually does the trick.) 

ADVICE I WISH I HAD 5 YEARS AGO:
You don’t have to have your path completely mapped out to begin doing what you really want. Just start right where you are now, and trust that you’ll know the next steps to take as you reach them. 

IN 5 YEARS, FIND ME:
Travelling, enjoying time with my friends and family, and very busy in our new studio + showroom! I’ll likely be bouncing between collaborating with my team on client presentations in the back and chatting/advising customers in the front of the shop, all before I dash out the door to make it in time for dinner and bedtime snuggles with my kids!

ABOVE ALL ELSE:
Work hard and be kind to people. And don’t take life (or yourself for that matter!) too seriously.