James Robert White

Feeling Grateful today…. I tapped into Instagram this morning to find an incredibly gracious post from @amberinteriors , aka: Amber Lewis, about her desire to collaborate and make something wonderful together……as we have YET to pull this off. This is an ambitious goal of mine as well….HEY potential clients, we’re manifesting here!!!! This feeling of gratitude launched me into my day as I pondered the idea of who and why some creative souls find their way to each other. I feel lucky (and GRATEFUL) that my professional life continues to unfold and develop in this way…finding myself around the table with many people I have admired and respected for years….now becoming collaborators and friends as we create wonderful projects together for our clients. That caused my mind to drift into this realm of “career defining moments”, or in this case, “career defining projects”….. Those projects where clients vision, ambition, trust, teamwork, craft, and PASSION all collide to create what I would call a “career defining project.” The ones that come up constantly in conversations as people are sharing what they feel are my “extra special”projects….and “why”. Well…..this is one of them. Along the water, basking in eastern and souther sunshine, and then glowing like a lantern by night. One of the “special ones”….❤️ THNAK YOU to a special client who came to us with vision, ambition, trust, a GREAT team, and plenty of PASSION! Photos: @mollyrose.photo Bye for now…..B.. . . . #familycompound #southerncalifornia #garden #porch #bayfront #nauticalinspired #traditionalarchitrcture

Today we celebrate this one…..Robin White. ❤️ Mom to these boys, Brian and Trevor. These boys are AMAZING…because their Mom is AMAZING!! A Badass Mom to two Badass Boys who has endured her fair share of Emergency Room visits for ice hockey incidents, motocross incidents, bicycle road racing incidents, and her own incidents that involve her badass cooking and the inclusion of knives! And…..while raising two tough boys comes their gentle and compassionate side…just like their Mom. Her “Love Language” involves anything attached to taking care of those around her that she decides to Love and Protect….and believe me, you don’t want to test her! If you asked her about her “favorites”…. It would go something like this: Favorite Place to be: “Anywhere my boys are”. Favorite Food: “Anything I’m eating with my boys”. Favorite Memory: “That time I was with my boys and laughed our way through the day….and into the night.” Favorite Son: “That one….” You get the idea. Honey….you raised confident and gracious gentlemen who have learned to LOVE with their whole heart. You set an example of what it means to be “all in” and “never quit.” You’ve taught them that “Loving and Protecting” goes first…..then all the other magical things that make a beautiful life will come with it. Today we honor you….Happy Mother’s Day. We LOVE you…. ❤️❤️❤️ Bye for now….B. #mothersday❤️

MAGIC happens…… When all the stars of Client (Vision|Trust) Design Team (Vision|Ambition|Collaboration) and Construction Team (Craft|Passion|Pride) all come together like a perfect song…..each note complimenting the other…..:) Grateful to have been a part of this AMAZING and dedicated TEAM to reimagine what a “Barn” can look and FEEL like. To our client….Thank You.🙏🏼❤️ To @amymeierdesign for introducing me to her long time clients and friends…for trusting me as her creative partner on this one. To Stephanie and Michelle @edgewaterdesigngroup for executing the construction documents, permitting, and being the local “boots on the ground” on the architecture side. To the passionate and dedicated guys @eastmark.construction for taking our pages of drawings, imagination, and inspiration….and bringing it to life. These photos are “real time” from @amymeierdesign as their installation was happening this week….so bummed to have not joined in….but “I’ve got a bad back…;)” Thanks for the pics Amy!!❤️ YES…those are Amy’s shoes in #4….not mine…;) These details, right??? 💥 Bye for now…..B.. #barn #design #lakehouse #michigan #grateful

