We don’t know about you, but our memories of the orthodontist in the ‘90s did not include beautiful design. Perhaps there was a fish tank, and a few vinyl chairs in the waiting room…needless to say, nothing like the beautiful L.A. offices of Lux Orthodontics. Dr. Erin Cohen of Lux worked with interior designer Amy Sklar on her own home, and knew she was just the gal for the job when it came time to redesign the office. The designer tells us more. 

How did you first meet Dr. Cohen? How did working on her home translate to the office?
Dr. Cohen is married to pediatrician Dr. Scott Cohen, who is the co-founder of Beverly Hills Pediatrics, whose offices I designed.  That led to me working on their home.  We loved working together, and so when Dr. Cohen opened her solo practice, she reached out to us to help her.   

 What were some of the early ideas for the space?
We had some colors from the design team that was working on her new logo, and we took the ball and ran with it.

What were some of the top challenges you had to consider when designing a commercial space like this?
When we are designing anything commercial, we really want it to be able to withstand wear and tear, while still looking attractive and not feeling stereotypically commercial.  When we are designing a medical space, not only does it need to withstand wear and tear, it also has to stand up to rigorous repeated sanitizing.  So basically, it has to be bulletproof! 

Design-wise, what do you love most about the office?
We wanted the space to feel bright warm, welcoming, clean, and modern.  My favorite detail is the custom cantilevered terrazzo reception desk.

Why do you think beautiful design is important in a space like this?
I really wanted to create an environment that people would walk into and feel more like they were coming to a spa then a doctor’s office. 

See more in the slideshow.