What could have turned into a bad investment -- a house purchased years back when real estate was still thriving -- is now reaping dividends as a radical new exploration of art, design and fashion. The House on Genesee, located in West Hollywood’s Spaulding Square, is a house that is not a home. It's the love child of the three Artigas siblings: Alejandro is an architect and furniture designer, Gabriela is the creative genius behind her forceful and lovely jewelry line Gabriela Artigas, and Teresita is a charming host and food connoisseur. Together they created a space to visit casually for inspiration, community, to lunch and to shop.

And the shopping is cream of the crop. First off, it’s a joy to shop in a house; there's truly an intimate energy that cannot be duplicated in any boutique. There’s not a salesperson in sight, either ... just fellow artists and designers. The men’s and women’s lines become art themselves organically in such an environment. The designs of TeAmo, T.e.m.o.r.e.s., Kill City, and Mancandy resemble paintings on a wall rather than items for your closet. The beautiful work of Carla Fernandez deserves applause, as every piece and delicate detail is made indigenously. The serendipitous series of events that resulted in this space coming alive might be exactly what LA needs -- a place for all its refugees to call home.