BIG NEWS!!! It is my honor and pleasure to introduce Trevor as our new Studio Director. WELCOME to ForestStudio!! Trevor joins us after spending the last 6 years in residential real estate development, covering all facets of the development process for two different great companies…one large, one small. Graduating Magna Cum Laude from the University of Southern California (Class of 2020) majoring in Real Estate Development and Business Finance…his real preparation for life here at ForestStudio came from his 4 years working with the USC Trojan Football team. @uscfb The intense practice and game days of managing clock time, schedules, drills, logistics, a multitude of personalities, managing high expectations, travel, and coaches who spit while they’re SHOUTING and screaming F-Bombs in every direction has laid the perfect foundation for the intensity of activities here at ForestStudio!….;) Trevor White….I’m proud to have you here by my side and so happy you’ve chosen this place for your next chapter of Professional life….I can’t wait for you to take all you’ve learned along the way and tighten up how we run our practice and take care of our clientele. @trevor.white98 I eagerly await your fresh perspective and ambitious vision! If all goes according to our long range plan, our son Brian will join us once he fulfills his dream of being creative and designing in NYC….and move back West to the beach!@brianwhite_design Let’s GO!!!!! Bye for now…..B.. #nextchapter #family #gratefulheart❤️

Oh Hey…… Bob here. Fresh back on HOME turf after two weeks trekking around Southeast Asia…:) Wow….hard to put into words all the amazing lessons learned about Place, Culture, Design, Craft, and Authenticity. Those are two of my dear pals photobombing me amongst the others in this new photo by @tomas_hercog . Over my left shoulder is @duan.h.m.tran from @_kaa_design ….while over my right shoulder is Greg Tankersley from @mcalpinehouse ….both of whom I can’t wait to continue traveling the World with….:) It was brought to my attention while away with my @leadersofdesign friends that my Instagram name reference of “James Robert White” is a bit confusing. Truth be told, that is my formal stage name and the one that appears on my Passport…thus, the one that Instagram required to “verify” my account with authentication, etc…. But…I’m really just BOB. Or Yo BOB. Or What Up BOB. Or Hey BOB. Or whatever other BOB you prefer to call me. It’s pretty casual around here, as our studio is at the beach, after all. That said, it’s really not just about me. ForestStudio is really a cast of characters on a daily basis that includes Scott, Emilia, Allison, Mia, and Nina…..then stretches to include Ron and Fernando….then Charles, Chad, Charles II, Mike, Alden, and Matthew….then John, Erik, Leslie, and Tomas……all chipping away and contributing to our “drawings” that help build great stuff!! This, of course…does not include ALL various consultants we rely on as creative partners to make all this magic happen. So…if I think of the moments where I seemingly pull the rabbit out my hat with ease……out would come ALL these AMAZING and TALENTED collaborators too…like one of those little clown cars where the costumed fellows just keep coming….❤️ Oh….on a serious note after some “clowning around”….please stay tuned for a VERY special announcement about the next chapter of ForestStudio coming this week!!! Bye for now…..BOB… #collaboration #partners #design #residentialdesign #architecture #interiordesign #grateful

Well Bangkok…..this will be a trip for the books! @leadersofdesign , @kgranet , @marcszafran @d.c.colla ….. this one, once again…went another level. You Inspired, you Taught, and you made this Community you’ve built Stronger than Ever! This Community you’ve made with poise and intention strikes a magical balance of significance and robustness…..while maintaining an Intimacy that bonds each and every one of us. This hand made list of professionals you’ve put together allows all of us to share in the most intimate ways….which gives us the confidence after each trip to go back into our practices and lead with Passion and Knowledge….Thank You. Switzerland 2027 won’t be here soon enough! Grateful….🙏🏼❤️ Bye for now…..B.. . #leadersofdesignbangkok2026 #travel #learning #inspiring #bangkok #worldtravel #design #architecture #interiordesign #gardendesign #grateful

