Home, Happy Home
Rising décor designer Jonathan Adler brings his upbeat furniture offerings to town
- Photo by Jesse Winter
With an ever-expanding home empire that includes everything from pillows to lounge chairs to pottery, a new decorating book, and one of the most dapper husbands around (Barneys New York creative director Simon Doonan), Jonathan Adler is in a good place. Now that his anti-minimalist signature “happy chic” furniture—tall curvy Prescott chairs, glass-topped geometric Robinson coffee tables—is available exclusively in the area at Circle Furniture, your place can be a little better, too. Here, Adler shares his thoughts on style, shopping, and birds.
What inspires your style? I try to inject a dose of happiness into high-end design. Everybody wants a chic look, but that can often be off-putting and snobby. I have a slavish devotion to good design, excellent quality, and an abundant and gleeful use of color.
Name your top two creations. I love everything, especially the Lampert sofa. It has neoclassical lines with Hollywood glamour and a top note of mod moxie. And my white ceramic animals—right now I’m really in love with my birds.
Why Boston—and why now? I think there are squillions of groovy people in Boston, and I hope they enjoy my line. Of course, that’s not to say I won’t have a freestanding store here someday…
Where would you set up shop? Where do you think? Newbury Street. When I was at Brown, I’d come up to Boston, and that’s where I always envisioned being.
Is your personal style in sync with your furniture? Yes. I’m very lucky to be a boy because guys don’t have to think much about clothes. I’ve been wearing the exact same outfit since I turned 11: Levi’s cords, alligator shirts, and Rod Laver sneakers. Lately I’ve been trying a more age-appropriate look, so I’ll throw on a blazer and one of my dad’s old rooster knit ties.
Where do you like to shop in town? I’ve loved Louis and Alan Bilzerian for a long time. But, of course, now Barneys is my absolute favorite in Boston.
Simon would approve.
>>Circle Furniture, 199 Alewife Brook Pkwy., Cambridge, 617-876-3988, and other locations.
What inspires your style? I try to inject a dose of happiness into high-end design. Everybody wants a chic look, but that can often be off-putting and snobby. I have a slavish devotion to good design, excellent quality, and an abundant and gleeful use of color.
Name your top two creations. I love everything, especially the Lampert sofa. It has neoclassical lines with Hollywood glamour and a top note of mod moxie. And my white ceramic animals—right now I’m really in love with my birds.
Why Boston—and why now? I think there are squillions of groovy people in Boston, and I hope they enjoy my line. Of course, that’s not to say I won’t have a freestanding store here someday…
Where would you set up shop? Where do you think? Newbury Street. When I was at Brown, I’d come up to Boston, and that’s where I always envisioned being.
Is your personal style in sync with your furniture? Yes. I’m very lucky to be a boy because guys don’t have to think much about clothes. I’ve been wearing the exact same outfit since I turned 11: Levi’s cords, alligator shirts, and Rod Laver sneakers. Lately I’ve been trying a more age-appropriate look, so I’ll throw on a blazer and one of my dad’s old rooster knit ties.
Where do you like to shop in town? I’ve loved Louis and Alan Bilzerian for a long time. But, of course, now Barneys is my absolute favorite in Boston.
Simon would approve.
>>Circle Furniture, 199 Alewife Brook Pkwy., Cambridge, 617-876-3988, and other locations.
Originally published in Boston magazine, May 2006
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