Ysabel Is an L.A. Restaurant That Has Your Outdoor Patio Goals Covered

When your restaurant is set in a city with a year-round sunny climate, it's only natural that the design would take advantage of the situation. But the breezy, lush atmosphere of Ysabel isn't only a reflection of the weather surrounding its West Hollywood locale. In fact, when partners Phil Howard and Dean McKillen of Laurel Hardware were considering the appearance of this space, they drew inspiration from the equally temperate — albeit, also stylish — destinations of Buenos Aires and the South of France to create a thoroughly cosmopolitan dynamic. For starters, most of the seating options are positioned outside: multi-level patios interspersed with light-wrapped branches and verdant plants are made ever-more casual or luxurious based on the hour of the day. And perhaps even more striking, the sun or shade plays against rich textures and high-contrast colors to make every distinct area unmistakably luxurious. Sometimes, it's quite all right to make a fresh-air backdrop look and feel as upscale as a formal living room. Play with luxe materials and plenty of greenery, and the sun or moonlight will help give all of those elegant elements a soft, approachable finish.