Here we go….. Leaders of Design Council 2026 is now under way! This years journey to the Far East comes in three chapters: Chapter One: Phuket Chapter Two: Bangkok Chapter Three: Cambodia We just wrapped up the first chapter having spent the last five days being pampered and inspired on every level at AMANPURI. @amanpuri #leadersofdesign Not only a stunning property from an Architecture and Design perspective, but a level of care and service that is next level…queue the cold rolled hand towels each time we arrived back in our villa……:) The ability to unplug, refresh, unwind, and find some much needed space to think about all the good things that have been unfolding in 2026…..was beyond great. Also spending time with four couples that have become dear friends who are packed with stories, experiences, council, laughter, and JOY……not to mention incredibly talented careers that have each of them with published Rizzoli monographs on their work. So GRATEFUL for these pals @mcalpinehouse @_kaa_design @mohoninteriors @kgranet that open up their hearts and creative minds to share and discuss our work we’re so passionate about. I’ve been surrounded by these inspired and abundantly talented souls while we enjoyed the birds chirping in the trees from dawn until dusk….while also hitting the gym, lounging on the beach, swimming in the clear ocean waters, and enjoying some wonderful meals. We’re now ready to dive into Chapter Two of our journey and meet up with the rest of our @leadersofdesign group for four days of learning, deep discussions, and seeking inspiration….it’s going to be AWESOME!!! I’ll report back soon… Bye for now…..B.. #thailand #aman #amanpuri #leadersofdesign #leadersofdesigncouncil

This DREAM all began for us on January 27th, 2019. The DREAM included a new HOME in Pacific Palisades where their family home had existed for many years. This new home would reflect all the hard work and passion of raising a beautiful family..plus all the hard work of building a successful business allowing this DREAM to be put in motion. The new DREAM would be “design driven in every way”…not the quest for the BIGGEST box…but a home of craft, scale, reveal, intrigue, mystery, and materials that will stand the test of time for the next chapter in this families life. Well…Friday evening delivered on that DREAM while also including many tears, hugs, champagne toasts, and a true love and appreciation amongst the team and our clients…❤️ The many chapters of this DREAM included all the weirdness of Covid, their family evolving and growing up…oh, and a fire that ravaged through their community. Our house under construction survived, albeit made of wood, and fully wrapped in wire-brushed cedar planks. The neighbor next door burned, the four houses across the street were lost, our Interior Designer…and my dear friends @m.elle.design lost their design studio….but this DREAM survived and waited out the many months of uncertainty before all the talented craftspeople could return to work. All of this played a role in the tears of Friday evening….. This DREAM became way more than the new house itself…so much of what was being felt on Friday night was the culmination of all that took place during this seven year JOURNEY where our clients stayed the course, remained optimistic, and treated the whole team with the kind of appreciation that motivates and brings out the best of us…. I know we’re all so GRATEFUL.❤️ There are SO MANY special people to acknowledge…too many actually…but some of the MVP’s to shine a spotlight on are: General Contractor: Valle Reinis Builders Project Superintendent: Brendon Wilson Landscape Architecture: @eptdesign @norderiksson Interior Design: @m.elle.design Exterior Board Form Concrete and Fountain Fabrication: @buzzellstudios Architecture: @forest_studio | Ritner Group Happy Super Bowl Sunday! Go Seahawks ✌️✌️✌️✌️ Bye for now…B..

I GET to work on very COOL projects with COOL people…. We’ve spent this last year working on a VERY special project that took us on a different journey from our Private Residential work around the Country. CHAPLIN STUDIOS was created at Sunset Blvd. and La Brea Blvd. in the heart of Hollywood in 1917. Through the years the property has been in Charlie’s hands, then became the headquarters for A&M Records from 1966 to 1999, then into the hands of the Jim Henson Studio (hence Kermit the Frog presiding on the Arrival Tower) from 2000 to 2024. During these transitions in ownership, the Recording Studios on site have famously captured some of the most iconic recordings in the music industry…including the 1985 filming and recording of Quincy Jones’ “We are the World” in Studio A that featured 40 of the most iconic performers of that era. The list of famous albums recorded here is stunning…and continues to this day with the studios full of talent each day. Similarly, the Sound Stage has been host to countless television productions…and continues to do so today. The Studio is now in the PASSIONATE and VISIONARY hands of singer/songwriter John Mayer and film director/producer McG (Joseph McGinty Nichol). There has been a lot of positive press the last couple of weeks sharing their vision of preservation and subtle enhancements for the artists who reside and visit the property to capture their work. Being a part of the re-imagining has pulled at my heartstrings all year as we’ve studied the RIGHT APPROACH to how to illuminate and enhance the magical spirit of this iconic place. On a visit last year, McG and I were standing out on the side street going over some painting schemes, when a BIG black tour bus pulled up next to us by the “secret back door” to the Sound Stage…. McG says “gotta be for somebody big”….. Just then, the back door opens and out comes Bob Weir and the rest of the Grateful Dead…after a day of rehearsals for their Dead & Company tour at The Sphere. THAT was COOL to experience. RIP Mr. Weir…what a LEGACY you’ve left behind. ❤️ Bye for now……B.. . . #chaplinstudios #johnmayer #mcg #hollywood #moviestudio #recordingstudio #grateful

