Dex Studio

What Dex Studio does

Dex Studio is a boutique architecture and interior design practice founded in 1999 by principal Glen Bell and headquartered in Venice, California. The firm operates with a small team (2–10 employees) and delivers residential, commercial, restaurant, and retail design services, with a recognized specialty in hospitality interiors for Southern California operators. Its portfolio spans high-end single-family residences, multi-unit residential developments (including Frame's Venice Lofts and projects with RD Green Development), and a series of branded restaurant environments for clients such as SugarFISH (Sushi Nozawa Group), Charcoal Venice, Badmaash, and Millcross Coffee.

The business model is project-based professional services: clients engage Dex on a per-project basis for architecture, interior design, and material specification work, with revenue tied to billable hours, design fees, and project scale. There is no SaaS or recurring license component; revenue cadence depends on the firm's ability to win and renew relationships with hospitality operators and developers. Its go-to-market is primarily reputation-driven, evidenced by editorial recognition on Dwell.com, a Nightlife Magazine "Best New Restaurant Designer" designation, and repeat engagements across multiple locations of the same brand (e.g., 8+ SugarFISH restaurants, four Frame collaborations).

Dex's underlying "technology" is design judgment, proprietary aesthetic vocabulary (notably the non-toxic charred-wood treatment deployed at Charcoal Venice), and a curated network of materials vendors and contractors. There is no public indication of proprietary software, AI tooling, or platform infrastructure; the firm's value sits in human design capability, client relationships, and a portfolio of completed work that functions as a reference set for new business development.

Name

Dex Studio

Legal name

DEX Studio

Website

https://studiodex.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1999

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Dex Studio is a Venice, California-based boutique architecture and interior design firm founded in 1999 by Glen Bell, serving residential, commercial, restaurant, and retail clients across Southern California.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Venice

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Architectural design services: Project-based fees for designing private homes, multi-unit residential properties, offices, restaurants, bars and retail spaces throughout Southern California

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Dex Studio is a multidisciplinary architectural and interior design firm founded in 1999 that designs private homes, multi-unit residential properties, offices, restaurants, bars, and retail spaces throughout Southern California. The studio emphasizes craftsmanship, progressive design vision, and a contemporary aesthetic that integrates natural materials such as hickory, oak, walnut, concrete, brass, iron, porcelain and ceramic tiles. Principal Glen Bell works individually with each client to deliver signature environments for residential, hospitality, and commercial projects.

Product overview

Dex Studio is a multidisciplinary architectural design studio founded in 1999 by Principal Glen Bell. The firm operates as a single unified design practice offering architectural and interior design services for residential projects (single-family homes, remodels, multi-unit residential, lofts, apartments), commercial properties, and specialized restaurant and hospitality venues throughout Southern California. The portfolio includes notable repeat clients such as the SugarFISH restaurant chain, Badmaash, Charcoal by Chef Josiah Citrin, and residential developments with RD Green Development. The studio's approach emphasizes craftsmanship, progressive design vision, and the relationship between built form and surrounding community.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Architectural Design Services Multidisciplinary architectural design studio offering residential and commercial design services including private homes, multi-unit residential properties, offices, restaurants, bars, and retail spaces throughout Southern California.
• Residential Design Single-family residential design, remodels, and multi-unit residential properties including lofts and apartment complexes.
• Commercial Design Design services for commercial properties including offices, retail spaces, and multi-unit residential developments.
• Restaurant Design Specialized restaurant interior and architectural design, including notable projects for SugarFISH, Badmaash, Charcoal, Melisse, and other Los Angeles restaurants.
• Hospitality Design Design for bars, breweries, and hospitality venues including Hopsaint brewery/restaurant in Torrance.

Quantifiable outcome

• Dwell.com editor's pick for Newport Residence featured project
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers11 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Steve Roberts / CharliesminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 15 January 2015Design partnership for Hopsaint, a local brewery and restaurant in Torrance featuring casual, spirited environment with bright pops of color and natural woods.
• RD Green DevelopmentcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOngoing partnership with RD Green Development for multi-unit residential projects. DEX designed their five-story Hudson Lofts in Hollywood and Frame Hollywood Lofts, marking multiple collaborative developments.
• Frame DevelopmentcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFourth collaboration with Frame on residential developments including Frame Hollywood Lofts and Frame Venice Loft building, with DEX providing architectural design services.
• Chef Josiah CitrincoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLongstanding partnership with Two-Star Michelin Chef Josiah Citrin. DEX designed Melisse (Michelin 2 Star) and Charcoal Venice, with Glen Bell involved early in design process.
• Chef Kazunori Nozawa / SugarFISHcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDEX has designed 8+ SugarFISH locations across Southern California, creating signature warm-toned, casual spaces with hand-crafted details for the acclaimed sushi chain.
• Precision DevelopmentminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerOffice interior design project for e-based solutions firm in Hermosa Beach, creating private offices, bullpen space, reception, and conference rooms.
• Pono Burger TeamminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDesign of farm-to-table burger restaurant in historic Quonset Hut in Santa Monica, featuring industrial and rustic elements.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Direct peers

• EYRC Architects: LA-based architecture firm with residential, mixed-use, and hospitality work and an established craft-driven design approach; comparable boutique positioning and SoCal market overlap with DEX Studio.
• Standard Architecture: Los Angeles-based architecture firm with a portfolio of contemporary residential, hospitality, and multi-unit projects in SoCal — overlapping client base and project typologies with DEX Studio.
• Marmol Radziner: LA-based architecture and interior design studio known for high-end residential, hospitality, and commercial work, with a similar craft-focused, materials-driven design philosophy and SoCal client base as DEX Studio.
• Walker Workshop: Los Angeles architecture and design studio with a portfolio spanning high-end residential, multi-family, and hospitality projects; comparable in scale, regional focus, and craft-oriented aesthetic to DEX Studio.
• Commune Design: Los Angeles-based multidisciplinary design studio working across residential, hospitality, and commercial interiors with a similar boutique principal-led model and emphasis on craft and materiality.
• Kelly Wearstler: Beverly Hills-based luxury interior design studio with strong hospitality and residential portfolio and a principal-led brand — directly comparable in segment mix and premium positioning to DEX Studio.
• ShubinDonaldson: Los Angeles-based architecture and interiors firm working across residential, hospitality, and commercial projects with a similar craft and contemporary aesthetic to DEX Studio.
• Studio Robert McKinley: New York- and LA-based hospitality-focused interior design studio with strong restaurant and hotel portfolio — directly comparable in hospitality interior design specialization to DEX Studio.
• Yabu Pushelberg: Globally recognized hospitality and residential interior design studio with deep restaurant and hotel portfolio — comparable in hospitality specialization, though larger in scale than DEX Studio.

Broad incumbents

• Gensler: Global design and architecture firm with major hospitality, retail, and commercial practices across LA; represents the broad-incumbent competitor with significantly more scale and resources than boutique studios like DEX Studio.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/pages/Dex-Studio/120948177963800
• Instagraminstagram.com/dexstudio
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/dex-studios

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Dex Studio