Hunterhouse Design is a Los Angeles-based boutique design firm dedicated to creating and curating unique custom spaces. Specializing in ground-up construction and full design renovations, each project receives an individualized and collaborative approach.

Principal Marc Berger, a Los Angeles native and veteran of the Design and Fashion Styling communities, brings extensive experience working with high-profile clients like Sting and Heidi Klum, as well as prestigious brands such as Salvatore Ferragamo, Vanity Fair, and L’Officiel Paris.

Transitioning from fashion to interiors, Marc leverages years of experience to craft environments that seamlessly blend aesthetics and functionality, achieving spaces of comfort and purpose. Hunterhouse Design has been featured in renowned publications like AD France, Vogue Living, and House and Garden

hunterhouse design

about

Design by hunterhouse design
Photographed by John Daniel Powers
Photographer’s assistant Carolin Schild,

start the days with gratitude. 

- marc berger

For the majority of my career I was in the fashion world, even though I first went to school for Interior Design. I switched my major to Merchandise Marketing - I imagined working on store windows or being a buyer or something.. Before getting my degree I got a job working with a Fashion Stylist touring with bands, styling editorials and music videos etc. After years in that industry I was realizing I wasn’t as passionate about it as I was interiors, so I transitioned out. I’ve always done it - even when I was a kid wanting to paint / redo rooms at my parents house and as I got older volunteering to work on friends houses and Vacation Rentals on the side.  Fashion Styling is a very similar process.. Just working on people rather than houses. Styling jobs are much faster paced  where interior jobs are spread out over months and years.

How did you get started in design or what inspired your career?

hunterhouse design

interview

It always starts with the client. Getting to know them and their lifestyle. Who’s living there and what they are doing. I want the space to be a sanctuary, but also be useable , so finding all that out is crucial to the design process. Of course we want to create beautiful spaces as well and the client has chosen you because they vibe with your aesthetic, but I have to find out how to get their identity into the space as well

How would you describe your approach to design?

What inspired the design of this home? What were the most important considerations?

A huge inspiration for the design was the location. Its on the mountain side of PCH in Malibu with views of the rolling hills on one side and views of the Pacific on the other, so capturing the feel of those elements with color, texture and materials was important to us.

What were some of the biggest challenges and wins of this project?

The green bar was a challenge. It looks like a solid block cause it has such a large radius to the curved edges  , but its actually made with thick slab. Getting the design right was actually quite the project. Its one of the first things you see when you walk in the house so we wanted it to stand out from the typical waterfall type bars we’ve all seen and really be a piece of art.

Getting some new images out there, which I am not the best at, but always excited when I do, for getting the website redesigned and up to date. Its always hard to get these things done in the middle of everything else, but is so rewarding when you do.
For some fun projects starting up here in LA and continuing to work with some amazing artists and clients!

What are you most excited about this year?

What trend do you see emerging right now?

I think no matter what the aesthetic people are wanting to come home to a sense of calm with all the craziness going on in their wolds, so creating that with texture in fabrics, vintage pieces, and natural materials is what we do a lot of and more so lately. I’m loving some of the more brutalists elements, metals and jewel tones we’ve been seeing more of as well.

Any brands or furniture/decorative artists you are obsessed with right now?

Mike Diaz is a great Mexican Artist / furniture maker
LSG Studio ceramics and lighting.
Malcolm Hill Artist
Insanely talented Casey Johnson
I love the ceramic mushroom lamps by Atelier MVM (I want a gold one)!!

Favorite showroom(s)?

  • Rewire — the best vintage lights.
  • Studio Balestra —  for beautiful antique furniture. Wabi Sabi Vibe. He also carries some current furniture, lighting and art.
  • The Window —  for great pieces to fill the shelves. Unique furniture and decorative art
  • Blackman Cruz — for rare finds. They have their own line and carry other amazing artist as well as antiques / vintage

Favorite restaurant or bar in LA?

  • Giorgio Baldi in Santa Monica
  • Pace in Laurel canyon
  • Nobu Malibu for dinner / lunch on the beach

Start the days with gratitude. I write it out EVERY day. It trains the brain to look for the good which is hard to do sometimes. And long walks with the dogs in the mornings — Its a sort of meditation. End each work day with high intensity workout — keeps me sane haha

daily must-have routines that make you happy or keep you centered?

What city or place do you most like to visit?

I always go to Palm Springs for short escapes from LA. They have great vintage art / furniture out there as well, with a different perspective from LA — you can find some quirky stuff.
I love being on the beach. Lately thats been Costa Rica and Maui— its so easy to get to from LA and I can just shut off completely, walk on the beach, go on hikes and recharge.

Would there have been another career or industry that you would have possibly pursued or be in if you had not become a designer, where you could have been equally passionate about and excel in?

I was lucky enough to start out my career in another interest of mine, which was the fashion industry and then change into the world of interiors, but if I were to do something else, it would probably be in the non profit sector working with foster youth. I volunteer with A Sense of Home, which helps to prevent homelessness by creating homes for kids that are aging out of foster care. It’s very rewarding work, and I can see myself thriving in that kind of environment.

CLOSING
TRADITION

interview

We are big fans of The Diary of a CEO podcast. As such we love to include a closing tradition for our designer features: asking each of featured guests to leave a question to the next featured designer, not knowing who they are going to leave it for.

The question that was left for Marc is from Gari Camaisa 

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