de stijl salon

de stijl opened its doors in March 2015 in Portland, Oregon. What began as a self-funded salon build-out became the first completed project—and creative foundation—of what would later become de stijl FORMS, a design and fabrication studio grounded in material exploration and hands-on making.

After relocating from Southern California, we secured the space within four months of arriving in Portland. Working with a limited budget and an ambitious vision, the project was approached as a full design-build effort. From initial concept and spatial design to fabrication and final installation, the entire build-out was executed by hand.

The conceptual direction of the space was informed by both architecture and art. The fluid, sculptural thinking of architects like Zaha Hadid intersected with the reductive geometry and spatial clarity of artists such as Kazimir Malevich. These influences guided decisions around form, proportion, and restraint—translated into practical materials and constructed through direct, hands-on processes.

The front desk, a central architectural element of the salon, was modeled in CAD. Every cabinet drawer was custom-built. The flooring was designed and installed piece by piece. Nearly every component of the space was fabricated on site, driven by necessity, experimentation, and problem-solving through making.

What started as a single salon project revealed a deeper focus on the intersection of design, fabrication, and construction. de stijl became the catalyst for an ongoing exploration into building thoughtful, functional spaces through material-driven design.

Today, de stijl FORMS continues to build on the principles established in that first project—custom fabrication, CAD-informed design, and a belief that ideas shaped by architecture and art can transform how spaces are built and experienced.