In their own words, prominent business and political leaders describe their offices, and tell how the environment reflects their personality.
Seth Epstein
Fuel
It’s sort of a modern Zen barn. There’s a big concrete bowl-like fountain with plants to one side. We’re at Pico and Main (in Santa Monica), and two windows facing that corner are frosted, so I don’t have to see the traffic. The floors are concrete and one wall’s surface has a translucent material. There’s a huge worktable, the floors are concrete and the overall feel is one of utility and simplicity. It is not plush, there is no big couch. I’m not into a lot of show or ego. It’s really a place just to get my job done.
Yvonne Brathwaite Burke
County Supervisor, Second District
My office is decorated in a nautical style. The sea is very special to me. I live in Marina del Rey, own a vessel and go boating often. In addition to this theme, my office also contains many contemporary prints and photographs. I’ve always appreciated art and its relevance to quality-of-life issues, which are important to me and something I promote for my constituents as well.
Hugh Brown
Rhino Entertainment
I got an award this year from the company for most likely to be hiding Jimmy Hoffa in a mound of paperwork. I have a lot of books and artwork odd movie posters, and a couple of art forgeries that I did. One of the best things is a framed picture of Steven Segal as a Buddha. There are about 400 or so toys. There are a couple of working guillotines; I have a lot of non-child toys. I collect chainsaw-related stuff and weird things like the Salvador Dali deodorant that he sanctioned. The Pope Mobile is another, and a Jessie doll from “Saved by the Bell” and a Vanilla Ice doll. I have all the bad dolls. I find that when I have meetings, if people think (my office d & #233;cor) is amazing I will like working with them.
Mike Myers
Pillsbury, Madison & Sutro
My office looks like the room of an 11-year-old boy who failed to listen to his mom about not cluttering it. In every grown man there is a little boy. I have a plastic inflatable Goodyear blimp. I have various golf flags, banners from different ballparks, and football helmets, which are hanging from the ceiling. I probably spend most of my waking hours in my office, and this is soothing for me, it sure makes me feel good. I bet if people walked in here they would smile. Most people have just the walls covered I have the ceilings covered, too.
Marc Samson
MAS Marketing
I live in a three-story townhouse condo with a top-floor loft that is designated strictly as my office. It’s the biggest office I’ve ever been in and I’m thrilled with the situation. I started here to lower my risk when I decided to venture out on my own and wanted to avoid the costs of an outside office space. I love the fact that my commute is 15 stairs altogether. I’m a dad with a 21-month-old son, so I can see and be with him, and that gives me a great deal of pleasure. There is a downside: There’s very little office interaction. Mine is mostly with clients, rather than colleagues, and I miss that. But as an entrepreneur by nature, my best ideas can come to me at 2 a.m. and it’s good to have immediate access to my space.
