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Vertebrae Art and Architecture

Vertebrae Art and Architecture

Average rating: 5 out of 5 stars17 Reviews
Verified License
Architects
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About Us

Woman owned
Award winning
Published nationally
Los Angeles Premier Architecture Firm - 6X Best of Houzz!
Vertebrae addresses each architectural inquiry with a unique approach. We fuse aesthetic intention and program to create formally compelling yet relevant design. Individual context and socially responsible motive are design drivers, with client collaboration serving as an essential reference point. Within the vast set of parameters that define each design problem, budget and time are considered positive challenges. Our work is rooted in rigorous material experimentation and exploration of evolving fabrication technologies and means of construction. Pushing these techniques, complexity, texture, and restraint are intertwined. Vertebrae's recent projects include private residences, commercial interiors, and large scale artworks and have appeared in the LA Times, Interior Design, The California Design Biennial, and numerous museums and galleries. Southern California residential work includes projects in Venice, Manhattan Beach and Los Feliz. Vertebrae is a Los Angeles based architecture practice founded by Lisa Little.

Awards

2023 AIA | Los Angeles Residential Architecture Honor Award: Plymouth ADU 2022 AIA | Los Angeles Design Award: Psyop 2019 AIA | California Design Award: Troll Blue Swell 2018 AIA | California Design Award: MicroApartment Licensed architect in the state of California

Category

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12 Projects

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Business Details

Business Name

Vertebrae Art and Architecture

Phone Number

(424) 273-4426

Website

vertebrae.la

Address

725 South Los Angeles Street
Los Angeles, CA 90014

Typical Job Cost

$150,000 - 15,000,000

License Number

C-32748

Followers

299 Followers

Socials

Find me on Facebook

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Services Provided

Architectural Design

Building Design

Home Remodeling

Architectural Drawings

Custom Homes

House Plans

New Home Construction

Home Additions

Home Extensions

Kitchen Design

Kitchen Remodeling

Sustainable Design

Energy-Efficient Homes

Floor Plans

3D Rendering

Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs)

Bathroom Design

Green Building

Space Planning

Guesthouse Design & Construction

Multigenerational Homes

Pool House Design & Construction

Drafting

Historic Building Conservation

Project Management

Handicap-Accessible Design

Outdoor Kitchen Design

Basement Remodeling

Barn Design & Construction

Mudroom Design

Attic Conversion

Basement Design

Tiny House Construction

Staircase Design

Deck Design

Garage Design

Landscape Plans

Laundry Room Design

Modular Home Additions

Passive Solar Heating & Cooling

Home Gym Design & Construction

Prefab Houses

Rooftop Deck Installation

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Areas Served

Los Angeles

Bel Air

Brentwood Los Angeles

Hollywood

Venice

Glendale

Pasadena

Inglewood

Burbank

Universal City

Santa Monica

Hawthorne

North Hollywood

Brentwood

Monterey Park

Huntington Park

Sherman Oaks

Altadena

Culver City

San Gabriel

Studio City

West Hollywood

Beverly Hills

South Pasadena

Pacific Palisades

El Segundo

Malibu

Marina del Rey

Topanga

East Pasadena

Playa Vista

Dodgertown

Playa del Rey

Toluca Lake

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Credentials

9 Houzz Awards
Best of Houzz 2025 - Design
Best of Houzz 2025 - Service
Best of Houzz 2024 - Design
Best of Houzz 2023 - Design
Best of Houzz 2022 - Design
Best of Houzz 2021 - Design
Best of Houzz 2020 - Design
Best of Houzz 2017 - Design
Best of Houzz 2016 - Design
4 Houzz Badges
Houzz Pro Software User
Houzz Influencer
Recommended on Houzz
50,000 Ideabook Saves
1 Affiliation
AIA Los Angeles
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Featured Review
Stephanie Ladeira
Stephanie Ladeira
Average rating: 5 out of 5 stars
Vertebrae is a well-run, responsive firm - and Lisa was excellent in helping us stretch our vision for what our space could be while keeping our budget in mind.Read Full Review
Write a Review

