PLA.studio

About

PLA.studio is where curiosity lights the way. I create objects, spaces, and stories that spark wonder, weaving together art, design, and play.

Compulsively creative, I am an artist, designer, maker — and once an architect — who has spent a lifetime envisioning and creating. I studied architecture at the University of Texas and practiced for 15 years in firms across Austin, Paris, and Los Angeles before founding PLA.studio in 2021 after designing my family home in Bend, Oregon.

What began as an architecture practice has since evolved into something broader: a studio of imagination and making where design, art, writing, and craft all converge.

In my small home studio and workshop, I create soulful, beautiful, and experiential work — from landscapes and installations to furniture, home décor, and handmade objects. My projects explore how curiosity and creativity expand the world of possibilities.

Today, PLA.studio is less about buildings and more about the creative process itself:

Design & Consulting – from sketches and models to full design concepts, serving as a sounding board or creative partner to help ideas take shape.
Objects & Products – including WŌŌM, a series of hand-felted wall vessels born of wool and wonder.
Writing & Speaking – sharing stories and insights through my upcoming book, Curiosity Lights the Way: Imagine. Make. Play.
Art & Making – sculpture, textiles, and land-based installations that honor materials, place, and play.

Whether you have a project in mind, a product concept, or simply a glimmer of inspiration, PLA.studio is a playground, portfolio, and platform: a space where ideas are born, tested, and shared. Some become products, some become installations, and some live as stories that inspire others to imagine and create.

Imagine. Make. PLAy.

Hunnell House is a 3800 sq ft family home is a modern, cedar-clad conversion of an existing pole barn structure on 10 acres in Central Oregon.
The roofline on the south side extends as a long overhang, creating the entry path and providing shade for the livingroom.
The outdoor areas around the home include decomposed granite, large concrete pavers, and natural basalt boulders that complement native landscaping.
The height of the original pole barn did not allow for a true second floor, so 10’x10’ dormers create volume and frame views out to the property.
A yellow cedar deck and hot tub are the focal point of a private courtyard that is accessed from the master suite.
The east end of the house features a bright green/gold spiral stair connecting a large second floor living deck and ground floor multipurpose game court area.
The upper deck, an outdoor room with space to relax and view the property, includes a moss green spiral staircase that leads to the game court below.
A custom tiled Il Forno pizza oven and Blaze grill sit on a custom designed raw steel cabinet that will gain a rust patina over time.
The original pole barn trusses are visible in the Great Room. Views extend out into the landscape through a long span of windows that wrap the room.
Custom cabinets create a wall between the living room and primary suite and are punctuated by two lichen colored recesses for the TV and a coffee car.
An existing column anchors the large kitchen island. Two openings in the cabinetry wall lead to a laundry room and stairs to the second floor bedrooms
Within the primary suite, a small black steel spiral staircase leads to a loft office above.
The loft office above the master bedroom has views to a private courtyard to the north.
A mirror extends from countertop to ceiling in the primary suite to enlarge the perception of space.
The shower in the primary suite has direct access to the private hot tub courtyard through a large sliding door.
Neutral earth tones connect the bathroom to the landscape.
The existing open stair was enclosed and clad in engineered hardwood. At the top and bottom of the stairs, windows provide views out to the landscape.
A lounge area at the top of the stairs is the only room with the original low ceiling intact.
In all the second floor bedrooms, the dormer provides ample daylight and views out to the landscape. A window seat includes large storage drawers.
The existing slope of the roof creates a cozy space for a bed. The glass-lite door leads out to the second floor living deck.
The remodeled second floor bathroom includes a bathtub and subway tile that extends full height to the vaulted ceilings.
In two of the three bedrooms upstairs, a sleeping/reading loft with a custom ladder and guardrail sits within the double high space under the gable roof.
All potential usable space in the house was exposed. Where the dormer and existing roof meet, the spaces became an area for a desk or a cozy nook for bed. The custom steel bed frame is on casters and includes a trundle below.
An extra large bedroom upstairs is the perfect space for a teen.
The bedroom includes an area for seating; a narrow sleeping loft, and a door to the upper deck.