This spring, designer Jonathan Adler opened his new boutique in Buckhead Atlanta, featuring rugs, furniture, pillows, decorative objects, lighting, tabletop collections, bedding and accessories inspired by mid-century modern style.
The 3,400-square-foot store also features a “Design Center” where customers can consult with design experts on everything from accessorizing a bookshelf to a home makeover.
“I think that y’all really go for it in decor,” he said. “I’ve always, always, always loved eccentric Southerners. I think eccentric glamour lives in the South.”
Adler, who founded his brand in 1994 with a ceramic collection at Barneys New York, shared a few of his secrets for outdoor living and decorating. Jonathan Adler Atlanta is among 26 of his stores in the U.S. and two in London.
Q: What’s one of your must-have items for outdoor spaces?
A: I'm all about rocking a lamp. I think people underestimate the importance of lighting. Bringing a good ol' table lamp in makes an outdoor covered space feel so much more decorated and layered.
Q: What if you don’t have a covered space?
A: Oy vey … I was just watching "The Casual Vacancy" (an HBO miniseries based on the J.K. Rowling novel). English people do something that we don't really do in America. On a lawn, they just plunk the table and chairs in the middle of the lawn. It actually looks really great. For some reason in America that's just not done. I don't know why. It's an English tradition that we should really adopt.
Q: Why does it look great?
A: I think it looks great because it feels totally unexpected and cazh. It makes outdoor living very casual in a nice way. You will seem wildly jet-setty and sophisticated. That lawn tip is a really good tip, now when I think about it.
Q: What types of colors do you like for the outdoors?
A: I have fab outdoor planters. I love to use symmetrical planters to identify and accentuate an entrance. There's a great burnt orange (Okura Planter) that really captures the spirit of the sun. It's really nice to do a big orange planter with succulents in it. It will give you the feeling of California living on the East Coast.
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