Move over, Todd Oldham. I have a new design crush.
John and I are on our annual “escape-the-children” weekend in Miami Beach. I had a few hours to myself the other day (John had to catch a later flight down), so after lunch and some pool time, I set out in search of clothes for John. Let’s just say that during the course of unpacking, I deemed his wardrobe in need of a little TLC. Or maybe 911.
After spending a small fortune at Base, I stumbled upon a Jonathan Adler store.
We don’t have one of these in D.C. (yet*) but of course I’ve seen his stuff piecemeal…a pot here, a lamp there…
The store was a little slice of heaven.
My initial goal was to check the quality of the merch. When you’ve mostly seen stuff online or piece by piece, it’s hard to tell how well stuff is made. You know?
Well I am here to tell you, Gentle Readers, that the quality is TOP-notch. Really. The lacquered objects are smooth and hard, the needlepoint pillows tight, the furniture solid…
And when you see a designer’s things all together and intense like this, you really get a feel for the overall design aesthetic. Fun. Bright. Witty. Useful. Irreverent. How objects should be.
I’m a huge fan of The Office, so you can imagine how tickled I was to find this:
Naturally the guys working in the store could not have been more helpful. They gave me a few wallpaper samples, chatted with me, told me about the designers’ trade discount (orders, anyone?). Such delightful guys.
You should check out Adler’s Manifesto if you want a little lift. It’s perfect.
*Hey, Jonathan Adler marketing people. If I were to personally guarantee that a store on D.C.’s 14th Street – in the company of Mitchell Gold, Room & Board (soon), and Vastu – would be a roaring success, would you open one there? Pretty please? Bossy color will even host the first party.
We need you.
