In this installment of Meet the Minds, Greg Bleier and Terri Robison, the principals of Los Angeles-based Studio UNLTD, detail how they each got their start, why they’re passionate about designing restaurants, and what’s to come from their firm.
Where did you grow up?
Greg Bleier: I grew up in a small suburb of New York called New City, which was not particularly inspiring on the surface but having the space to roam and play in the woods certainly fueled my imagination. I did have the privilege of attending a Waldorf school, which certainly played a role in fostering and nurturing my artistic side.
Terri Robison: I grew up on a small farming town in Montana. My father loved to build anything—from furniture to houses—when he was not farming and my mother was a master gardener. I loved learning from both of them, and my biggest takeaway from living on a farm was the sense of accomplishment you feel when seeing a seed you planted or some wood you cut come to life. I get this same thrill on a job site when materials start to get placed throughout the space.
What is your first design memory?
GB: I was fascinated when my mother would rearrange the furniture in our living room. After seeing the final product, I remember the feeling and impact it had to the space—it made the room feel brand new to me. That could be why I enjoy working on floorplans so much.
TR: My parents letting me decorate my own bedroom. It was frightful, but I loved it and those red roses I painted on the walls are still there to this day.
Middle Eastern restaurant Bavel in Los Angeles
Give us a bit of your background: college, first jobs, early lessons learned.
GB: I attended the University of Pittsburgh and studied studio arts and later, the University of Cincinnati for my interior design degree. While living in Pittsburgh, I worked at a restaurant called Mad Mex, working my way through every job in the kitchen—starting with dishwasher until finally landing in the front of the restaurant. There is no doubt that this spot inspired me to be a restaurant designer. I was intrigued by what made the place so popular, and I knew that it had to do with much more than the food and drink. The vibe was unique within the area and the holistic approach from design through F+B hospitality made it sing.
TR: I went to college at Montana State University. It was well known for its architecture program on the West Coast, but the interior design program was in its infancy. Most of our classes were combined with architectural courses, which I enjoyed and it gave me a great understanding of building structures and detailing. One of my professors had designed his own piece of furniture and that struck a cord with me. It was a big reason why I started my own furniture factory shortly after arriving in Los Angeles.
When and why did you decide to launch Studio UNLTD?
GB: I had the first inkling back in 2000, before I even went to design school. However, the opportunity to begin the studio presented itself during the Great Recession of 2008. I had been laid off from two small studios within the course of a year because the work had dried up, and I didn’t want to be one of the masses trying to vie for the very few available jobs. I used my contacts, hustled, and within days had the good fortune of landing a role working on both a Beverly Hills jewelry store and a high-end private residence. This helped me launch the firm.
TR: I joined forces with Greg in 2014 after leaving a furniture company I had formed in 1998. I had only dabbled a bit in interior design, but luckily Greg was confident enough in my abilities to trust that I could be an asset to Studio UNLTD.
Jolie, a restaurant serving southern French-inspired cuisine in Los Angeles’ Beverly Glen neighborhood
How would you describe your firm’s style?
GB: It’s more of a relaxed modernism so to speak. We generally like simplicity and clean lines, but with layers of textures and pattern to create an inviting and somewhat familiar environment with a twist.
Describe your recent hospitality projects.
GB: We recently completed Callie, a restaurant in San Diego for chef Travis Swikard, who had relocated his family back to his hometown from New York, where he worked for 10 years for the great chef Daniel Boulud. For his first solo restaurant, we used this story to our advantage by trying to strike a balance between the Mediterranean and Southern California, while injecting bits of the chef’s own personality into the project. The space nods to surfing and skate parks, which are all at the root of Swikard’s fun-loving personality.
We are currently working on a cannabis retail space and lounge, which is a bit of a departure for us in that it has a very traditional style. The client wanted the space to evoke the feeling of the “faded glory” of Havana, which will also be a departure for a cannabis retailer. The space is a fun mix of eras, which gives a sense of history to a relatively new business model.
Another project we have under construction is a refined Mexican concept in Fresno, California for a client that is changing the dining landscape there. The sprawling space will showcase a lot of unique custom designed furniture, large art elements, and incredibly delightful textures.
What is your favorite part about designing restaurants?
GB: I like the challenge of having to provide something that should function flawlessly for the staff and be completely immersive for the guest. It is always a delicate balance to achieve these very disparate requirements. My real excitement though comes from observing the space functioning for the first time and seeing it utilized in the way that it was intended.
Tatsu Ramen’s New York outpost
What is your dream project?
GB: I would love to work on a complete design for a hotel anywhere abroad, for nothing more than to have the time to drink up the culture of a place and provide a design for travelers that represents the best of both worlds from an intentional design perspective—meaning that it marries good design with the something that resonates of the place in which it is located.
TR: I have always wanted to visit Denmark so maybe the next René Redzepi project.
What’s next for Studio UNLTD?
GB: We plan to continue developing our own products. Our first lighting collection launched this year with Industry West. Expect to see us working on projects more nationally and internationally moving forward. We are also currently working on the relaunch of the Helms Bakery brand that is well-known here in Los Angeles but has been gone for almost 50 years. Being part of a rare heritage brand like this gives us great pride, and we are so thrilled to give something like this back to the city that has done so much for us. We hope to see this long-awaited project come to life late 2022 or early 2023.
If you weren’t in your current career, what would you be doing?
GB: I would probably become a nomad. Working and living in different places around the globe and getting to know different people and cultures for the rest of my life.
TR: I would likely have been a landscape architect as it takes me back to my roots. I love getting my hands dirty.
More from HD:
4 Wineries Usher in a New Era of Design
Monastero Arx Vivendi Maintains Its Old-World Charm
Rosewood San Francisco Slated for 2026 Opening