Happy New Year!!! 🥂 Well….I met my New Year’s goal to have my Website updated to launch into 2026!! I’m excited to share so much of whats been keeping us busy creatively and emotionally. THANK YOU to all our clients for giving us a seat on the Fun Bus and inspiring us to do our best work. THANK YOU to my talented and committed collaborators who help bring these dreams to reality. 🙏🏼❤️ Take a look and let me know what you think! Wishing you all Health and Happiness this New Year!! As you’ll see in the website updates, we’ve got LOTS of wonderful projects coming out of the ground in the year ahead…WooHoo!! Bye for now……B.. . . . #residentialdesign #designfirm #customhomes #home #collaborators #greatclients #newwebsite

As Dreams take Shape….. WOW…what a year it’s been! As I look back on 2025, it’s been a year like no other in our 22+ history of ForestStudio. A few clients (who have become friends..:) lost their homes back in January in the California Wildfires….casting a dark shadow on the usual optimism of a New Year. Then…. As the smoke cleared and the ashes and debris were hauled off, many have decided to be a part of the rebuild to bring their special town back to life. We’re lucky to be a part of the next chapter in their journey…with their kids in tow to show resilience and make a new beginning. I consider this to be a wonderful honor that I don’t take lightly. As a result, we have a couple of terrific new homes in Pacific Palisades deep in the Design Phase, with another one (that survived the fire..🙏🏼) ready for furniture in a few weeks! Scattered around the rest of the Country, we’ve been enjoying the smell of fresh cut lumber, lots of material and detail mock-ups to review, design meetings with wonderful clients, and inspiring collaborators…:) The images here are from projects currently in motion (albeit a bit messy..;) in Newport Beach, Pacific Palisades, Bozeman Montana, Nashville Tennessee, Traverse City Michigan, West Hollywood, Corona Del Mar, and Palm Springs….just to name a few. The year ahead will be another exciting one as these homes continue to evolve and take shape, with several more in the queue behind these. I want to share several high-fives and spinning chest bumps with my team I get to spend each day with…Scott, Emilia, Allison, Mia, and Nina…plus our regular collaborators who help bring our projects to life….I’m truly GRATEFUL…🙏🏼 To our clients who trust us with your Dreams……Thank You.❤️ 2026…Here we come!! Bye for now……B.. #construction #residentialarchitecture #design #customhomes #grateful

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays…. ⭐️ So GRATEFUL this Holiday Season for all our trusting clients, collaborators, craftspeople, and DREAMERS that play a role in my personal and professional version of “It’s a Wonderful Life”.🙏🏼❤️ I took this shot the other night of one of our favorite projects where our client goes BIGGER and BIGGER with the holiday lights each year……making it a crowded and photogenic tourist stop for those strolling the island for the beautiful and JOYful holiday walk. ✨ ⭐️ Bye for now…..B… Project: Little Balboa Island House GC: JC Dyer Co. Landscape Design: @eptdesign @norderiksson Interior Design: @memadesignsinc #newportbeach #balboaisland #christmaslights #bayfronthouse #wonderfulclient #grateful