Take a dive-below-the-surface with talented Cheyenne Fiennes, founder of DESTIJL, whose deep knowledge & love for style is delivered with unending enthusiasm. The light + energy of DESTIJL invites curiosity and states “come on in…stay awhile”.
Pull up a (vintage) chair and enjoy our Proust inspired Q+A’s below:
Why the name DESTIJL?
The name Destijl is a nod to the Dutch art movement “De Stijl” (direct translation- ”The Style”), which emerged in the early 20th century and focused on harmony, balance, and reducing design to its essentials. If you’ve seen a Piet Mondrian painting with bold black lines and blocks of primary color, that’s a classic example of the movement.
At its core, De Stijl believed that art, architecture, furniture, and everyday life should work together as a cohesive whole. And while that philosophy informs our point of view, Destijl as a shop is not a literal or rigid interpretation of the movement. Instead, we take its underlying ideas- intention, proportion, restraint, and cohesion- and apply them more loosely across many eras, materials, and styles. The result is a space that’s eclectic but considered, instinctive rather than academic, and unified by feeling rather than rules.
What is it that catches your eye (or heart) when sourcing?
Oftentimes, when I’m sourcing, I’m not really sure what I’m looking for. I just dig until I find something that stands out to me, usually because it’s unique or obscure in some way. I tend to gravitate toward rusty/ “patinaed” objects or furniture and items with interesting, unexpected proportions. I also have a bit of an addiction for chairs! I feel like that’s where the fundamentals of design really come into play, and I love dabbling with different kinds of elements and structures. So simple, yet such a cornerstone of design.
A few questions I’ll ask myself when sourcing– Would I put it in my home? Does it elevate a space? Or serve as a conversation starter? Does it make the mundane a little less mundane? You could buy a mug from Ikea, or, you could buy a one-of-kind Japanese Bizan ware mug, and I think the latter makes life a little more interesting.
Do you feel like design & dining go hand in hand?
Yeah, I definitely do feel like design and dining go hand in hand. Almost inexplicably so! The reason I love dinner parties is the community it brings, the unexpected connections you make, the gathering around a shared experience. You talk about the food, the glassware, the table settings. And when there is a beautiful presentation or food plating it elevates the entire experience. There’s a thoughtfulness to it, a curation of experience, and that’s ultimately what design is all about.
There’s also a certain charm to a dinner table mess– once everyone’s finished and there’s an eclectic leftover that is a symbol of a good time and food enjoyed! The same way that design can feel eclectic and lived in.
If you could dine with anyone dead or alive, who would that be?
I’d love to dine with Charlotte Perriand. She’s a French architect and designer of the early 20th century who really pioneered the way for a lot of the mid-century modern design elements we see today. She was very intuitive with her approach to design, she made sure to really understand a space and its environment before diving into the design, which is something I look up to. Plus, I think it’s awesome that she was designing and innovating in such a male dominated space at the time.
Who/what inspires you?
I’m inspired by the use of objects functioning as something other than their intended use. I like applying that same thought to a physical space, the way a space can be designed and transformed by thinking outside the box to create something unexpected. Using a wall unit as a partition for example, or displaying things in unique or avant garde ways.
I’m also very inspired by the thought process behind some of the most integral furniture designers of our time, who find innovative ways to re-create something so tried and true. An example of this is Eames‘ dedication to testing how people actually sit in chairs, in order to design with optimal comfort and function in mind. I’m also very inspired by travel, and collecting things from all over the world! The way different cultures, or even climates, take a different approach to design and decor. I try to bring that all under one roof at Destijl.
What do you hope to accomplish in life?
My hopes are to continue collecting and building out the store, to collaborate with other brands, and eventually I hope to create and release some of my own designs for furniture, objects, and decor, of which I have many brewing!
★ ★ ★
Modern. Organic. Inspirational. Social Dining.
Come on a lark with us!
Lark x DESTIJL LA 🟥🔹🟡 x
Chef Matthew Roberts
Sunday, June 28, 2026
Open invite. Limited seats.
