Meet Julia Levy, Pierre-Axel Coulibeuf | Julia Levy and Pierre-Axel Coulibeuf

We had the good fortune of connecting with Julia Levy, Pierre-Axel Coulibeuf and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Julia Levy, Pierre-Axel Coulibeuf, what role has risk played in your life or career?
Risk-taking has always been part of our journey.
We never feared starting over or reinventing ourselves when life asked for it.

After living in France, London, and Los Angeles, we eventually chose to settle in Santa Barbara. We love the beauty and the lifestyle here, it reminds us a little of the French Riviera.

Starting from scratch in a new place wasn’t always easy, but it gave us the motivation to build something meaningful, with each experience shaping us both personally and professionally.

Today, we own and operate several businesses, each one born from a mix of passion and curiosity.
For us, taking risks isn’t about recklessness, it is our way of living. It’s about staying open and seeing where the journey takes us.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
Together we run a cabinetry business that, over the past two years, has evolved to focus primarily on custom closets and garage spaces designed for car enthusiasts and collectors.

Alongside that, we each pursue our own creative paths. Pierre-Axel designs collectible furniture pieces exhibited in galleries, while Julia works as an interior architect on residential projects.

What sets us apart is the combination of our European design background and our hands-on experience in the U.S. market.
But adapting to a new country wasn’t easy. The visa process was one of the most challenging parts. It forced us to stay resilient, focused, and flexible.

One of the biggest lessons we’ve learned is that nothing is guaranteed, and you have to create your own opportunities. Saying yes to new challenges, staying curious, and trusting each other as partners has been the key to our growth, both as a couple and as entrepreneurs.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
We actually just had a friend from France visiting for the first time, and it was so fun showing him around!
We started with Santa Monica and Venice Beach so he could experience the classic California beach culture. For lunch, we took him to Gjusta Bakery in Venice, which is one of our “French” favorite spots, the baguette is just perfect!
Later, we spent some time in Fairfax for shopping. There’s such a great mix of streetwear, vintage stores, and cool local brands there. It’s definitely one of the best spots in LA if you’re into fashion.
In the evening, we had dinner at Zinqué in West Hollywood.

If the weather had allowed it, we would’ve added a hike to the Hollywood sign, but we wrapped up the trip with a beautiful drive along the PCH back to Santa Barbara to show him the coastline.
 There’s really so much to see and do here, but we loved giving him a little taste of California living!

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Studio Twenty Seven: https://studiotwentyseven.com
Nadine Teboul: https://www.thefrenchapartmentgallery.com

For supporting Pierre’s artwork

Website: https://www.pierre-axel.com, https://www.closetsetcsb.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gd_garagedesign/

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