Insider’s Guide to Los Angeles

Name: Gulla Jonsdottir

The stats: Born in Reykjavik, Iceland; has lived in New York for h19 years, currently in West Hollywood.

Why she loves Los Angeles: The weather, the beach, my friends, and how peaceful it can be here.

Critically acclaimed designer Gulla Jonsdottir has a slew of awards under her belt, including a 2009 Hospitality Design’s “Wave of the Future” Award, Interior Design’s 2008 Gold Key Award for Best Spa Design, Boutique Design’s award for Best Hotel Design, Best Lighting Design, Most Dramatic Restaurant Design, and Esquire Magazine’s Best Design of the Year Award for her design of the Red O Restaurant in Los Angeles.

After graduating with a degree in architecture from the Southern California Institute of Architecture in Los Angeles, Icelandic-born Jonsdottir spent four years at renowned Richard Meier and Partners working on esteemed projects such as the Getty Center in LA and the Gagosian Gallery in Beverly Hills as well as gaining experience as a set designer at Walt Disney Imagineering.

Before founding her new design firm G+ Gulla Jonsdottir Design, Jonsdottir spent eight years as Vice President and Principal Designer at the acclaimed Dodd Mitchell Design firm in Hollywood, lending her expertise to numerous projects, which include the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel, Cabo Azul Resort in Los Cabos, Mexico, The Thompson Hotel in Beverly Hills, and the Double Seven Lounge in New York.

Most recently, Gulla has designed The Writer’s Room, actor James Franco’s newest bar, making her the hottest designer in Los Angeles at the moment.

Check out Gulla Jonsdottir’s favorite haute spots in Los Angeles at Haute Secrets.

Like Haute Living Los Angeles? Join our Facebook page or follow us on Twitter @HauteLivingLA. Want Haute Living Los Angeles delivered to your inbox once a week? Sign up for our newsletter.