Designer Jonathan Adler Encourages You to Embrace Eccentricity
My parents, whom I love and adore and who gave me and my siblings the best childhood ever (I hope you’re reading this, Mommy!), were pretty hands off. Their one rule? Don’t be boring. This rule (and my mother’s ebullient sense of color) has stayed with me as I’ve built my business and informs my design philosophy to this day. So, if you’re looking to add the “Jonathan Adler touch” to your home, there’s one thing I exhort you to do: banish the banal. But how?
I’ve always believed that a home should be a reflection of your personality, not a carbon copy of someone else’s. The best interiors tell a story. They’re layered with memories, humor, color, and a healthy dose of confidence. If your home feels like it could belong to anyone, it probably needs a little more you. Design should make your heart beat faster every time you walk through the front door so, here are a few tips on how you can embrace eccentricity:
Always buy a chandelier that’s bigger than you think you need and more expensive than you think you can afford. Any time I’ve skimped on lighting, I’ve lived to regret it. A chandelier is more than a source of light—it’s the punctuation mark in a room. It tells everyone that something fabulous is happening here. I’m a firm believer that every room deserves at least one unforgettable moment, and lighting is one of the easiest ways to create it.
The biggest mistake people make is believing their home has to be finished. I don’t think a home is ever really finished. It should evolve as you evolve. Add something unexpected, move things around, edit what no longer feels right, and keep experimenting. Great design is a living, breathing process.
Designing is redesigning, the way that writing is rewriting. Don’t live with your mistakes. Did you pick the wrong paint color? Repaint. Hate your sofa? Toss a tapestry over it. Design, like life, is about being resilient and rolling up your sleeves and making it work. That’s the part I enjoy the most. Personality is what transforms a house into a home. Whether it’s a collection of ceramics, a fearless use of pattern, or one wonderfully weird object that makes everyone ask, “Where did you get that?” Those are the details that make a space unforgettable.
Start with the three Fs: furniture plan, foundation, and function. Once you’ve figured out that foundation, you can begin injecting your personality.
When in doubt, ask yourself “WWMND?” What Would Mother Nature Do? Mother Nature is the world’s best designer. Our home in south Florida is bright and bold, inspired by the yellow of the sun, the blue of the sky, and the white of the puffy clouds. Our home on Shelter Island is a little Scandinavian, a little Japanese, and a lot inspired by the color of the dunes outside (and the fur of our dearly departed Norwich Terrier named Liberace).
One of the reasons I love South Florida so much is that the light is impossible to ignore. It reminds me every day that color is a mood enhancer and that optimism can be expressed through design just as much as through words. Nature never apologizes for being vibrant, and neither should we.
The Jonathan Adler Miami store in the Design District is the perfect example of this philosophy. I love walking into the showroom because it captures so much of what makes Miami irresistible: sunshine, glamour, bold color, and an unapologetic sense of fun. It’s a place where people can experience our world in person, mix unexpected pieces together, and discover that great design isn’t about following someone else’s rules—it’s about finding the confidence to embrace your own point of view. Every time I’m there, I’m reminded that Miami has never been afraid of making a statement, and I find that endlessly inspiring.
I’ve saved my best tip for last. The truth is there are no rules. We live in an anything-goes world, and I wouldn’t have it any other way. Embrace eccentricity, be memorable, be confident, and remember - if you love it, it’ll work.
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