17 Reviews for Vertebrae Art and Architecture

Average rating: 5 out of 5 stars5.0|17 reviews
Work Quality
5.0
Communication
5.0
Value
5.0
American Building Concepts
American Building Concepts
Average rating: 5 out of 5 stars
Lisa and her team have been great to work with, exceptional attention to detail with clear and precise plans. Love the contemporary style and cutting edge details. Would love to work with them again on more projects.
H5
HU-526550350
Average rating: 5 out of 5 stars
Lisa (Sensitive Information Hidden) and her team have consistently proven to deliver excellence in a very timely manner. Her talent and critical thinking are unparalleled, always accompanied with professionalism.
PM
paul marsolan
Average rating: 5 out of 5 stars
Huge fan of the team at Vertebrae. They have taken an extremely stressful process of doing a full rehab of a house and taken tons of the heavy lifting off of my wife and I. I highly recommend them to anyone waiting to do a simple rehab or a full build out. They have taken millions of choices and boiled them down to the few that my wife and I want to make. Also, they have used their magnificent skill to create unique touches to our house that have blown me away.
JC
jcordic
Average rating: 5 out of 5 stars
Lisa and her team at Vertebrae are top notch professionals. I have been a general contractor for 40 years and it is a pleasure building with Vertebrae. Their drawings and specifications are very clear and follow the highest standards in the industry. I love the seemingly minor things too; they're never late, never miss a meeting, and their meeting minutes are detailed and accurate. Their attention to our schedule and the tasks at hand help deliver smooth, on-budget projects. Lisa background in education also provide for beautiful, creative work. I highly recommend Vertebrae Art and Architecture. John Cordic RJC Builders, Inc.
JC
Jordan Cammarata
Average rating: 5 out of 5 stars
Lisa has been great to work with, not to mention--a great person and skilled designer. She has helped many of my clients successfully complete their projects. I'd highly recommend Lisa and her team at Vertebrae for any modern architectural and interior endeavor!
US
User
Average rating: 5 out of 5 stars
Lisa and Vertebrae Architecture created a beautiful design for renovation of our 1947 hillside home. Her design kept the structure intact and would have carved a new floor out of an area now full of debris. She designed a wonderful set of asymmetrical bookcases and a striking concrete patio/staircase down to a terraced garden. Sadly, due to hillside permitting and other issues, the project was not completed. But working with her was a real pleasure. She listened to our crazy ideas and kept us realistic, all while infusing the process with creativity.
Adam Shandrow
Adam Shandrow
Average rating: 5 out of 5 stars
Working with Lisa was absolutely fabulous. I was working on getting a large, 14 story historic building's change of use approved through the city site plan process. Lisa and her team were not only able to provide the needed architectural drawings, but they were instrumental in driving the theme, design and overall look and feel of the project. I felt that her designs were very complimentary of the building while maintaining an aesthetic that would appeal to a modern audience. There is no doubt that should I pick up another project, Lisa will be part of the team.
AL
almirconstructuion
Average rating: 5 out of 5 stars
Working with Lisa Little and her architecture firm, Vertebrae has been a pleasure. Lisa is always available to consult with on project questions and always has great solutions that meet both the needs of the client and the builder.
H7
HU-746997
Average rating: 5 out of 5 stars
Working with Lisa and her group was a great experience. I am a general contractor and work with a lot of architects and designers and Lisa is one of the best. She has a way with clients and her designs are progressive. She is a joy to work with.
JC
john Case
Average rating: 5 out of 5 stars
Vertebrae is a amazing creative group of very talented architects that listens to a clients wishes and come up with very creative solutions.
ARTLESS
ARTLESS
Average rating: 5 out of 5 stars
We worked with Lisa/Kristy on various projects in the Los Angeles area. We highly recommend working with them, we love their ideas and designs. Communication is great always and everything goes smoothly with them. A pleasure!
Stephanie Ladeira
Stephanie Ladeira
Average rating: 5 out of 5 stars
Vertebrae is a well-run, responsive firm - and Lisa was excellent in helping us stretch our vision for what our space could be while keeping our budget in mind. Not only is our kitchen remodel beautiful and bold, but it also made our kitchen a much more highly-functional space. One of the things we most appreciated was that we were unable to make huge structural changes, so Lisa designed a space that works for my husband who is a chef and how we work together in our space, and solved for our tremendous storage needs. The result is a GORGEOUS, modern, streamlined kitchen that is aesthetically different than any kitchen we have seen. Our home is old (1930s) and Lisa cheerfully worked through, and created solutions for, all of the difficult aspects of our kitchen, such as doors in awkward places, a random wall that created a big division in the kitchen, an old vent for the original 1930s stove, and more. We also asked Lisa to design a one-of-a-kind powder-coated, steel breakfast bar that ended up being a focal point of coolness in our breakfast nook.
M K FURNITURE
M K FURNITURE
Average rating: 5 out of 5 stars
As furniture/cabinetry makers, we were hired by Vertebrae to complete a residential project located in Malibu. Their vision was very clear and professionally designed. Always efficient and courteous, it has been a pleasure working with Lisa Little and her entire staff. We are looking forward to collaborating soon on other projects! MK Furniture
MA
marc9694
Average rating: 5 out of 5 stars
Vertebrae did a complete remodel of our two stories of approx. 7,000 sq. ft. of offices. Staying within budget, they provided us with very stylish, contemporary offices we enjoy every day, and are proud to show off to vendors and customers. They delivered what they promised, meeting deadlines and more. We were very pleased with their aesthetic, their service, knowledge and follow-through.
BA
balqinai
Average rating: 5 out of 5 stars
I worked with Lisa on making the interior design of an apartment and she came up with a truly beautiful, simple and minimalist design. I highly recommend working with her and you'll be satisfied with her design.
DI
DirkWard
Average rating: 5 out of 5 stars
I can't recommend Lisa Little highly enough. Compared with other architects I've worked with, Lisa Little's work is truly extraordinary. For the project Lisa did for us, everyone involved gained respect for her design creativity and problem solving, knowledge and navigation of codes, as well as her strong working relationships with top contractors and tradespeople. Lastly, her attention to detail while managing the project meant that the great design work was executed flawlessly. I'll certainly work with Lisa again, and I recommend her highly.
WE
wemmick216
Average rating: 5 out of 5 stars
Lisa Little worked wonders in our smallish Venice space. We had complicated needs and she found elegant solutions within a tight budget. We redid a kitchen from the walls out, extended it a bit, added a bar, added in a huge walk-in closet and staircase in the master bedroom, and reconfigured a guest loft. The latter involved enclosing a half-wall for privacy via rotating shutters that Lisa dreamed up and designed. The shutters rotate open when the loft is not in use and closed when we have company up there. This was a brilliant idea, brilliantly executed at not much cost. Lisa helped with fixture choice, color choice, and furniture choice, and worked closely with the general contractor and his subs. She exhibited great taste, a firm hand, and a keen eye on the budget. Recommended without reservation.
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Frequently Asked Questions

As licensed architects and a design studio, we routinely manage permitting, zoning, and regulatory approvals as an integral part of our architectural design and project management services. We work closely with clients to navigate these processes, ensuring a smooth path from concept to completion for your project in Los Angeles and surrounding areas.

We specialize in a wide range of residential projects, including custom homes, new home construction, home additions, and comprehensive home remodeling. Our expertise also extends to Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs), basement and kitchen design, and sustainable building, all tailored to your unique vision in Los Angeles.

We view budget as a positive challenge, integrating it into our design process from the start. Through client collaboration and rigorous material experimentation, we explore evolving fabrication technologies to achieve formally compelling yet relevant designs that align with your financial parameters. Our goal is to deliver exceptional architecture within your means.

As a full-service architectural practice, we guide you from initial concept through to construction. Our services include architectural design, detailed drawings, and project management, ensuring a cohesive process. We collaborate closely with you, exploring materials and construction methods to bring your vision to life effectively.

Absolutely, designing fully custom homes is a core part of our practice. We approach each project with a unique perspective, fusing aesthetic intention and program to create formally compelling and relevant designs tailored precisely to your individual context and vision. We specialize in bringing your dream home to life in Los Angeles.

FAQ content may be generated based on the Pro's Houzz profile and website.

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17 Comments

Commented: Cabinets are so sleekHi, They are custom cabinets - painted wood.
June 26, 2016
Commented: FloorIt is a polished concrete floor with color aggregate to match the counter top and cabinet color.
March 21, 2016
January 16, 2016
Commented: Barra de desayunoHi, the bar is a custom designed steel powder coated bar.
December 28, 2015
Commented: Love the distributionHi Cesar Thank you so much for your inquiry. I'm sorry but I don't release the floor plans for my projects. If you have a project that you'd like to collaborate on, please contact me. Thank you so muc...
November 25, 2015
Commented: What is the composition of the awesome bar?Hi. It's a custom steel powder coated bar.
October 15, 2015
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Average rating: 5 out of 5 stars
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